What is Alopecia Areata and Its Causes?

 

Do you want to know what is the major cause of hair loss?

Do you want to know what is alopecia areata? 

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles that results in the form of hair loss.

In this disorder the immune system of the body attacks on the hair follicles and treat them as a foreign particle.

Hair follicles are the structures that start the growth of the hair. When the immune system of the body attacks the hair follicles, they stop the growth of hairs. Due to this reason, the hairs become thin and fall out.

The hair loss increase than the normal condition and bald patches formed on the scalp. Sudden hair loss of eyelashes, eyebrows, and sometimes the loss of whole-body hairs also occur. Sometimes, it causes a complete loss of hair on the scalp.

It usually affects before the age of 30 and it affects both male and female sometimes it affects children also.

In this article, you will know about the types, symptoms, causes and treatment of alopecia areata.

Types of alopecia areata:

There are four different types of alopecia areata that are based on the type of hair loss.

These four types are the following:

   1.    Alopecia areata totalis

 2.   Alopecia areata Universalis

 3.  Diffuse alopecia areata

 4.    Ophiasis alopecia areata

Types of alopecia areata

Alopecia Areata Totalis:

It is a type of alopecia areata in which the patient has lost all the hairs of the head and complete baldness occurs.

Alopecia areata totalis

Alopecia Areata Universalis:

It is the type of alopecia areata in which the complete body hair loss occurs.

Alopecia areata universalis

Diffuse Alopecia Areata:

It a type of alopecia areata in which the hairs become thin but bald patches not formed.

Diffuse Alopecia areata

Ophiasis Alopecia Areata:

It is a type of alopecia in which hair loss occurs in the form of a band shape around the side and from the backside of the head.

Ophiasis Alopecia areata

Symptoms of alopecia areata:

Hair loss or shedding hairs is the main symptom of alopecia areata. Baldness occurs suddenly and gradually on the scalp and some time on the whole body.

Other signs and symptoms of alopecia areata are the following:

               ·      Gradual thinning on top of the head.

·           ·   Circular and patchy bald spots.

·           ·   Sudden hair loss.

·           ·   Full body hair loss.

·           ·      Scaly patches that formed over the scalp surface.

Gradual thinning on the top of head:

This is a very common type of hair loss. It affects people according to their age. In men, the hair is shed from the hairline on the forehead.

Gradual thinning of hairs

But in women, the hair is shed along with the crown of the scalp and gradually broadening the part of hairs. A common hair fall pattern in women is frontal fibrosing alopecia.

Circular and patchy bald spot:

In some people especially in female hair fall occur in the form of circular patches. The bald patches formed in different parts of the scalp.

Bald patches are formed on the scalp

Bald patches also formed in eyebrows. When hair shed body becomes itchy and painful.

Sudden loosening of hairs:

it is caused due to sudden emotional and physical shock. Hair came out during combing and washing. Hair shed even after a gentle pull.

Sudden loosening of hairs

This type of hair fall causes hair thinning but this is a temporary situation.

Full-body hair loss:

It usually occurs in some specific conditions and medical treatments. Such as in the case of Chemotherapy (treatment of cancer).

Complete body hair loss in alopecia areata

All body hairs are shed due to harmful radiations and medications. But hair grows back after the medication of diseases.

Scaly patches that formed over the scalp surface:

Scaly patches formed in the hair scalp. Other symptoms including broken hair, redness, swelling, and itching in the scalp. 

Scaly patches formed on the scalp

Hair shed increases due to itching.

Causes of alopecia areata:

The main cause of alopecia areata is an attack of the immunity system on hair follicles that stops the growth of hairs and causes baldness in different ways. But some other factors also cause alopecia areata. These factors are the following:

 ·      Genetics.

 ·    Other autoimmune diseases.

 ·     Medication.

 ·      Deficiency of vitamin D.

Causes of alopecia areata

Genetic factors:

The main factor of alopecia areata is genetics. Some people genetically inherited this disease.

Abnormal gene function causes alopecia areata

This is caused due to abnormal gene functions. The defected genes cause baldness that leads to alopecia areata.

Other auto-immune disorders:

Asthma, hay fever, atopic dermatitis, thyroid disease, vitiligo, or Down’s syndrome are autoimmune diseases that also cause alopecia areata.

Other autoimmune diseases cause alopecia areata

The people who suffered from one of the following diseases get alopecia areata.

The medication for cancer:

The medication of cancer causes alopecia areata. This medication contains dangerous chemicals and radiation that shrinks the hair follicles and stops the growth of new hairs. The older hairs become thin and fall out that causes baldness on the scalp surface.

Nivolumab cause alopecia areata

Nivolumab is an example of a medication. This is a drug that is used for the treatment of lung cancer. Nivolumab cause alopecia areata that is called Nivolumab-induced alopecia areata.

Deficiency of vitamin D:

Deficiency of vitamin D also causes alopecia areata. People with autoimmune diseases like Sclerosis and Rheumatoid arthritis usually have a deficiency of vitamin D.

Deficiency of vitamin D cause alopecia areata

The deficiency of vitamin D causes hair fall which leads to alopecia areata.

If you want to know about the treatment of alopecia areata then stay tuned with us. Thank u