You are losing your hair right now. The average person loses 50 to 100 hairs every day. Most people have 100,000 hair follicles, so this loss doesn’t matter.
But you can lose your hair in more extensive amounts. This occurs in a medical condition called alopecia. Yet not all alopecia types come alike.
What are the types of alopecia? What can you do to prevent and treat hair loss? Answer these questions and you can recover your head of hair.
Here is your quick guide.
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Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is sometimes called “patchy baldness.” It is hair loss that occurs in patches on the scalp. You can get alopecia areata on another part of the body with hair, like the abdomen.
Alopecia areata can be temporary, even without treatment. But other people can suffer from total hair loss.
You can treat it in several ways. Rubbing corticosteroid creams can decrease inflammation in your hair follicles. This can encourage hair to grow back.
You can take vitamins like biotin that encourage hair production. If you don’t like taking pills, there are hair growth gummies to try. Talk to your doctor before taking anything.
Androgenic Alopecia
Androgenic alopecia is sometimes called “male-pattern hair loss” or “female-pattern hair loss.” In men, androgenic alopecia can lead to total baldness. In women, it causes the hair to thin without the hairline receding.
Androgenic alopecia is associated with other medical conditions. Men with it tend to have coronary heart disease and diabetes.
Women may develop ovary syndromes and hormonal imbalances. The links between alopecia and these diseases are unknown. They may be caused by the same underlying condition, but doctors do not know what that condition is.
You can treat this kind of hair loss through creams and steroid injections. If these don’t work, you can receive hair transplantation.
Rare Types of Alopecia
There are some rare kinds of alopecia. Traction alopecia is hair loss through repeated pulling or stretching. Someone who wears their hair in a bun can damage their follicles and cause it to fall out.
Cicatricial alopecia involves inflammation. Follicles become destroyed and replaced with scar tissue. A person experiences hair loss alongside itching and pain.
Alopecia barbae is hair loss in the beard. Hair can fall out in patches without any particular warning.
Maintaining your hair can keep these different types of alopecia from occurring. Wash it with shampoo, conditioner, and water. Be gentle when brushing or rubbing your scalp.
The Different Alopecia Types
Doctors distinguish alopecia types through where and how hair falls out. Alopecia areata is patchy hair loss. Hair falls out in clumps from the top of the head.
Androgenic alopecia involves a receding hairline and thinning hair. A man who develops it may have a higher risk for heart disease.
Rare types of alopecia include traction alopecia and alopecia barbae. Take steroids to encourage hair production. Brush your hair gently and use shampoo and water to clean.
Your health and hair are in your hands. Follow our coverage to get the facts you need to stay in shape.