Hair loss or Alopecia is a very common condition and affects one's personality and confidence to a great extent. A proper diagnosis and appropriate therapy are of crucial importance to avoid progression of hair loss and restore a youthful appearance. 

 

What are the most common causes of hair loss in men and women

 

• Improper lifestyle, which includes unhealthy eating, stress and improper hair washing techniques

• Imbalance of thyroid

• Physical trauma such as an accident or surgery or chemical injuries such as acid burns

• Medical treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation

• Genetic disorders

• Infectious diseases such as herpes, leprosy and tuberculosis

• Skin diseases such as Lichen Planers and DLE

 

What are the types of Alopecia?

 

• Androgenetic Alopecia –Commonly known as male pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia is quite widespread. The balding will start in the form of thinning around the temples and the same will slowly progress towards the back of the head. Eventually, there will be a bald patch on the top of the head. The condition is often genetic and the hair follicles are often sensitive to dihydrotestosterone or DHT. The falling out of hair will be gradual and the chances of new hair growing will be minimal.

• Alopecia Areata – This is an autoimmune condition, which can cause small patches where hair is missing or it could even lead to the complete loss of body hair. There are three further subdivisions in this condition – alopecia monolocularis, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, each of which presents differently.

• Cicatricial or Scarring Alopecia – This is actually a serious condition, and also quite rare. The hair follicles are destroyed from within and since the condition is not easy to detect, it is often diagnosed a little too late, leaving little scope for hair regrowth.

• Traction Alopecia – Pulled back hair might seem like a good hairstyle, but over a period of time, such hair styles will make the hair follicles weak. This in turn will make the hair more susceptible to breakage and if the habit continues, the hair loss might become permanent.

• Trichotillomania – A medical condition, wherein which the person has an uncontrollable urge to pull out one’s own hair. When the person is under stress or is nervous or anxious, he will find solace in pulling out hair, leading to bald patches.

 

How is alopecia diagnosed?

 

It is crucial that a thorough physical examination be done and the history of the patient is looked into. Certain lab tests might be recommended, in order to gain a complete and comprehensive patient assessment. These tests could include:

 

• Iron, total iron-binding capacity and transferrin saturation, which will allow the measurement of the exact amount of iron deficiency and detect the presence of telogen effluvium

• Thyrotropin levels

• Trichoscopy

• A biopsy and histology might be required to detect any infections

 

How is alopecia treated?

 

Treatment will depend upon the cause of hair loss. Some of them are-

 

Non-surgical methods: 

 

If the hair loss is not too extensive, nonsurgical methods are preferred. These include-

 

 

• Minoxidil or Finasteride

• Mesotherapy

• Dermaroller with Hair Boosters

• Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP).

 

Hair transplant

 

If there is complete or near complete hair loss, then hair transplant is ideal. There is the option of either follicular unit transplantation or extraction.

 

 

At ClearSKIN Clinic, we do all this and more. Walk into our clinic and our doctor will diagnose your exact type of hair loss. After this, not only will we provide advice on the most appropriate solution, but also get it done for you!

 

 

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