‘Alopecia’ is derived from a Latin word meaning baldness and ‘areata’ refers to hair loss in patches. Alopecia areata is a medical condition where hair loss occurs in patches. In some cases, this may occur in moustaches and beards in males and eyebrows in females, very rarely in genital hair too. Sometimes total body hair is lost, this condition is called Alopecia Universalis. It is a recurring and autoimmune disorder and can affect people of any age. While it can occur in any age group, women are more likely to get affected than men.
Different types of Alopecia Areata
Depending upon the extent of hair fall, there are majorly four types of Alopecia areata.
- Ophiasis alopecia: Hair falls all along the sides of the scalp and lower part of the head.
- Diffuse alopecia areata– Hair loss occurs in the entire scalp instead of patches
- Alopecia Totalis– Hairloss occurs from the entire scalp.
- Alopecia Universalis– Hair fall occurs on the scalp including other body parts like the face, back, and chest.
Causes of Alopecia Areata
As mentioned above, Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition that develops when the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy hair follicles. Normally, the immune system defends your body against foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, but in alopecia areata, the immune system treats the hair follicles as foreign material and starts attacking them, which results in hair loss. Here the hair follicles gradually reduce in size and stop producing new hair.
Often genetics are a major reason behind Alopecia Areata. It most often occurs in people who have a family history of other autoimmune conditions such as type 1 diabetes/ rheumatoid arthritis/ vitiligo etc. This is why some scientists suspect that genetics may contribute to the development of alopecia areata. Apart from that following are a few of the reasons behind Alopecia Areata:
- Chemicals: Harsh shampoos that contain parabens and sulphur often damage the hair follicles thereby prohibiting proper hair growth.
- Hormones: Hormonal fluctuations often are the reason behind Alopecia Areata. Studies show that it is more dominant during puberty, menopause, and after delivery.
- Fungal infection: Scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and tinea capitis also lead to hair loss and can be treated to strengthen the hair follicles.
Homeopathy treatment for Alopecia Areata
Homeopathy treatment for Alopecia Areata has been found very effective and helps in hair regrowth while avoiding relapse of hair fall. Though homeopathic treatment offers long-term relief, timely diagnosis is the key to a quick recovery. Homeopathy offers a reliable and long-lasting solution to Alopecia Areata with significant recovery. Homeopathic medicines are ultra diluted potentized ( energised) micro-medicines which are safe and effective. After taking the detailed history of the patient, we match the totality of the symptoms with the drug picture to find out the accurate remedy. At Cosmic Homeo Healing Centre,under the able guidance of Dr. Mahavrat Patel, we have successfully treated thousands of patients and have helped them with hair regrowth. Start your safe healing journey with homeopathy today.