Anyone can suffer torment of alopecia
A specialist reveals more about what causes hair loss, who is most at risk and what can be done about the condition
HAIR loss isn’t just something that happens to older men alopecia can affect anyone at any age.
And while genetics play a part, there are lots of possible causes, including stress, underlying illnesses, pregnancy and menopause.
A number of celebrities have been affected too.
Gail Porter began losing her hair in 2005 and Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson has talked about experiencing hair loss after being bullied at school.
Matt Lucas lost his hair at age six, and Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis opened up about losing half her hair to stress-related alopecia aged 28.
Here, an alopecia specialist tell us more.
What is alopecia?
There are many types of alopecia, the most common being the predominantly hereditary androgenetic alopecia, or “male or female pattern baldness”.
Another common type is alopecia areata, which causes patchy hair loss, with typically circular bald patches.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sharon Wong said alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition, in which the immune system attacks growing hair follicles.
For some, total baldness can develop (alopecia totalis), or loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis), although this is more rare.
Are some people more likely to get alopecia?
Alopecia areata can affect anyone, children and adults, Sharon said.
However, she added: “Genetic factors are important. In 20 per cent of those affected, there’s a family history of alopecia areata.
The risk of developing it may also be greater in those with a personal or family history of other autoimmune conditions.
“In some, stress can be a trigger, but in many people no specific trigger is identified.”
A “trigger” means something that prompts the symptoms to start. Other triggers might include a viral infection or trauma.
Does hair grow back?
There’s no cure for alopecia areata, although some people may choose to try treatments. However, many find it gets better on its own after a while, or patches come and go in episodes.
Sharon said up to 80 per cent of adults with small patches of alopecia areata on the scalp will spontaneously regrow hair with no treatment, usually within a year.
What impact can alopecia have?
Anxiety, depression and social phobias are common consequences of hair loss.
Sharon said: “To lose hair, for many people, feels like they’ve been stripped of their identity. It is never ‘just hair’.
“Hair is part of our daily grooming routine. Alopecia can have profound and farreaching effect on a person’s self-esteem and confidence, with consequences for their personal, social and work life.”
What treatments are there and how successful are they?
Steroid scalp solutions, steroid injections into the hair loss area or oral steroids are the most common treatments for alopecia areata. Other treatments include topical immunotherapy, which deliberately creates irritation on the scalp surface to act as a decoy to distract the immune cells away from the hair follicle. There’s also immune suppressant drugs, which dampen the effect of the immune system.