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Immune attack can cause bald patches |
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Written by Dr. Paul Donohue
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One out of every 1,000 people must come to grips with Alopecia Areata during life
Q: Three months ago, my husband saw a bald spot on my head. Shortly thereafter, another patch popped up on the side of my head. My husband thought it was ringworm, and I got fungal medicine at a drugstore and used it for a month. Nothing happened. My mother says it’s nerves. I am ashamed to appear in public. What is this? If it makes any difference, I am 32.
A: I’m pretty confident it is Alopecia Areata. It’s the condition where oval bald spots appear on the scalp and sometimes on other hair-bearing parts of the body. It happens at any age, but it most often happens at ages younger that 30. Men get is as well as women. The immune system suddenly assaults hair follicles, the birthplaces and homes for hairs. The reason why is only speculative. Genes must be involved, since close to 1 in 5 cases comes from a family where someone has had it.
The bald patch develops in a matter of weeks. The skin of the patch is smooth, unlike the skin of ringworm, which itches and is covered with scales. Ringworm most often occurs in childhood.
Nerves have nothing to do with it.
To give you an idea that you’re not alone, one out of every 1,000 must come to grips with Alopecia Areata during life. For 80 percent, the hair grows back, but that can take months and months.
Dermatologists, the doctors to see for this malady, try to stimulate hair growth by injecting the bald patched with a cortisone drug. Cortisone drugs applied directly to the patch as ointments or creams have also been prescribed, but the success rate is not great. Anthralin cream is an irritant that can sometimes coax hair regrowth. Minoxidil, used for many kinds of hair loss is another possible choice.
I am sure you'd benefit by contacting the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. The telephone numbers is 415-472-3870, and the foundations website is www.naaf.org . The foundation provides information that assures you that you are not alone and offers you many timely tips. |
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