Alopecia

Alopecia areata sufferer Julia Crittendon has written a book in hope it will offer encouragement to other female sufferers, after she found no literary or any support other than her family when she was diagnosed seven years ago.

Her recent self published book, “Metamorphosis: Inspirational Stories of Women Living with Alopecia”, charts the experiences of 22 women as the dealt with hair loss and what it’s like to be a bald woman.

Hair loss is not a restricted male domain, it can affect up to 40 percent of women and alopecia areata, specifically, can affect as many as one person in a thousand at some time in their life and spares no regard for age or gender. It is a condition of hair loss which falls into the category of autoimmune diseases, which means for one reason or another, the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. The result is rapid and patchy hair loss, usually starting with one or more small, round, smooth bald patches on the scalp which can, in extreme cases, progress to alopecia totalis (total scalp loss) or alopecia universalis (complete body hair loss).

Alopecia areata is a hair loss condition which, with monitored treatment, can see results. However there is no prognosis to determine its success.

“If hair loss is still in the patchy stages there is better chance of regrowth,” trichologist Leonora Doclis said. “Very often it grows back spontaneously by itself but if it hasn’t after six months it might be worth considering treatment.”

Despite the statistics, baldness in women remains a very hush-hush issue but the impact cannot be written off as mere vanity.

“For all sufferers the condition can be a shocking and traumatic experience,” Leonora said.

A study on the psychosocial impact of alopecia areata found that the condition causes dramatic and devastating emotions in patients, which can negatively affect their self-esteem, body image and self-confidence.

“Sometimes doing something about it might be enough to make you feel better,” Leonora said. “But it is discretionary and sometimes people need further help when general family support isn’t enough. In these cases I would recommend counseling.”

The psychological impact can be heightened in women because of social pressures on them to be attractive.

“People are still hiding from it,” Julia from Mansfield, Ohio said. “These women are standing up to what was meant to destroy and depress them and are turning it into positive, productive energy so that the next woman who loses her ‘crown and glory’ won’t fall victim to what society deems as ‘normal’.”

The women who contributed to the book described it as a therapeutic journey. Jenn Pendergrast from Florida who was diagnosed in 2006 said she has finally accepted that she is totally bald.

“It was actually the first time I put my story into words and I cried the entire time I was writing,” she said. “It felt awesome to put all that had happened into words for others to read.”

Netherlands resident Tamara Cramer Bornemann, who also contributed to the book, was diagnosed with alopecia areata when she was five years-old. “I only wore a wig once, when I was about seven years-old, and I didn’t feel too good about it,” she said. “So from that moment I went through life without a wig. The teenage years were pretty difficult because I wanted to be normal. In my 20s I felt in bloom and enjoyed life.”

Julia said it took her five years before she went bald in public. At one point she tried wearing a $3,000 wig but these days she shaves her head. She recalls telling herself before her first outing, “This is me, take me as I am.”

(Images courtesy of Dawn Ashley and arianne… at flickr)

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Alopecia Areata – Cleared up in Most Cases

Book Review: Hoffman’s Breaking the Silence on Women’s Hair Loss

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Female Hair Loss and Alopecia – Total Regrowth

My daughter has alopecia areata – what can be done?

Has anyone ever told you wearing a hat all the time leads to baldness, or do you think if there’s no sign of hair loss on your mother’s side you’ll be safe? Hair loss is a condition that can cause a lot of sleepless nights and with so many myths surrounding the issue it can be hard to get a straight answer to these old wives’ tales and get to the bottom of what can be done to prevent and treat the loss of hair.

Here to debunk the myths and lay down the facts are Dr. Elena Dimitrova and trichologist Leonora Doclis, both experts in hair and scalp care.

True or false?
Hair loss is an old man’s ailment

False
There are many different types of hair loss and none of them are limited to the elderly or men in general. Alopecia areata, traction alopecia, trichotillomania, pseudopelade, and diffuse hair loss are just some forms of hair loss that are seen frequently in women and sometimes children. Yet the most common form of hair loss is male and female attern baldness which can affect up to 80 percent of men and roughly 40 percent of women.

“All the hair loss sufferers I see think they’re too young for this to be happening to them,” Leonora said. “However, male and female pattern baldness are progressive conditions and can begin as early as puberty.” Still, baldness is not imminent if treatment for the condition is taken early enough.

True or false?
Hair loss is inherited from the mother’s side of the family

False
Hairloss, in the majority of cases, is a hereditary condition in which the gene can be carried on both sides of the family.

