Alopecia areata often has symptoms that appear suddenly without any warning. There are various causes, but recently it is said that it is most closely related to autoimmune diseases.

There are many types of alopecia areata, and the progression of each symptom is different, so it is necessary to take measures tailored to each symptom.
In this article, we will discuss the characteristics and causes of alopecia areata symptoms, dermatological treatments, and self-care methods.

Table of Contents [hide]

• 1 What is alopecia areata?

• 2 How to self-check for alopecia areata

• 3 Causes of alopecia areata

• 4 Types of alopecia areata

• 5 Treatments for alopecia areata

• 6 Proactive measures with self-care

• 7 Conclusion

What is alopecia areata?

Alopecia areata refers to alopecia in which hair literally falls out in a circular shape.
In general, alopecia areata is characterized by the formation of round or oval bald spots of about 10 ~ 500 yen coins. However, there are rare cases of severe cases, such as hair loss symptoms spreading to the entire head, or hair loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.

Even if you have alopecia areata, if the hair loss is occurring in a place that you cannot usually see from the front, such as the back of the head, you may not notice it yourself.
Therefore, it is not uncommon for people to find out that they have alopecia areata only when they go to a beauty salon or when their family points it out.

How to self-check alopecia areata

As mentioned above, alopecia areata is often not noticed by you.
As a method of self-check, please refer to the following.

Check the amount of hair loss

When you wake up, be careful if you feel that the amount of hair on your pillow has increased more than usual. If you are concerned about the amount of hair loss, touch the entire scalp with your fingers to see if there are any hair loss spots.

Check the hair roots and thickness that have fallen out

If the hair follicles that have fallen out are thin and pointy, or if the thickness of each hair is thin, it may be that the hair is not growing normally.

Check your nails

One of the early symptoms of alopecia areata is the appearance of small bumps on the surface of the nail.
There are cases where abnormalities occur in the scalp and at the same time abnormalities in the nails, and it is said that many people who develop alopecia areata also have initial symptoms in the nails.

Causes of alopecia areata

The cause of alopecia areata is thought to be largely related to changes in constitution, genetic factors, and health conditions, including mental ones.

In recent years, autoimmune diseases have been regarded as the most likely cause, which is said to adversely affect hair matrix cells due to abnormalities in immune function.
Let's take a look at some of the most common causes of alopecia areata, including autoimmune diseases.

autoimmune disease

Our body protects our health from foreign enemies such as viruses by working with a protective function called "immunity". Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which the immune function causes an abnormality for some reason, and a part of the body is judged to be a foreign substance and attacked.

Alopecia areata is said to be caused by cells of the immune system called "T lymphocytes" who regard the hair follicle as a foreign substance and attack it. However, the cause of why normal immune cells suddenly attack the hair follicle has not yet been elucidated.

Atopic diseases

There are many cases where people with atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, bronchitis, and allergic rhinitis also develop alopecia areata.
According to guidelines published by the Japan Dermatological Association in 2010, more than half of people who develop alopecia areata have a predisposition to atopy or a family member.

Mental stress

Mental stress is also considered as one of the causes of alopecia areata.
When we are mentally damaged by stress, our sympathetic nerves work actively to resist it. The sympathetic nervous system fights stress, and the body's balance returns to normal.

However, if the stress is too high or continues for a long time, the sympathetic nerves do not work well, and the muscles and blood vessels contract. As a result, blood circulation deteriorates, so it is thought that the hair follicles are not sufficiently nourished, causing hair loss.

Hormonal imbalance

During pregnancy, female hormones are said to be secreted about 100 times more than normal, and after childbirth, they suddenly return to normal levels.
Due to the temporary hormonal imbalance, "postpartum hair loss" occurs after childbirth, in which the volume of the entire hair decreases, but there are many cases where alopecia areata develops due to some influence at that time.

Types of alopecia areata

There are several types of alopecia areata, and each type has a different shape and shedding. Let's take a look at the characteristics of each type.

single-shot

The most common type of alopecia areata and the mildest symptoms is the "one-shot type". The peculiarity of the single-shot type is the formation of small bald spots of round or oval shape in one place.
The single type is thought to be mainly caused by autoimmune diseases and stress, and in many cases, no special treatment is required, and the symptoms tend to subside naturally as the stress is relieved.

Multi-type

The type in which alopecia circular spots occur in two or more places is "multiple type".
In some cases, two hair loss spots of similar size may appear in two places at a time, or there may be only one at first, and then immediately after it has improved, a hair loss spot may appear in a different place. In addition, multiple hair loss spots may combine and become larger, which is classified as "multiple fusion type".

