Alopecia
Alopecia, also known as hair loss, is an extremely common concern that often isn’t as simple as it seems. Many people also don’t know this is a concern that most dermatology providers can assess and treat. Hair is not just an appendage but often an expression of our personality, our mood and a reflection of self. Loss of hair, whether seemingly minor or complete baldness, can have a significant psychosocial impact on a person. The earlier it is treated and evaluated, the better the prognosis is.
Types of alopecia
There are two major categories for alopecia, including scarring (hair follicles burn out and cause permanent hair loss) vs non-scarring (hair loss occurs, but follicles can be restimulated to regrow hair).
Evaluation process
When determining the cause of hair loss, your dermatology provider will obtain a history from you, a list of your current medications, perform a physical examination, obtain lab work, if indicated and may even perform a biopsy of your scalp. Hair loss can often be a puzzle that requires putting many different pieces together to determine the specific type of hair loss. It’s also not uncommon to have multiple types of hair loss occurring at once, such as inflammation from seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) and androgenetic alopecia (female/male pattern baldness). Factors that may contribute to hair loss include hormones, stress levels, lifestyle, metabolism, nutrition and aging.
Treatment options
Topicals
Depending on the type of hair loss, there are many different topical lotions such as steroids, compounded hair stimulation medications or over the counter Rogaine to help stimulate hair regrowth. Unfortunately once you stop using these medications, so does the hair growth.
Injections
Depending on the type of hair loss, injections can be helpful. Steroid injections can decrease inflammation around a hair follicle and therefore stimulate hair regrowth, particularly for scarring alopecia. There is also evidence to support the use of platelet-rich plasma injections. These injections are typically done in 1 month intervals for 3-4 months.
Supplements & Prescription Pills
Evidence-based supplements specifically formulated to target hair regrowth include brands such as Nutrafol or Viviscal. Keep in mind hair regrowth takes time so you need to give any products 3-6 months to determine if this treatment is effective for you. Of course, there are also prescription medications such as Finasteride (AKA as Propecia), Dutasteride, Minoxidil and Spironolactone that are routinely prescribed off-label for hair loss. As with any medication, there are potential side effects so it is best to discuss with your dermatology provider if oral medications are the best option for you.
Miscellaneous Options
There is a never ending armamentarium of new products and services aimed at treating hair loss ranging from low-level light therapy (use code: HDHALLANDALE for discount), laser treatments, microneedling and more. And if pills, supplements, lotions and lasers aren’t for you; hair transplants, wigs and extensions are always an option. Alopecia treatment is gaining traction at every conference I attend and I anticipate this field will continue to grow with novel treatment modalities emerging every year.
I hope this article brings you hope if you are suffering from alopecia and stresses the importance of seeing a dermatology provider sooner than later for evaluation and personalized, disease-specific treatment for hair loss.
