Alopecia Areata Hair Loss Alopecia Areata Hair Loss is a skin disease, and its main cause is fungi. These fungi also can cause fungal infections in the hair, skin, nails, and toes. Alopecia areata, also known as ringworm, is a condition that causes hair to fall off in the form of small spots that may not be noticed.
However, these patches can get bigger and become noticeable later on. The disease develops when the immune system attacks the hair follicles and causes hair loss. There may be sudden hair loss on the scalp, and in some cases, there may be hair loss on eyebrows, eyelashes, and other parts of the body as well as on the face. It can also develop slowly and recur after years even after it passes.
Alopecia Areata Hair Loss is examined in 2 different ways, male and female. The female ringworm is faster and stronger in spreading than the male. It can easily settle in every area of the hair and becomes permanent. Male ringworm is slower in spreading and the areas it affects are less than the female. It can occur more frequently and easily in children and adolescents than in older people.
Alopecia Areata Hair Loss Types
There are several types of alopecia areata. Each type is characterized by the degree of hair loss and other symptoms you may experience. There may be a slightly different treatment and prognosis for each type.
Alopecia Areata (Irregular Ringworm)
The main feature of this type of ringworm is one or more coin-sized patches of hair loss on the skin or body. If this condition extends, it could be alopecia totalis or Alopecia Universalis.
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia totalis occurs when there is hair loss on the entire scalp. In this case, the head will be completely bald.
Alopecia Universalis
In addition to partial hair loss, people with this type of alopecia areata lose all facial hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes. It is also possible to lose other body hair, including chest, back, and pubic hair.
Diffuse Alopecia Areata
Diffuse alopecia areata can look remarkably similar to female or male type hair loss. It results in a sudden and unexpected thinning of hair not only in one area but all over the scalp.
Ophiasis Alopecia
Hair loss that appears as a band on the sides and back of the scalp is called ophiasis alopecia.
Is Alopecia Areata Hair Loss Disease Contagious?
This disease is contagious as it is essentially a fungal disease. The especially diseased area can be easily transmitted from both humans and animals as a result of contact. If we answer the question of how Alopecia Areata Hair Loss is transmitted, it can easily be transferred from a patient with a fungal infection to the other body.
It is known that the carrier is contaminated by-products that are problematic in cleaning such as scissors, nail clippers, and knives. Especially in middle-aged people, Alopecia Areata Hair Loss affects black hair more, white hair is more resistant to shedding.
The condition can cause total hair loss called Alopecia Universalis and prevent hair from regrowing. When the hair grows, the hair can fall out again.
How Is Disease Seen?
Ringworm shows three stages. First, the hair or hairs are shed suddenly, then the enlargement begins in the spilled area. Finally, the hair or hairs start to grow back as white or gray at first. This can take an exceptionally long time, months, or even years.
While new hairs and hairs will grow, old ones will also fall out. It has been observed that approximately 5% of the patients affected by ringworm disease can lose all their hair. In less than 1% of patients with ringworm, it has been observed that all of the hairs on their body are shed.
What Are the Symptoms of The Disease?
The onset of the disease generally looks like small blisters and acne. This is the first and most important symptom of Alopecia Areata Hair Loss. After a while, a ring-shaped enlargement and spreading are seen in the bubble area, it begins to shed the hair in the infected area and dominate the area.
Hair loss is temporary in the initial phase. However, if ringworm is not treated in a short time, hair loss can lead to permanent baldness. In the area where ringworm is present, the hair becomes weak and brittle. Yellowish skin spots may also occur in the area with rare ringworm.
Symptoms in Men
Ringworm occurs in both men and women, but hair loss is likely to be more in men. This is even more likely if male hair loss is genetically present in the family.
Men may experience hair loss on their hair, scalp, chest, and back hair. Compared to male pattern baldness, which is a gradual thinning all over the hair, this situation manifests itself more sporadically.
Symptoms in Women
Women are more likely to develop ringworm than men, but it is not clear why this is like that. Hair loss can occur on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes.
Symptoms in Children
Children can also have ringworm. Alopecia Areata Hair Loss has an inherited component but parents with the condition do not always pass it on to a child.
Is İt Possible to Prevent Alopecia Areata Hair Loss?
Alopecia areata cannot be prevented because its cause is not so definite. his autoimmune disorder can be the result of several factors. It is not possible to prevent this yet.
Alopecia Areata Hair Loss disease can be easily treated. In some cases, treatment may require a long process.
