Alopecia
What is alopecia?
Alopecia is a condition which causes sufferers to lose hair, on the head or even all over the body. Alopecia can vary in severity, with some sufferers losing a small patch of hair to others who may experience complete baldness of the entire head and body. In mild forms of alopecia, hair may grown back, whereas in severe forms of alopecia, hair loss may be a long term prospect.
Alopecia affects approximately 1.7% of the population and both men and women are equally affected. About 25% of people affected have a family history of the condition. The cause of this condition is unknown although research suggest that there is a link between alopecia, the immune system and stress. With alopecia the immune system appears to attack hair follicles which then causes it to fall out. Alopecia, is thought to be an auto-immune disorder, which causes the body's defense system – to turn on itself.
Hair loss, although not directly damaging to health, can have a significant impact on a sufferer’s physiological and emotional wellbeing. Hair loss can be a distressing experience as it has such a visual impact. Women in particular may find it difficult to cope with baldness as society puts such an emphasis on hair and beauty. Sufferers may lose self confidence and feel self conscious about their appearance. This then may affect the sufferer’s quality of life, if it then impacts upon them going to work, enjoying a social life etc.
Alopecia affects approximately 1.7% of the population and both men and women are equally affected. About 25% of people affected have a family history of the condition. The cause of this condition is unknown although research suggest that there is a link between alopecia, the immune system and stress. With alopecia the immune system appears to attack hair follicles which then causes it to fall out. Alopecia, is thought to be an auto-immune disorder, which causes the body's defense system – to turn on itself.
Hair loss, although not directly damaging to health, can have a significant impact on a sufferer’s physiological and emotional wellbeing. Hair loss can be a distressing experience as it has such a visual impact. Women in particular may find it difficult to cope with baldness as society puts such an emphasis on hair and beauty. Sufferers may lose self confidence and feel self conscious about their appearance. This then may affect the sufferer’s quality of life, if it then impacts upon them going to work, enjoying a social life etc.
Personal Stories
Fortunately alopecia is something I have not experienced myself, although I have seen friends and family affected by this cruel condition. An old friend of mine became affected with alopecia during a period of intense stress in her life. The loss of hair added to her initial stress and thus a vicious circle began to form. The more she stressed, the more her hair fell out – and the more she worried about her hair, the more stressed she felt! My friend became very self conscious and her already low self esteem became even more dented. She experimented with different hairstyles to try and cover the bald patches and became very introverted as she tried to deflect attention away from herself. However, she managed to find the courage to speak about her ‘secret’ to close friends and a counselor – and was able to get the support she needed to reduce her extreme stress levels thus enabling her to recover from her alopecia and gain the hair re –growth that she so desperately wanted.
On the other hand, some people can find it extremely difficult to talk about their condition and this is what happened to my brother. He also was going through a time of intense stress and was struggling to cope. The stress then triggered alopecia which caused him to lose noticeable patches of hair. However, he would not admit this was the case even when friends and family tried to broach the issue with him. Instead he would try to pass the patches off as part of a minor ‘injury’ or ‘just an accident.’ It was incredibly difficult to help him – as he could not admit to himself that he had a problem. Possibly the first step to recovery before any ‘miracle’ treatment is acceptance of the condition itself.
On the other hand, some people can find it extremely difficult to talk about their condition and this is what happened to my brother. He also was going through a time of intense stress and was struggling to cope. The stress then triggered alopecia which caused him to lose noticeable patches of hair. However, he would not admit this was the case even when friends and family tried to broach the issue with him. Instead he would try to pass the patches off as part of a minor ‘injury’ or ‘just an accident.’ It was incredibly difficult to help him – as he could not admit to himself that he had a problem. Possibly the first step to recovery before any ‘miracle’ treatment is acceptance of the condition itself.
There are different types of alopecia:
- Alopecia Areata – patch hair loss, usually occurring in a small circular shape
- Alopecia Totalis - complete loss of the hair on the scalp.
- Alopecia Universalis – complete loss of all hair on the body.
- Androgenetic Alopecia - male/female pattern baldness (which is not autoimmune).
- Alopecia Barbae - Loss of facial hair (for a man) especially in the beard area.
- Alopecia Mucinosa – characterised by scaley patches
-Androgenetic Alopecia (male pattern baldness) a hereditary form of hair loss
Treatments
It is important to see your GP before trying any treatments to ensure that the cause of the alopecia is not due to other underlying problems. Although stress is believed to be major trigger of alopecia, there are also other underlying conditions such as diabetes, thyroid imbalances and nutritional deficiencies which may be causing hair loss. A referral to a dermatologist may helpful in getting the best advice on which treatments may best suit each persons own individual diagnosis.
Although there are a lot of different treatments, there is currently no known cure. In some cases no treatment is necessary as hair may grow back of its own accord – although in more severe cases, hair loss may be permanent. Treatments can be used to help promote re - growth in other cases. Below are different types of treatment which may be used:
- Steroid creams: are the most common treatment prescribed.