Serpentine type

The type in which multiple hair loss spots formed at the hairline on the back of the head and the side of the head gradually join together and spread into a band is called the "serpentine type".
Because the range is wider, there are many cases where the treatment period is long, which is a characteristic of this type.

Full-head type

The "full-head type" is one in which the multiple type spreads to the entire head and most of the hair falls out. There are cases where it progresses from a single-shot type to a multi-shot type, and eventually changes to a full-head type.

Since it is very difficult to cure, it can be said that treatment is long-term in most cases.
However, this type progresses slowly in stages, so there is no such thing as hair loss all at once. Therefore, there are many cases of recovery with early treatment.

Generalized

The type in which not only the hair on the head but also body hair such as eyebrows, eyelashes, and armpit hair falls out is the "generalized type". It is said to be the most severe type of alopecia areata, and like the whole head type, the treatment period is long.
This type is also characterized by the spread of symptoms in stages, so it needs to be treated early.

How to treat alopecia areata

If alopecia areata is recognized, do not leave it untreated, but visit a dermatologist as soon as possible. Here are some common treatments for alopecia areata that are actually used in dermatology.

Administration of steroids

It is a treatment method in which steroids are injected directly into a single type or a multiple type of hair loss spot where the hair loss part is enlarged repeatedly.

Steroids are highly effective treatments that reduce inflammation and excessive immune responses. Although it is recognized as having a high therapeutic effect, it is rarely used for alopecia in children because it causes pain at the time of injection, may leave injection marks, and the risk of side effects such as fever is not low.

Taking oral medication

Oral medications are often prescribed for the treatment of alopecia areata.
Often used for single-shot and mild multi-shot types are "cephalantin" and "glycyrrhizin", which have a high effect of suppressing allergic reactions.
In addition, oral steroids and antihistamines such as methionine are also mainstream prescription drugs for adults.

Application of the drug for external use

Treatment with topical drugs such as "Calpronium Chloride" and "Minoxidil" in combination with internal medications is also common.
As with oral medications, it is a treatment for single and mild multiple symptoms.

Cooling treatment

In order to suppress the immune function that continues to react abnormally, "dry ice" and "nitrogen" are applied directly to the hair removal area and cooled to regenerate hair.
Although there is some pain in the scalp when cooling, there are almost no side effects, so it can be said that it is a low-risk treatment.

Ultraviolet treatment

Ultraviolet treatment is a treatment that is used not only for alopecia areata but also for skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and plaque psoriasis.

There are "PUVA treatment", "narrowband UVB therapy", "excimer laser therapy", etc., all of which are treatments aimed at suppressing the immune effect and promoting hair root regeneration by irradiating ultraviolet rays.
The number and frequency vary depending on the symptoms, but in general, irradiation treatment is performed about 2~1 times every 6 weeks for several months.

Proactive measures with self-care

Care and measures for alopecia areata can be easily done at home.
If you are in a state where "alopecia areata is not recognized, but the amount of hair loss is noticeable...", try practicing the following self-care.

Scalp massage

By performing scalp massage and promoting blood circulation, it can be expected to have the effect of making it easier to send nutrients to hair matrix cells.
In order to keep the blood flow to the scalp at all times, make it a habit to gently massage the scalp with your fingers when shampooing or after taking a bath.

Change shampoo

For shampoo, we recommend an amino acid-based shampoo that is gentle on the scalp.
Amino acid-based shampoos remove sebum and dirt from pores with less irritation.
If you feel that your scalp environment is not good, please try switching to an amino acid-based shampoo.

Improving eating habits

In order to have a diet that is good for the scalp, it is important to refrain from greasy foods and foods with too much salt and sugar as much as possible, and to be aware of a balanced menu.
By actively consuming foods rich in proteins, amino acids, vitamins, etc., which are essential for hair production, the possibility of recovering the strength of weakened hair matrix cells increases.

Moderate exercise

Aerobic exercise, such as walking or jogging, is a great way to improve the circulation of blood flow in the body.
In addition, exercise is indispensable for creating a healthy scalp environment, as it helps relieve stress by moving your body moderately.

Conclusion

In this article, we have introduced the characteristics and causes of the symptoms of alopecia areata, the treatment performed by a dermatologist, and the methods of self-care.
There are many different types of alopecia areata, from mild symptoms to severe symptoms that are difficult to overcome. However, no matter what type it is, it progresses in stages from a single type, so it does not develop suddenly. Therefore, it is said that if early detection and treatment are achieved, recovery will occur in many cases.

If you start to worry about the amount of hair loss, the first thing to do is to check your entire scalp to see if you have alopecia areata.