Why Do I Have Bald Patches?
You could be at the hairdressers, you could be in the shower, or you could have just got out of bed. Being told, feeling or seeing a random bald patch on your scalp is the last thing anyone wants to experience. But for 2% of the population, alopecia areata is a very real, spontaneous form of hair loss that leaves the sufferer distressed and confused.
Alopecia areata is a condition that sees sudden bald patches appearing in the scalp, beard, eyebrows, or anywhere else on the body. There may be only one bald patch or there may be a few and despite the alarming nature of the condition, it does not indicate any other form of physical illness.
People who develop these small, round bald patches are generally in good health but for some unknown reason the body’s immune system has turned on itself and is affecting the hair follicles. Alopecia areata is classified as an autoimmune disorder and it has been linked to other conditions of a similar nature such as overactive and underactive thyroids, coeliac disease and diabetes. Unlike these conditions however, hair loss is alopecia areata’s only known symptom.
Get in touch with a hair loss specialist if you have developed sudden patchy hair loss. It’s believed that the hair loss may be the result of severe or chronic stress and in 70% of cases it will grow back on its own without treatment. However, if it’s an immediate concern for you or if the hair hasn’t grown back within six months, hair loss treatments can be helpful.
Some options include steroid injections into the scalp, but not only are they extremely painful they can cause high blood pressure, diabetes and suppress the immune system. Then there’s puva or UV light treatment, but it could cause burning, itchiness and increase the risk of skin cancer. Contact sensitisation is another method where chemicals are used to cause an allergic reaction on the scalp in hope to distract the immune system, but it’s irritating, may cause inflammation and affect skin colour. Transplant surgery is a possibility but not always, so speak to a hair loss specialist about it.
An extra strength version of the FDA approved hair loss treatment minoxidil (12.5% minoxidil cream) has proven beneficial in many alopecia areata cases. Side effects are very minimal (1% of users may experience a rash or headaches) and the results tend to outweigh the possibility of any short-lived side effects.
If you’d like to arrange an appointment with a hair loss specialist, call the Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or send an email. If you can’t make it into the centre, fill in the online diagnostic form for expert knowledge and impartial advice on the best method of treatment for your individual case.
More Information:
Hair Loss in Men
Hair Loss in Women
Minoxidil – All You Need to Know
Interesting Articles:
Bald Women Reveal what Life is Like with Alopecia
Stress-Related Hair Loss
Hypnosis as an Alternative Alopecia Treatment
