Alopecia areata is a disease that affects the hair follicles, which are part of the skin from which hairs grow. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. The extent of the hair loss varies; in some cases, it is only in a few spots. In others, the hair loss can be greater. Occasionally it can involve the whole scalp (alopecia totalis) or even all the body and scalp (alopecia universalis). It is not possible to predict how much hair will be lost. Regrowth of hair in typical alopecia areata is usual over a period of months or, sometimes, years, but cannot be guaranteed. The hair sometimes regrows white at least in the first instance. Further hair loss is not uncommon. In alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis the likelihood of total regrowth is less.

Causes of Alopecia

The specific cause of alopecia areata is unknown. A family history of alopecia is present in about a fifth of all cases. Alopecia areata is occasionally associated with autoimmune diseases . –Normally the immune system protects the body against infection and disease. In an autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In alopecia areata, the immune system attacks the hair follicles. For people whose genes put them at risk for the disease, some type of trigger starts the attack on the hair follicles. The triggers may be a virus or something in the person’s environment.

Symptoms of Alopecia

The primary symptom of alopecia areata is roundish patches of hair loss on the head, with smooth, hairless scalp in the affected areas. Alopecia totalis involves the complete loss of all scalp hair, and alopecia universalis is characterized by the complete loss of all scalp and body hair.

Treatment of Alopecia

1. Certain medications to promote hair growth (such as minoxidil and finasteride).

2. Treating any underlying condition or disease.

3. Corticosteroid injections (when treating alopecia areata).

4. Scalp reduction.

Maybe people are just born curious, but curiosity is different from rudeness. Little children may ask the why question to almost anything because they want to know and they are allowed to do it, even encouraged to do so. But as adults, people have developed the maturity to know when to ask, how to go about it nicely and when to keep their mouths shut. And they have also developed the talent of knowing when to glance, when to stare, and when to look away.

Education is the best tool to cope with curiosity and to stop appearing rude. When people know what it is, they don’t ask anymore because they know and they understand it. When people understand something, they know how to deal with it. So they simply go about their daily activities, and when they encounter bald people on the street or in their workplace or at the party, they can simply be indifferent to it. It’s just accepting people as they are.

 By knowing about alopecia, people gain understanding. Alopecia is a condition wherein people who are suffering from it tend to lose their hairs on one or more spots of their scalp, or lose all of them including the eyebrows and everything that grow from hair follicles. Its causes include hormonal influences, immune system dysfunction, other systemic problems, and all are mostly related to the genetic make-up of the individual.

 Alopecia causes no pain to most and they don’t need pity from anyone. It is not contagious. They are healthy individuals just with their hair problems. It is not like diabetes or hypertension, where although these diseases are not seen, they have more serious complications. Alopecia on the other hand, still allows those who have it to enjoy any activity they choose, with no food limitations or drugs to maintain.

 Many people with alopecia have accepted their fate. They go out, make friends, raise families, pursue hobbies, and enjoy their careers. They’re just like everyone. They should be admired really, for coming out of their shells and living their lives the best they can. Their stories somehow make one proud to know them, for the courage they have, their resolve to rise above their baldness. They could teach everyone a thing or two about life and humility and hope.

 Instead of them being down for life, alopecia causes them to be more understanding of the world around them, often offering help and support to those who have alopecia like themselves.

Let’s get away from the cold descriptions as I don’t like them any more than you do.

Normally the initial indicators of alopecia starting are the morning when you wake up to find some head hair on your pillow, possibly not noticeable or you choose to put it down to the usual loss of dead hair that has simply run it’s course in your scalp and has fallen out. After your morning tea or coffee you head to the bathroom to get ready. During which time you run your comb or brush through your hair to see that even more hair has departed from its home on the top of your head and decided to lodge itself into your bristles. Maybe this is more than every day hair loss?

Days and weeks go by and yet more and more hair has fallen out, you’ve started to notice bald patches, albeit minute in size that no one else would really notice, but you can’t help think something isn’t quite right.

Some more weeks pass and you’re convinced you’re starting to go bald, does it run in your family? If the answer is a resounding no it does not, then there is a chance you are suffering from alopecia.

Causes of alopecia:

So what has caused you to suffer from this? Well believe it or not it is actually more common these days in todays modern society.

There are various reasons why alopecia can onset but if you are otherwise fit and healthy then I think we can rule out your overall physical condition being a factor.

Severe emotional stress can be a major player that can lead to alopecia taking hold.

Have you recently lost your job due to the market? or possibly going through a time of imbalance in your personal life? There are many different factors that cause stress to the extent that this illness starts to let itself known, there is no hard and fast rule. It may be worth taking a step back and analysing your life at this time to see if anything at all could be the explanation. Divorce, separation or the bereavement of a loved one can be key factors in alopecia starting.

If none of the above situations apply to you, then a more recent discovery of disorders could be the explanation. Specifically hormonal disorders. Without getting into too much medical mumbo jumbo, though a number of chemical and biological factors, the hormones responsible for hair growth in you can become severely unbalanced, causing the once virulent hair follicles in your head to effectively shut down, start to close up and eventually lead to each hair slowly but surely fall out of your scalp. It is becoming clear that hormonal imbalances are due to vitamin deficiency, poor diet and similar factors – again the way we live non stop in this century doesn’t help matters.

Again, take a step back and give yourself a dressing down, are you eating properly during the day or are you skipping vital foods with the vitamins and minerals required for healthy sustained hair growth?

You need to be really honest with yourself in order to formulate a true scenario where you can get yourself back to the way you were before the alopecia started.