“In 1946 an expert claimed premature baldness, before the age of 40, may be linked to the mother’s side,” trichologist Leonora Doclis said, “but this was disputed shortly after. There was no research to support the dispute, it was merely a suggestion.”

It wasn’t until recently that two genetic variants were identified that can be inherited through either parent. If these two variants are present, along with the gene which has always been recognised from the mother’s side, the risk of baldness, in men at least, increases sevenfold.

“Male and female pattern hair loss is polygenic,” Leonora said. “The tendency can come from either side of the family and can even skip generations. If your father is bald it does not necessarily mean you will go bald but your chances are significantly higher.”

True or false?
Excessive washing and blow drying causes hair loss

False
Regular hair care and maintenance such as washing, combing, dyeing and blow-drying will not result in hair loss. It is good hygiene to wash hair frequently and whilst dyeing and blow-drying can damage the hair itself by pulling on it and burning, it will not cause hair to stop growing.

“High heat from blow-drying will result in dry and brittle hair but not hair loss,” Dr. Dimitrova said. “Using heat protecting serums will prevent this.”

If you’re worried about the amount of hair you see in the sink or your comb after washing or combing, take heed in the fact that shedding about 100 hairs a day is normal. If you think it could be more, take the DIY hair loss test.

True or false?
Stress causes hair loss

True
Diffuse thinning and telogen effluvium are forms of hair loss which are directly caused by stress. These conditions are characterised by an overall thinning of the hair on the scalp when certain hair follicles prematurely stop growing and enter into the telogen (resting) phase before falling out after about three months.

“There are many things that can cause hair loss,” Dr. Dimitrova said, “such as thyroid problems, polycystic ovarian syndrome, severe illness, fever and medication.” Acne treatment such as Roaccutane, Omeprazole (used to treat dyspepsia, stomach ulcers and reflux) and most anti-cancer medications can all cause hair loss.

In cases of male and female pattern baldness (the most common form of hair loss), stress will not cause hair loss. It is a condition where its sufferers carry the gene which will eventually cause them to lose hair but there are a number of factor which may trigger its onset. Stress could be one of these. Other triggering factors could include hormones (which is why hair loss can sometimes occur as early as puberty or as late as post-menopause), physical trauma, infection and even smoking and other chemicals.

True or false?
Wearing tight braids, ponytails or buns causes hair loss

True
Traction alopecia is a hair loss condition that is caused by excessive amounts of tension on the hair shafts which can damage the hair follicle. Over long periods of time under these circumstances, Traction Alopecia will cause the production of hair to slow down and finally stop growing all together. Early treatment for this condition is vital if natural regrowth is to occur.

“All hair loss problems have to be treated at the right time, that is, early,” Dr. Dimitrova said.

True or false?
Hats and caps cause hair loss

False
Though wearing a tight fitting cap or hat can interfere with blood circulation to the hair follicles, there is no scientific proof that they are capable of causing hair loss.

“This myth comes from the pattern of hair loss which is most likely to be seen on the crown,” Leonora said. “I’ve also heard myths about water and high pressure when washing your hair but of course these are not true causes for hair loss.”

Tried and true hair loss treatments

With literally hundreds of hair loss products on the market today, the truth of their claims can be as difficult to verify as the myths stated above. Mousse, gels and shampoos all promising to help hair grow thicker, supplements and all other types of potions claiming to be the miracle cure and increase hair growth are all simply scams with no scientific evidence. These potentially unsafe remedies are targeted at people who are desperately seeking a true solution.

The fact is there are only two FDA approved treatments and one FDA cleared device for hair loss which are medically and scientifically proven to stop hair loss and promote regrowth. It’s time to stop worrying about hair loss and sifting through the shelves for a cure when we already have one – or technically three. More information on HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.

Did you know..?

British men in th 17th century were told to slap on some chicken dung to keep from going bald! Thank goodness we’ve come a long way since then.

(Images courtesy of J Wynia, malias and Steven Fernandez at flickr)

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Is it a myth that nothing can be done about hair loss?

“About 6 months ago my hairdresser discovered I had a bald patch at the back of my head.  Needless to say, I was distraught, especially since there was no way to hide it as my hair was cut short.  It took this shock to make me confront that my hair was thinning and it was at this point that I came to the Belgravia Centre. 

