Alopecia Areata treatment

Hair loss treatments for Alopecia Areata

What is Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia areata is a condition that generates hair to fall out in small patches, which cannot be easily noticeable. These patches may join, however, and then it can be noticed. The condition grows when the immune system pounces the hair follicles, which leads to hair fall.

Unexpected hair fall may occur on the scalp and in some cases the eyelashes, eyebrows, and face, as well as another area of the body. It can also grow gradually and recur after years between instances.

The condition can lead to complete hair loss, known as alopecia Universalis, and it can stop hair from growing back. When hair develops back, it’s likely for the hair to fall out again. The extent of hair falls and redevelopment changes from person to person.

In recent times, there is no heal for alopecia areata. However, at Trichohom, there are treatments that may help hair develop back more rapidly and that can stop future hair fall, as well as unique methods to overcome the hair loss. Resources are also available to assist people to cope with stress related to hair fall.

Alopecia Areata treatment

There is no known cure for alopecia areata, but there are treatments that you can try that might slows down future hair fall or assist hair to grow back faster.

The condition is hard to forecast, meaning that it may need a great amount of trial and error until you get something that best works for you. For some people, hair fall may still not be beneficial, even with treatment.

Medical treatments

Topical agents

You can rub medications into your scalp (on the affected area) to assist stimulate hair growth. Plenty of medications are available, both by prescription and over-the-counter (OTC):

• • Minoxidil is available OTC and applied 2 times a day to the scalp, beard, and eyebrows. It’s relatively safe, but it may take time (1 year) to notice the results. There is only evidence that it’s beneficial for the patients with the limited alopecia areata.
  • Anthralin is a drug that irritates the skin in order to stimulate hair regrowth.
  • Corticosteroid creams such as clobetasol (Impoyz), lotions, foams, and ointments are considered to work by decreasing swelling in the hair follicle.
  • Topical immunotherapy is a method in which a chemical like diphencyprone is applied to the affected area (skin) to spark an allergic rash. The rash, which looks like poison oak, may comprise new hair development within 6 months, but you need to follow the treatment to maintain the regrowth.

Injections

Steroid injections are a common alternative for mild, patchy alopecia to assist hair development back on bald spots. Very small needles inject the steroid into the bare skin of the impacted areas.

This treatment needs to be repeated every 1 to 2 months to regain hair. It doesn’t stop new hair loss from occurring. 

Oral treatments

Cortisone tablets are often used for extensive alopecia, but because of the possibility of side effects, you should talk about this option with a dermatologist. Oral immunosuppressants, like cyclosporine and methotrexate, are another alternative you can try out. They work by blocking the immune system’s reaction, but they can’t be taken for a longer time due to the side effects risk, like liver and kidney damage, high blood pressure, and a high risk of serious infections and a kind of cancer called lymphoma.

Light therapy

Light therapy is also known as phototherapy or photochemotherapy. It’s a kind of radiation treatment that uses a blend of an oral medication called psoralens and UV light.