The Importance of Early Detection of Hair Loss

The Importance of Early Detection of Hair Loss

Hair loss, otherwise known as Alopecia is a condition that is not contagious and does not have symptoms like rushes, hives or itching. Persons affected with this condition get treated by the dermatologist, since the affected area is the biggest organ of the body – skin. Hair loss is not easy for the person who experiences it. It might cause frustration, sadness, depression, hopelessness, anger, the need for isolation, embarrassment and many others. This is why the counseling can help greatly.

This condition may have many forms and causes and it can affect both genders. Since women invest lots of time to their appearances, hair loss may be major impact to the woman’s self-esteem. It may cause seclusion and social phobia. Fortunately, there are support programs that are created with the goal to provide support for people that find it hard to live with the disease.

Alopecia areata may develop overnight, the only thing that might indicate the occurrence of the condition is a sensation of pain in the affected area. There is no standard procedure for diagnosis yet, so they perform all kinds of tests to eliminate other possible reasons for boldness. bald patches are easier to identify by a simple examination, as they appear as smooth surfaces without any signs of broken hairs or inflammation. Hair pull test can help in determining whether hair loss in one area is finished or should the patient expect further hair loss.

The standard treatments used for alopecia are the following:

• Corticosteroid shots injected directly into the bald spot. The treatment is effective but also painful. The aim of this approach is to suppress the autoimmune reaction but it has been proven to work only on small bald spots. • Treatment for small bald spots is the application of topical anthralin which is a tar-like substance used to treat psoriasis. • Topical immunotherapy is the form of treatment for extensive alopecia areata that is most common. It consists of usage of immunosuppressant such as cyclosporine that causes a skin reaction similar to mild eczema, which in some cases may lead to regrowth of hair. It’s the most drastic form of treatment which causes an array of negative side effects. • PUVA - psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation consists of a topical or oral application of psoralen, followed by ultraviolet radiation. This method is better tolerated than topical immunotherapy but is also less effective.

Beside these treatments, there are some less invasive ones such as mild shampoos and lotions made of herbs. Scientists did a study that examined the effectiveness of onion juice and placebo in people with Alopecia Areata. First group consisted of twenty – three people who applied the onion juice twice a day for two months. Another group applied tap water thinking it’s onion juice for the same period of time. At six weeks, hair regrowth was noticed in 20 % of the people that used onion juice, with higher success rate with males. It is important to stress that every person is specific, so there are a lot of factors that influence body reaction to treatment. However, early diagnosis will give you the opportunity to apply the corresponding treatment and avoid additional stress of not having all the information you need. Click here for more.