It’s been 6 months now, and although I was initially dubious, the results speak for themselves.  The patch no longer exists, my hair is generally thicker.  All my friends have noticed how much better my hair looks and I’m absolutely thrilled with the results.  I suffered for so long with thinning hair, but now things are looking much better.  It’s worked for me – and I hope it works for those of you who need this.

Thank you.”

M.J.G

Diagnosis:  Female Pattern Hair Loss and Alopecia Areata

    
Month 1                                                  Month 7

      
  Month 1                                                Month 7

A growing number of children are experiencing hair loss, according to recent media hype. It’s not all that surprising either considering that along with genetics, stress is the main instigator of alopecia areata and that an estimated one in five children experience some form of mental health problem. A recent Parentline Plus survey revealed two thirds of parents are concerned about their children’s stress levels and, it would seem, not without good reason.

In a study involving 180 patients between 5 and 16 years of age, a stressful event or situation was cited at the onset or at a new outbreak of alopecia areata in 81 percent of cases. Prolonged stressful situations were more influential than single stressful events and the most prominent stress factors were experience of separation, relational problems, and difficulties of the child to come up to the expectations of their own parents with respect to the conduct in general and to progress in school. These findings are further confirmed in the Parentline Plus survey which identified bullying (33 percent), parents’ separation (28), drug use (11) and rejection by a parent (eight) as the main causes of stress.

Alopecia areata is a relatively common hair loss condition that can affect as many as one person in a thousand at some time in their life but exact figures for children are not known. It falls in the category of autoimmune disorders which means that for unknown reasons, the body’s own immune system attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation. What activates and promotes the onset of alopecia areata is largely unknown but there are several suggested factors that may influence the course of alopecia areata.

With alopecia areata, hair loss is quite patchy and tends to occur rapidly. There is also a form of more generalised thinning of hair referred to as diffuse alopecia areata throughout the scalp. Occasionally, all of the scalp hair is lost, a condition referred to as alopecia totalis. Less frequently, the loss of all of the hairs on the entire body, called alopecia universalis, occurs.

In some cases of alopecia areata, hair will regrow within a year without any treatment but the longer the period of hair loss, the less likelihood that the hair will regrow. Leonora Doclis, senior trichologist at the Belgravia Centre says there is no prognosis to determine the likelihood that the child’s hair will grow back.

“As a rule of thumb, if within six months the hair hasn’t grown back it’s time to do something about it,” Leonora said.

Realted articles

My daughter has alopecia areata – what can be done to help?

Child hair loss gene found

Wikipedia says there’s no known treatment for Alopecia Areata, is that right?

Question: My son has a bald patch – could it be Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia Areata in adults - cleared up in most cases

Name: Jay

Question: I am a male aged 26 and losing hair at a fast rate. I was so concerned that I visited a clinic that advertises in the paper (not yours) and was shocked when they told me the cost would be £1200 for six months treatment. When I completed one of your online diagnostic forms I found out your costs are lower compared to other companies I have enquired with.

Does this mean the treatment isn’t as good? To be honest I felt I was being ripped off at the first centre I visited as the guy was a bit pushy and that also put me off. Can you help as I am nervous and quite sceptical even though it was a friend who mentioned your name?

Answer: When costs are low, the first thing that most people naturally think is that the product purchased won’t be as good as a more expensive option. In the case of Belgravia’s hair loss treatment courses this is not the case and I will explain why.

It’s an unfortunate fact that many of the hair loss organisations in the UK aim to make as much money as possible with little effort. Most of the centres do not offer the medically proven treatments for hair loss as they don’t have the medical facilities to do so (pharmacy / medical staff). These facilities take a lot of time, money and effort to set up and in the case of a pharmacy, need to be overlooked by certain regulatory bodies.

The fact is, as well as having all of these facilities, which ensures we are able to provide the optimum level of treatment and service, Belgravia genuinely aims to make the products offered as reasonable as possible to the consumer. We’re not looking to make maximum profits from individual patients, but prefer to help a higher number of people at lower costs; this is why Belgravia has the largest client base of any single medical hair loss centre in Europe.

We guarantee that the Belgravia Centre offers the most effective hair loss treatment courses available whilst ensuring safety. These treatment courses include the medically proven treatments for hair loss specially combined to suit the individual, treatment course boosters and other services for which you can find more information on the HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS page.

