Medical Questions » Hair Questions » Question No. 456
| Question: | . I have had alopecia after my hysterectomy 10 years ago. Would you please tell me something about this disease. |
| Answer: | A sudden loss of hair in a well-defined patch on the scalp, or other areas of body hair (eg. pubic area, beard, chest, eyebrows) is commonly caused by alopecia (meaning hair loss) areata (meaning a specific area).
It is different to baldness in that it can occur at any age, in either sex, and in any race. It starts suddenly, and a bare patch 2 cm or more across may be present before it is noticed. It is more common under 25 years of age and is quite common, with about 2% of patients seeing skin specialists having the condition. The hairless area may slowly extend for several weeks, before stabilising. Several spots may occur simultaneously, and may merge together as they enlarge.
If the entire scalp is affected, the disease is called alopecia totalis, but this is not a different disease, just a severe case of alopecia areata. There is a family history of the disease in up to 20% of patients but in the majority no specific cause for the disease can be found. Stress and anxiety are not considered to be a common cause. Although these may cause diffuse hair loss, they do not cause total loss of hair in an area.
Fungal infections and drugs used to treat cancer may also cause patchy hair loss, and these causes must be excluded by a doctor.
Treatment will involve using strong steroid creams, injections of steroids into the affected area, and irritant lotions. There are many other treatments undergoing trial, with varying results. In 90% of patients, regrowth of hair eventually occurs, although the new hair may be totally white. Somerimes the regrowth may take many months. The further the bare patch is from the top of the scalp, the slower and less likely regrowth of the hair becomes. It is rare for recovery from total hair loss to occur. |
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