After many questions received from the visitors of this website, I want to tell you about all alopecia types. Perhaps, this will help you to self-diagnose and choose the optimal treatment method. In addition, you will understand that you are not alone in the fight against baldness. So, today I will list all alopecia types that can affect men and women.
The most common types of alopecia
First of all, do not forget that the medical term alopecia simply means that a patient loses more hair than acquires. Of course, each of all alopecia types has its own symptoms and varying degrees of severity.
So, here are the most common of all alopecia types:
Androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness
Despite the name, this disease affects both men and women. As a rule, in men, it begins with a receding hairline in the forehead and/or parietal zone. Unfortunately, most people cannot completely cure it, but you can stop hair loss with the help of special medicines. Also, many men consider surgery.
Alopecia areata
This autoimmune disease causes the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles, which leads to uneven hair loss. Coin-sized bald spots usually appear on the head, but can also bob up anywhere on the body.
Alopecia in the beard area
The name itself explains how to identify this localized form of baldness. Unfortunately, traditional remedies, such as drugs, do not help in this case. However, you can try topical medications as well as a healthy, stress-free lifestyle.
Telogenous alopecia
This kind of all alopecia types is usually caused by stress. Due to psychological problems, you lose a significant amount of hair. At the same time, about 30% (three times more than normal) of hair follicles or more pass into the telogen (rest) phase. As a rule, you should not worry, because the hairline begins to restore after you feel less stressed.
All alopecia types – traction alopecia
I’d say this is one of the strangest of all alopecia types. It occurs due to hairstyles that tightly tighten the hair. Hair roots get literally ripped out of the head, and the new follicles do not have time to develop. In this case, try to change your hairstyle as soon as possible.
All alopecia types – the rarest cases
In addition to more or less common types of baldness, mind these quite rare ones:
- Alopecia totalis, a more severe form of alopecia areata, which results in hair loss on the face and scalp. In fact, in this case, you can try medications as well as surgery.
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia, characterized by hair loss and scarring on the scalp near the forehead, needs more special attention. In about half of the patients, eyebrows and, in some cases, eyelashes also fall out.
- Alopecia areata in the most severe form often results in complete hair loss throughout the body. The disease is caused by changes in the structure of chromosomes.
- Cicatricial alopecia causes not only hair loss, but also scarring of the scalp.
- Anagenic alopecia usually happens in cancer patients. Fortunately, hair loss in certain areas of the head and body most often stops after chemotherapy is over. Moreover, most patients report a return to normal hair growth.