In November 2008 the Belgravia Centre recorded its first set of video diaries from a patient using a specialised Belgravia combination treatment course – we believe his results to be the best for hair loss ever recorded on video – you can view his videos here – HAIR LOSS VIDEO DIARY. Our site also features hundreds of success stories that are updated and added to on a daily basis. They include comments and before/during treatment photos of Belgravia Centre treatment users.

If you would like to arrange a free consultation at the Belgravia Centre to begin the process of hair loss prevention please contact us by message ot call the centre on 020 7730 6666.  Alternatively, you can complete our online diagnostic form for mail-order if you are unable to visit the centre.

It may seem bizarre that a tooth infection could cause hair loss but according to research, if you’re like the one in every thousand who suffers from seemingly random bald patches on your scalp or even your beard, eyebrows and eyelashes, you may need to consult your dentist.

In most circumstances hair loss is genetic, in fact an estimated 80 percent of cases are hereditary. However, sudden patchy hair loss with no apparent cause may be due to alopecia areata – the most mysterious form of hair loss. The condition can be triggered by a number of factors and new research reveals a tooth infection may be one of them.

The study conducted by the professors at the University of Grenada uncovered a close relationship between infection outbreaks on teeth and the presence of alopecia areata. Doctor Elena Dimitrova of the Belgravia Centre says it is possible that alopecia could be connected to dental infection.

“Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease and there are a number of factors that could cause the immune system to weaken. If the tooth infection were extreme it could have an effect on hair loss,” Dr Dimitrova said.

It is understood that alopecia occurs when white blood cells mistakenly attack the hair follicles, weakening them to the point where hair growth can no longer occur. When a tooth becomes infected, white blood cells work overtime to attack and destroy the infection. These cells can sometimes migrate to nearby cells, such as those found in the hair follicles.

The association of alopecia and tooth infection is often detected close to the area of infection. Hair loss may be seen in the beard, eyebrow and neck area, on the crown or lower portions of the scalp. In about 50 percent of alopecia cases patients will experience spontaneous re-growth without any treatment within a year, but the likelihood of total re-growth diminishes as the severity of the condition increases. A study reported in the European Journal of Dermatology also estimates that seven to 10 percent of patients may experience more extensive and chronic forms of the disease.

In light of the recent discovery of tooth infection and alopecia, many dentists are now being trained to look for patchy, sudden hair loss in patients experiencing tooth infections. The good news about infection-induced alopecia is that because a cause is linked, it can be treated and reversed. If the symptoms are caught in early stages of development, both the infection and hair loss can be easily treated.

Whilst science has not yet demonstrated a cure for alopecia, there are some options available to help treat the symptoms (that is, sudden patchy hair loss). A course of steroid injections into the scalp can help in cases where the bald patches are quite small. The treatment involves several injections about 1cm apart (however the number of injections is often limited by pain) and is repeated every four to six weeks. However patients have found the Belgravia Centre’s non-invasive Minoxidil 12.5% + Azelaic Acid formulation (produced by its own in-house pharmacy and not available anywhere else in Europe) to be as effective, if not more effective than the injections and a much more comfortable alternative. Patients frequently see remarkable results within three to six months, instilling a renewed sense of confidence.

If you’re experiencing haphazard hair loss and can’t quite understand why, a free consultation with a professional trichologist at the Belgravia Centre may give you some peace of mind. Call the clinic on 020 7730 6666 to make a booking or click here. If you can’t find time to pop into the London clinic, simply fill in the online diagnosis form for some expert advice. Don’t forget to have that tooth checked either.

Related articles

Wikipedia says there’s no known treatment for Alopecia Areata, is that right?

Alopecia Areata – cleared up in most cases

Hair loss is treatable as long as you act early

(This blog is by guest contributor John Allsopp). As a man, I didn’t think I was going to like Breaking the Silence on Women’s Hair Loss. I mean, I’ve read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: How to Get What You Want in Your Relationships
, so I’m comfortable being uncomfortable when the book jacket talks about “women who struggle with hair loss and its accompanying emotional toll and shame”. The third sentence in chapter one is “Fairy tales, myths and legends abound with hair central to the story”.

It turns out, though, that Hoffmann herself, a ‘seasoned medical journalist and editor’ also seems uncomfortable with that and soon gets into her stride talking about what causes hair loss and what you can do about it. Journalists aren’t flowery by nature, they like to report the facts as they see them. That’s their job. I love it.

So, I think what’s happened is the flowery stuff has been forced there by the publisher in order to satisfy their model of what sells the books to women. That’s fine, just don’t get the impression the book deals only with the emotional and social side of hair loss. There’s a load of great information in here that I haven’t seen elsewhere.

