Get the Facts on Medical Hair Loss

Alopecia

Alopecia areata is a highly unpredictable, autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. This common but very challenging and capricious disease affects approximately 1.7 percent of the population overall. Because much of the public is still not familiar with alopecia areata, the disease can have a profound impact on one’s life and functional status, both at work and at school.

In alopecia areata, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by a person’s own immune system (white blood cells), resulting in the arrest of the hair growth stage. Alopecia areata usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth bald patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis).

Alopecia areata occurs in males and females of all ages and races; however, onset most often begins in childhood and can be psychologically devastating. Although not life threatening, alopecia areata is most certainly life altering, and its sudden onset, recurrent episodes, and unpredictable course have a profound psychological impact on the lives of those disrupted by this disease.

The three main types of Alopecia are alopecia areata, patchy or balding areas on the head or eyebrows; alopecia totalis, complete loss of hair on the entire cranial area; and alopecia universalis, complete loss of body, facial, and cranial hair.

Chemotherapy and Radiation

People who undergo chemotherapy or radiation often suffer hair loss due to the high potency of the drugs involved. There is no way to determine just how much hair one might lose when undergoing these procedures, and nothing can be done to stop the hair from falling out.

Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a unique problem by which an individual pulls at his or her hair to the point that it begins to fall out and causes skin irritation and damage. Why this occurs is still somewhat of a mystery, and often psychiatrists recommend medicine. However, we have discovered other ways to deal with this condition that are non-invasive and non-medical. Please schedule a consultation today, and we can best determine the appropriate solution for your hair loss.

Hair Options, Inc.

1620 Riggins Road Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: 850-386-3911