Alopecia Areata - Cause Baldness

The cause of this disease is unclear, although some experts attribute to autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles person. This condition is rare in children under three years and is said to have a strong genetic predisposition. It often effects people 30 to 60 years and about 20% of people in this situation, have a known family history of baldness. Some major life events such as pregnancy and disease causing extreme stress can also increase the risk in some people.

Signs and diagnosis

Alopecia areata appear as well defined points of hair loss. But some cases simply be thinning hair, what is known as diffuse alopecia areata. The area of ​​hair loss may also occur in other areas such as the eyebrows, beard and hairy areas of the extremities.

Scalp biopsy is performed to verify the presence of other blood tests may also be ordered by the doctor to check for any autoimmune diseases that may have contributed to their occurrence.

Treatment

The therapeutic management of alopecia areata is unpredictable since the reference does happen. Especially for those who have a lot of hair loss with a wider area of ​​the scalp, there is less chance that the hair grows back.

However, the popular treatments include steroid injections, regular application of topical corticosteroids, topical minoxidil (an antihypertensive), using specially formulated shampoos as Lidex (fluocinonide) and Clobex (clobetasol), and even the use of light ultraviolet. These treatment modalities are often used together.

Also, some medications used to manage and psoriasis, sensitizing topical may also be used. This triggers an allergic skin reaction that stimulates hair growth locally.

The nonpharmacological approach is mainly oriented towards reducing the amount of stress or individual traumatic experiences. This was observed to be effective in treating or delaying the disease, at least to some extent. It is recommended to mask the signs of baldness during treatment.

Prognosis

Hair grows normally for most patients alopecia areata. But even if the prognosis is generally good, some patients still found no sign of return of hair growth. This is particularly true in young patients with alopecia, those with skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and others who have long term alopecia.
                                 
While alopecia areata is not considered a dangerous disease, which still must be managed, as it can have serious affects on a self-esteem and self-confidence. It is never good to consult your healthcare provider if you start to be afraid of loosing a few strand of hair. It is better to act now before it's all gone.