Hoffmann gets serious with hair loss, providing, for example, the biggest list I’ve seen anywhere of reasons to see your doctor first, from Lupus to statin drugs and SSRIs like Prozac with hair loss as a possible side effect.

There’s advice on who to talk to and how to build a ‘hair loss team’ around you. The largest chapter is probably the one covering a wide range of hair loss treatments. Then it’s hair nutrients, wigs and finally she reaches the book’s basic conclusion which feels like: you may improve your hair but you probably won’t get back your teenage years. You need confidence in you, and your hair isn’t you. The major battle isn’t your hair, it’s you and your attitude towards it.

It’s in the treatments part of the book, however, that I think it falls down. Basically, I’ve read the book and I learned a whole lot about hair loss causes and treatments. But I still don’t know what to do.

What I really wanted was for Hoffmann to write a book titled “John’s hair loss, what it is and what he should do next”. I’ve spent maybe four or five hours reading the book and I know more about hair loss, I’m better equipped, I have a more rounded appreciation. But I’m nowhere nearer making a decision about getting my hair back. In fact, whereas before I was looking for a hair loss solution, now I’ve reverted to wondering whether I should just accept me for who I am. I’ve taken a step back. And that’s very slightly annoying.

But isn’t that how life is now? We’re suffering under a weight of choice. Want broadband? You’ve got to understand it before you can buy it. Want a mobile phone? May your God help you. Want something to calm your nerves? First, you have to deal with more information than you can shake a stick at, and nowadays the first place people turn is the Internet. Anyone, even stupid people, can write articles on the Internet.

I have a different view. I think there will be a backlash against the herd, against stupid people you don’t know or trust making stupid online comments. Against DIY. Against information overload. I think the pendulum will swing back towards the expert.

If I have hair loss, why should I have to learn about it? Surely I just want to turn up to an expert, get it treated, walk out and get on with what I want to do.

Our life is just the hours we get given. We shouldn’t waste them. Do what you want with your life. Learn about hair loss if that’s what you really want to do. Otherwise, consult a hair loss expert, get it sorted to the best of their ability (and let them worry about that), then get on with your life. Hair loss can’t stop you.

(Pic courtesy Dawn Ashley on Flickr, some rights reserved)

We’ve talked about the scientific approach in this blog a few times now. In the search for a cure for Alopecia Areata (patchy hair loss), though, the argument for a wholly scientific approach is weak. Basically, if no-one’s done experiments that demonstrate an effective treatment for Alopecia Areata, then it’s true to say that according to science, nothing can be done and everyone can hold their hands up and say “we did it by the book”, leaving you to live with your bald patches.

Alopecia Areata shows as patchy hair loss

It’s all rather harsh, since patchy hair loss, while it isn’t a life threatening illness, is socially debilitating. People with Alopecia Areata tend not to go out as much and there’s an increased chance of depression. It’s particularly difficult when, as it often does, it affects teenagers and young adults.

Wikipedia’s “there’s no known treatment for Alopecia Areata” is right, then, but perhaps might be better worded “science has not yet demonstrated a cure for Alopecia Areata”, or perhaps even better “the pharmaceutical company that developed Minoxidil (Upjohn Corporation) doesn’t consider it profitable enough to go through the expense of getting approval for Minoxidil to be licensed for use for Alopecia Areata”.

The problem isn’t that Alopecia Areata is always going to be incurable or untreatable, it’s that right now, either no-one’s worked out a sure-fire way to cure it, or they have, but it’s not worth them going through the process of getting that treatment approved.

According to this article it takes on average 90.3 months and $802 million (2005) to get a drug through FDA approval, so people with relatively rare ailments tend to lose out because there are fewer potential customers from which to recoup those costs.

Those costs must be recoupable within 20 years from the day the drug was invented¹, as that’s the length of time a patent is granted for. So, the patent on Minoxidil expired on February 13, 1996, while Merck’s patent for the use of Finasteride (Propecia) to treat Male Pattern Baldness expires in November 2013².

Wikipedia says 50% of cases will cure themselves within 1 year. So how do we know that cases like this one wouldn’t have just happened on their own?

Are we, in the absence of an answer from science and without an approved drug for Alopecia Areata, thrown back into the melee of hearsay, of “my grandad cured it by drinking beer and playing snooker every night” and so on?