Alopecia Support:

This is the part of the puzzle that will definitely not be a problem. There are many great alopecia self help groups, internet forums and written texts on the internet that can help you along your way to recovery. The main step is to be honest with yourself. That way you can look objectively at the problem you have, face up to it and deal with it in a way that you would feel happier with yourself. There is no point in worrying about it more than you already are. This may seem like a very harsh thing to say, but if you become anxious and worried then this will only compound the matter. Seek out the advice of a medical professional as well. They would also be the best point of contact to find a local sufferers group if that is the path you wish to choose.

I wrote this article to hopefully give you a good understanding of what is happening to you and possible causes, this article in itself will not correct your frame of mind nor will it magically restart the hair growth process, that is solely down to you, but don’t do it alone. If possible get friends and family involved, let them know how badly this is affecting you and you need their love and support to help you through.

It provides funds for research workshops and studies to gain more knowledge about alopecia areata, to possibly find a cure and provide more acceptable treatments for the disorder. Alopecia areata specifically is still a big mystery. There is little knowledge and understanding about the disorder. NAAF hopes to get the answers and put an end or solve the mystery. The foundation also provides grants to research experts in the fields of genetics, clinical studies and immunology.

It supports alopecia patients and their families for the treatments and by educating them about the condition. In the past 24 years, NAAF has held conference to accommodate patients and their families and friends alike to provide not only emotional support but proper education of the disorder. An attendee learns the things he/ she needs to know about the alopecia and this includes the latest in medical and research studies and the best treatment and options for a patient. Ultimately, the conference aims to send out the message that patients are not alone in this battle.

It disperses information about the disorder to the public.

It campaigns the concerns of alopecia patients since they closely work together to fight the disorder.

It generates news articles and educational materials distributed to people who are affected by the condition and to healthcare professionals as well.

Losing our hair can be a dreaded occurrence in a person’s life. It can leave emotional scars that will take time to heal. But with helping hands and shoulders to lean on for support, one may just find the experience more bearable knowing that he/ she has someone on his/ her side. And this is exactly what the Alopecia foundation wants Alopecia patients to feel.

Not only that, but the causes of your follicles not getting what they need are extremely few in numbers. In all reality, you only need to concentrate on three. And all three are able to be easily treated, making male pattern baldness a truly unnecessary condition for many men!

Androgenic Alopecia – One Quick Caveat:

Just to be fair, before we get you too excited, there’s something I must tell you. I’ll just come right out with it by saying that you may not have a treatable condition. It’s possible that your hair loss has gone untreated for too long, and that you are now showing area(s) of the scalp with zero hair cover.

In this case, there is a high probability that a hair transplant is the only hair loss treatment that will work for you. Of course, you will want to discuss your specific condition, as well as any treatment options that may benefit you, with your dermatologist or other qualified professional.

This particular article will discuss three very powerful steps for hair restoration that have been of great benefit many men with treatable hair loss. These steps solve each of the reasons for your hair follicles to be nutrient deprived. I trust you will find this to be extremely beneficial!

Androgenic Alopecia – Treatment Step One:

Provide your hair with what it needs!

This is as basic as it gets. If life-sustaining nutriment is not even present within you, then how can you expect to reverse your condition? It will not happen without the right nutrients being made available for use within the body.

Some of the vitamins and minerals you need to focus on are copper, biotin, inositol, vitamin A, zinc, follic acid, and magnesium.

While it may be true that healthy foods are the best sources of these nutrients, natural supplementation is a much more efficient and sure-fire way to get what you need. Besides, the quality of our food supply isn’t what it used to be!

Androgenic Alopecia – Treatment Step Two:

Inhibit the formation of dht.

As the primary cause of androgenic alopecia, dihydrotestosterone (dht) is an androgen – or sex hormone – that is formed within the body when certain enzymes come into contact with excess testosterone.

This disgusting androgen fastens itself to your helpless follicles, rendering them unable to absorb nutrients from the scalp’s blood supply. Essentially, dht slowly murders your hair follicles! But you have the power to stop it.

Anti-androgens, also called dht blockers, can be used. One powerful choice among these is finasteride, better known as Propecia. This FDA approved hair loss solution is extremely effective, boasting an 83% rate of success!

On the downside, serious and potentially long-term sexual side effects have occurred in users of the drug. These include low libido, inability to perform, and even sterility. Though these risks are somewhat low, only showing up in approximately 2% of all users, a good number of men decide not to gamble.

For these men, a natural alternative seems a much safer and wiser option. The obvious choice for men going the natural route is saw palmetto extract.  There are many more fantastic choices that can help, including green tea, emu oil, and nettle root extract. In any event, only a fool would ignore the importance of taking a good dht blocker.

Androgenic Alopecia – Treatment Step Three:

Encourage proper blood flow in the scalp! It doesn’t make a difference how nourished and dht-free you make yourself. If your scalp isn’t delivering blood to your follicles, then you can be sure that you’ll keep losing hair.  It is important that you take the reigns and find a way to re-establish proper blood circulation in your scalp.

This is where minoxidil comes into play. The only other FDA approved androgenic alopecia treatment available, minoxidil is thought to open up the blood vessels in your scalp, enabling them to deliver much-needed nutriment to your weakened follicles. Men who use a 5% minoxidil topical should begin to see new growth in as little as a few weeks, with some individuals noticing regrowth in just days!

Androgenic Alopecia – Putting It All Together:

By following all three of these critical steps, you are taking a giant step toward total hair regrowth. It’s a very basic concept. You nourish the blood, you remove the bad stuff from your blood, and you optimize transportation of the blood to your sick follicles. There is no more thorough way of fighting androgenic alopecia.

One product that fights androgenic alopecia from all three of these angles is Provillus.

If your condition is still treatable, and you would like to take a closer look at Provillus, you are invited to do so at this time.