Hair loss as the condition is commonly called has happened to almost everyone at some point of time. While in the shower, we see strands of hair falling out, while combing our hair, we see our precious hair strands on the comb.
This is one of the most common condition which happens mainly to people who are under the age of 20.
Alopecia Areata is the type of hair loss condition when the immune system of the body
attacks the hair follicles, where hair growth begins. It is an autoimmune disease which causes hair to fall out in small and random patches. This disease usually affects the scalp but can occur in other parts of the body as well.
The exact causes of this condition have not been diagnosed by experts yet, but according to research, it mainly occurs in people who have a history of autoimmune diseases such as Diabetes or even arthritis.
There is no reason to scare, alopecia areata is not total loss of hair or scalp for that matter, it cannot be cured but there are treatments which will help in hair growth of the person.
Causes of Alopecia:
As said earlier, there is no exact cause for a person developing the condition of Alopecia. The condition is an autoimmune disease. The basic definition of an autoimmune disease is when the immune system of the body, mistakes the healthy cells for foreign harmful substances or bodies.
They lose the ability to differentiate and hence ultimately attack the hair follicles, resulting in the loss or lack of growth of hair on the person.
According to recent research, doctors and scientists believe that genetics play an important role for a person to have such a condition where if the person or someone in the family has a history of an autoimmune disorder, he or she will likely be more prone to develop this disease as well.
Symptoms of Alopecia:
One of the most common symptoms of Alopecia is Hair loss. In this condition, hair usually falls out in small patches on the scalp. In some cases, small patches of hair falls from the other parts of body as well. Clumps of hair on the pillow or in the shower are classic examples of Alopecia.
In many cases, the extent of hair loss is more than expected. In this case, it gives rise to different types of Alopecia:
- Alopecia Totalis – This is a condition where there is total loss of hair on the scalp.
- Alopecia Universalis – This is the condition where there is loss of hair on the body.
The loss of hair due to this particular condition is totally unpredictable and varies from person to person. There are many cases where the hair falls and grows back again for a short period of time only to fall again.
Even though this condition is still a mystery for many doctors as well as people who are unknowingly suffering from it, it is always better to take care of the body so as prevent autoimmune diseases which ultimately may prevent Alopecia.
