SMP for Alopecia and how SMP can help
What is Alopecia Areata?
The medical term for bald is alopecia and areata means patchy. This type of baldness can occur anywhere on the body. This is a non-contagious condition in which the body attacks its own hair follicles, resulting in hair loss anywhere on the body. Factors such as the appearance of hair (for example, hair colour and whether you have a full head of hair or not, don’t come into play.
It is an autoimmune disease that causes your hair to fall out in small round patches leaving coin-sized areas of bare skin. Although it typically emerges in adolescence or early adulthood, it can affect anyone at any time. Over a short period, hair loss occurs in varying amounts; some clients just lose it in a few places while others suffer significant hair loss. natural hair might grow back but then fall out again and in others, comes back permanently.
A severe case of Alopecia
5 Symptoms of Alopecia Areata
People suffering from Alopecia may notice any of the following:
- The patches can get bigger and can eventually merge into one large spot.
- Loss of hair is more likely in colder temperatures.
- Redness, brittleness, and pitting of fingernails and toenails.
- Some areas experience regrowth while others experience shedding.
- You’ve experienced a rapid increase in hair loss.
There is no rash or redness on the patches, and the skin is smooth. However, just before your hair falls out, you can experience an itchy, tingling, or burning feeling.
What causes Alopecia Areata?
When someone has an autoimmune disease, their immune system will assault their body on its own and is distinguished by an attack on the hair follicles in the affected areas. If you suffer from this form, cells from your immune system will encircle and assault the follicles in your scalp (the part of your body that makes hair). This assault on the follicles results in the loss of the hair that was connected to it. Your risk of experiencing hair loss is directly proportional to the number of hair follicles that are targeted by your immune system. You also may have a greater risk for other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease and vitiligo.
It is essential to understand that despite the fact that this attack results in hair loss, it only rarely damages the hair follicles themselves. This indicates that new hair can grow in after it has been cut. The slower the rate of hair loss you experience, the more chance you have of your hair growing back on its own.
Can you believe that around 147 million people worldwide have or will develop alopecia at some point in their lives? Crazy right? But not as uncommon as you may have thought! There are many different forms, for example; Alopecia Totalis, Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Universalis, Alopecia Areata Ophiasis and many more. Sometimes, you can lose your hair in stages and sometimes, it can all go suddenly. Next, we explain in detail the different types of alopecia:
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis (AT) is a progressive form of Alopecia Areata which causes a person to lose all of their scalp hair. It’s the most severe kind of alopecia, which generates bald spots in the shape of circles. The hair follicles are attacked by the immune system in what is believed to be an abnormal immune response.
It is thought to be the result of an issue with the immune system, although its precise aetiology is yet unknown. Defending yourself against illness is the responsibility of your immune system. However, there are occasions when the immune system inappropriately targets healthy tissue.
It is not known what causes a person to become susceptible to this disease, although some people are more likely to experience total hair loss than others. Anyone is at risk, but those under 40 are particularly impacted. Additionally, it may be a hereditary trait for some people. Individuals with AT are more likely to have a close relative who also has the condition. Stress may play a role in the onset of alopecia, according to some medical professionals. The immune system’s strength and efficiency might be compromised by prolonged exposure to stress.
Woman with Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Universalis
Alopecia Universalis (AU) is when you have complete hair loss of the scalp, the face (including eyebrows and eyelashes), pubic hair and chest hair. AU is a genetic disease that can happen at any age and is the rarest and most severe type of Alopecia Areata.
AU is usually diagnosed by the pattern of hair loss as it doesn’t scar. Also, large amounts of hair are lost and skin is smooth in appearance. A scalp biopsy may sometimes be advised by doctors to confirm the disease. A scalp biopsy is done by taking a sample of skin and examining it under a microscope. Blood tests may also be used by your doctor to rule out other hair loss-causing diseases, such as lupus and thyroid disease.
Topical immunotherapy, which causes an allergic reaction on the skin of affected areas to shock the hair follicles into production, is the most effective treatment. The success rate is just over 35%, and the treatment must be ongoing for hair growth to continue.
A man with Alopecia Universalis
Alopecia Areata Ophiasis
If you suffer from this form, you lose hair in a pattern that looks like a band around the sides and lower back of your head. This area is called the occipital region and can be harder to treat because medications don’t work as quickly. Early signs might include hair thinning at the back of the scalp, a lot of hair over a short time, more hair loss in cold weather and brittle, pitted fingernails and toenails.
Scalp Micropigmentation for Alopecia
Your hair is a huge part of what contributes to your identity, so when it’s gone, so has a little bit of who you are. By using Scalp Micropigmentation for your alopecia treatment, we will work closely with you to regain some of your identity. Again, using a natural tattoo pigment, we will apply hundreds of microdots to create a new hairline or blend the scalp in with the remaining hair.
Scalp micropigmentation may not be able to promote hair growth, but hopefully, it will help you in coming to terms with the loss you have experienced and hopefully help you to heal. Contact us today to book your consultation at our scalp micropigmentation Cardiff studio and let’s get started.
References National Alopecia Areata Foundation