- Dithranol: is an ointment that irritates the scalp to stimulate to encourage hair regrowth
- Diphenylcyclopropenone (DCPC) is a chemical stimulates eczema. The eczema on the follicles can cause the hair to re-grow.
- Retin A is a gel and has been shown to be successful in stimulating hair growth in some cases of Alopecia Areata.
- Anthralin is an irritant which stimulates an allergic reaction. While the body is dealing with the irritant the follicles seem to get distracted enough to allow the hair to start re-growing
Although there are a lot of different treatments, there is currently no known cure. In some cases no treatment is necessary as hair may grow back of its own accord – although in more severe cases, hair loss may be permanent. Treatments can be used to help promote re - growth in other cases. Below are different types of treatment which may be used:
- Steroid creams: are the most common treatment prescribed.
- Dithranol: is an ointment that irritates the scalp to stimulate to encourage hair regrowth
- Diphenylcyclopropenone (DCPC) is a chemical stimulates eczema. The eczema on the follicles can cause the hair to re-grow.
- Retin A is a gel and has been shown to be successful in stimulating hair growth in some cases of Alopecia Areata.
- Anthralin is an irritant which stimulates an allergic reaction. While the body is dealing with the irritant the follicles seem to get distracted enough to allow the hair to start re-growing
Coping Tactics
Other than treatment, sufferers of alopecia may find the below tips useful in helping them to cope with their condition
Trying a different hair style or parting may be helpful in covering the bald areas which may be causing feelings of self consciousness. Experiment with different styles and see what works best for you. Hair extensions may also be a option and can help to give hair a thicker appearance
Coloured masking cream, and makeup can also be beneficial in helping to disguise bald patches. By colouring the scalp to blend in with natural hair colour, patches can be made less obvious to the eye. There are also products available which can spray on to existing hair give the appearance of a thicker head of hair.
In cases where hair loss is so severe that restyling and make up cannot help, then wigs and hair pieces may be an option. These days wigs can be made to look very natural and some can even be available or partially funded from the NHS.
Scarves, caps, hats and other headwear may be another option, if baldness is causing the sufferer to feel self conscious about their appearance. These may feel more comfortable and can accessorised to look very trendy and fashionable.
Alternatively, many people with alopecia prefer to embrace their appearance and not disguise it with anything. They are proud of their baldness and exude confidence through accepting themselves as they are
Trying a different hair style or parting may be helpful in covering the bald areas which may be causing feelings of self consciousness. Experiment with different styles and see what works best for you. Hair extensions may also be a option and can help to give hair a thicker appearance
Coloured masking cream, and makeup can also be beneficial in helping to disguise bald patches. By colouring the scalp to blend in with natural hair colour, patches can be made less obvious to the eye. There are also products available which can spray on to existing hair give the appearance of a thicker head of hair.
In cases where hair loss is so severe that restyling and make up cannot help, then wigs and hair pieces may be an option. These days wigs can be made to look very natural and some can even be available or partially funded from the NHS.
Scarves, caps, hats and other headwear may be another option, if baldness is causing the sufferer to feel self conscious about their appearance. These may feel more comfortable and can accessorised to look very trendy and fashionable.
Alternatively, many people with alopecia prefer to embrace their appearance and not disguise it with anything. They are proud of their baldness and exude confidence through accepting themselves as they are
Famous People with Alopecia
Gail Porter
The TV presenter, Gail lost all her hair in 2005 in a matter of just weeks. She suffers form a severe form of alopecia and to this day despite some periods of re- growth, she is still bald. Gail embraces her condition and is not ashamed…she was quoted saying “'bald but not afraid” In 2007, Gail published her autobiography Laid Bare: My Story of Love, Fame and Survival, in which she discusses her very public experience of alopecia areata. Gail says of alopecia – “its very personal but it has helped me see things in perspective and taught me not to stress about the things that don’t matter.”
Patrick Stewart
Patrick lost his hair as a teenager and went on to famously starred in Star Trek movies and as Professor Charles Xavier in the X Men Films.
Matt Lucas
The star of the popular comedy 'Little Britain' was struck with alopecia at the tender age of 6!
Duncan Goodhew
Famous Olympic swimmer, who won gold and bronze at the Olympics. Duncan suffers from alopecia univeralis which means he has no hair on his head nor body. This has actually turned out to be an advantage for the Duncan as it gives him a hydrodynamic advantage when swimming!
Christopher Reeve
Christopher suffered from Alopecia Areata and had treatment of steroid injections every three months into his bald patches while playing the part of Superman.
More Information
http://www.alopeciaonline.org.uk
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Alopecia.htm
http://www.alopecia-awareness.org.uk/alopecia/
http://www.belgraviacentre.com
http://www.headzup.org.uk/alopecia_stars.aspx