No. Start with what we know. The scientific approach is the only sound basis for making decisions about treatment, so start by visiting a professional hair loss clinic such as The Belgravia Centre. At least someone rooted in the scientific method is more likely to evaluate information well, to ask the right questions and to be professional.

Leonora, the senior trichologist at The Belgravia Centre

But it’s much more hopeful than that. We are the only hair loss clinic to have an in-house pharmacy licensed with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. That means of course we can prescribe the licensed medications (eg. Minoxidil), but also we can produce our own. That process is overseen by our doctor who reviews each case and signs the prescriptions if suitable.

Here at the Belgravia Centre we’ve worked with many Alopecia sufferers and our strong feeling is that it’s no co-incidence when hair regrows within three months of the start of treatment. When we see people with a bald patch they’ve had for months that goes shortly after treatment, we see the treatment working, not just co-incidence. Take a look at our Alopecia Areata patient scalp photographs to see our results.

An Alopecia Areata bald patch can regrow at any time. Our ‘evidence’ is that patches often begin to regrow within three months of the start of our treatment programme. It’s the timing that gives us confidence about our treatment.

Alopecia Areata patient after 5 months treatment at The Belgravia Centre

We usually use our own Belgravia Minoxidil 12.5% + Azelaic Acid formulation, only available from our pharmacy. Doctors do sometimes recommend steroid injections (which is curious, if there’s no known scientific cure), but our clients tell us that’s a less pleasant option (injections into the scalp) with no better chance of success.

If you think you have Alopecia Areata and can get to our London clinic, by all means phone 020 7730 6666 for an appointment with a professional trichologist, or contact us through this website. If you’re not near London, we have an online hair loss diagnosis and treatment programme and can send your custom treatment programme to you by post.

“I came to Belgravia in 20th February 2008 after I had Female Pattern Hair Loss and Alopecia Areata.  I undergo the treatment and after 6 months of treatment the hair became very strong and smooth.  The alopecia started to disappear and hair started growing where I had patches before.  Anyone with similar problems, I recommend Belgravia Centre as they are doing their job in a very professional and effective manner.  Well done.”

Sami Shrestha

Diagnosis:  Alopecia Areata and Female Pattern Hair Loss

 
Month 1                                                  Month 7 

 
Month 1                                                  Month 7

Comment: As you can see, Ms Shrestha was experiencing both female pattern hair loss and a patch of alopecia areata when she first visited the centre.  Her hair loss treatment course has cleared up the alopecia patch and also thickened up the general density of her hair.  You can see this by the reduction of width of her parting in the second photo-scan compared to the first.

Name: Mina Peshawaria

Question: My daughter is 13 years old and I noticed a small bald patch on her scalp at the front in February this year. Her patches (she has about 10) have grown since then and she has suffered great hair loss.

She is having treatment privately and her Dermatologist started her on a steroid cream (Dermovat) which she is still using once a day. Because her patches had not stopped growing and I had noticed new ones last at the beginning of this month, the Doctor has now prescribed Steroids to be taken orally for one month. I am really concerned and desperate and want her problem treated. For about 3 weeks she was also using Minoxin, Topical Solution in spray form which contains Minoxidil 2%. The dermatologist has told me that this is no good and asked me to stop using this. Please can you suggest any treatment, especially on how to get her hair growing back. It is very difficult for her to cope at school with this problem as she cannot hide the bald patches and other children do tend to isolate her.

Please help.

Answer:  Continue with your recommended treatment and if you do not get any results then it is time to try another form of treatment. Your Doctor may have said that Minoxin is not good because it has a very low dose of Minoxidil to be effective. Generally, some Doctors do not think highly of Minoxidil in treating Alopecia Areata while some use it extensively.

For treatment of mild Alopecia Areata Belgravia uses Minoxidil 12.5% + Azelaic Acid very successfully, but the more severe the case the more unlikely it is that treatment will be effective. Minoxidil and steroids in any form are both used to treat Alopecia Areata. Your daughter can also use a hair replacement unit to hide the bald patches while waiting for her hair to grow back.

Always bear in mind that Alopecia Areata is a condition where there is a chance the hair can grow back on its own at any time due to the fact that the hair follicles are not dead, just dormant.

More information on ALOPECIA AREATA

Click on the photo above to see regrowth results from the use of an alopecia
 treatment course from Belgravia. Alopecia Areata is a condition that can affect
anyone at any age. There are effective treatments available to stop mild
Alopecia but success from treatment for more severe Alopecia is less likely.