September is Alopecia Awareness Month, so the team at Mane Image is striving to provide quality education for our clients. Alopecia is a fairly common cause of hair loss that many people mistakenly associate with being unable to produce any body hair whatsoever. While this drastic type of alopecia does indeed exist, it is the least common of several forms which affect the body's ability to grow hair. In this post, we'll discuss the different forms of the condition, its potential causes, and treatment options.
What is Alopecia?
In simple terms, alopecia is hair loss that occurs as a result of an autoimmune disorder that attacks the hair follicles. Thus, stunting growth. See, your hair goes through a natural growth cycle made up of three stages: anagen, catagen, and telogen. Anagen is the active growth phase, catagen is the transitional phase during which hair stops growing, and telogen is the resting phase during which dead hair ("club hair") is shed. Typically, a little more than 10% of your hair is in the catagen or telogen phase. Once telogen is complete, the cycle of growth starts anew.
If you have alopecia, however, your follicles will mistakenly remain in telogen, resulting in too much natural shedding and triggering hair loss. Experts are not sure why the immune system attacks the follicles, but it is clear that men and women are affected equally, genetics is definitely a factor, and follicle damage is not permanent.
What are the Varieties of Alopecia?
There are five forms of alopecia. Though alopecia areata is by far the most common, let's take a look at each variety along with their common indicators.
1. Alopecia Areata
Also referred to as "spot baldness", alopecia areata is marked by hair loss in clumps. This form of hair loss results in completely smooth, round hairless patches. Typically, alopecia areata occurs in cycles, but it can become persistent and eventually develop into alopecia totalis.
2. Alopecia Totalis
This form of alopecia is marked by complete hair loss on the scalp. Though this is a more dramatic form of alopecia, like alopecia areata, it is not necessarily permanent.
3. Alopecia Universalis
Alopecia universalis is probably the most extreme form of the condition, as it results in the loss of all body hair. This includes: eyebrows, eyelashes, arm hair, leg hair... You get the picture. This is considered the rarest form of alopecia and those who experience it typically have a family predisposition to alopecia areata.
4. Diffuse Alopecia Areata
Diffuse alopecia is characterized by sudden thinning across the scalp. This form is the most unpredictable, and can result in patterned or unpatterned hair loss. In the patterned variety, thinning hair is accompanied by a stable zone of hair which is unaffected. The un-patterned variety affects the entire scalp.
5. Ophiasis Alopecia
The final manifestation of alopecia is one that is distinguished by a wavy pattern of hair loss that runs along the scalp and the nape of the neck. Strangely, ophiasis alopecia is limited to the hair's perimeter so treatment of the pattern is an easier undertaking.
Is Alopecia Reversible?
Yes! In fact, less than 10% of those who experience alopecia see permanent hair loss. Though the condition comes and goes in cycles, and cannot be "cured" per se, your follicles are still capable of producing hair. With the proper products and treatment, the hair loss resultant of alopecia can be reversed and you can enjoy fuller hair.
If you would like to learn more about alopecia or have questions regarding your own hair loss, please contact us. At Mane Image, we employ a friendly, highly trained staff that is ready to help you achieve a healthy head of hair.
