The back of the head is balding in women what to do. Early baldness in men: causes and treatment

Alopecia areata in men is a rare and unpredictable type of intense hair loss. It can appear literally out of nowhere, and then disappear after 3-4 months without any treatment. The reasons for the development of such a disease are often not known, therefore, complex diagnostics are needed to identify it. But such a problem looks unaesthetic, so treatment should be started immediately. A feature of focal alopecia is that it appears not only on the head. This form of baldness in men has quite characteristic symptoms that allow you to start treatment on time.

Alopecia areata in men

Alopecia areata forms characteristic round areas with smooth edges, which can have a different size. After a few months, hair begins to appear again on the affected areas, and they overgrow without a trace. Ugly "bald spots" can form not only on the head. Alopecia areata can affect the arms, legs, or chest because it is most often caused by a general condition of the body.

Baldness is practically impossible to foresee or prevent, but there are diseases that provoke its occurrence.

Do not wait until this trouble goes away on its own. Only an experienced trichologist can understand the causes of this problem and prescribe the right treatment.

Causes of alopecia areata in men

Despite the fact that patchy alopecia most often appears unexpectedly, it has well-defined causes. Such a nuisance occurs in only 0.05-0.1% of people in the world, while it is most often observed in men over the age of 30 years. In almost 45% of people, patchy baldness disappears without a trace within 1 year, but most often this disease can become chronic. The appearance of such a problem can be preceded by a variety of reasons, often also provoking a severe deformation of the nails.

Alopecia areata is a fairly rare condition.

Alopecia does not represent real harm to health, but causes a lot of inconvenience. Such a cosmetic defect affects not only the hair follicles, but also causes deformation of the nail plates. In fact, it is a chronic skin disease that does not cause scarring. For the development of focal alopecia in men, there may be such reasons:

1. genetic predisposition. In 15% of cases, alopecia areata can have hereditary causes.
2. Foci of chronic infection in the body. Most often it is rhinosinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, caries.
3. chronic stress. It can provoke the appearance of inflammatory processes in the body.
4. Functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system. They lead to disruption of blood microcirculation in the scalp and the appearance of capillary spasm.
5. Chronic skin diseases. It can be dermatitis or seborrhea.
6. Autoimmune diseases. A common cause of the development of alopecia areata can be various disorders of the immune system.
7. Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
8. Physical injury to the skin. Burns, abrasions, any injuries can cause the development of alopecia areata.

Often the cause of focal alopecia are various injuries

Alopecia of the scalp, face and body can often be caused by recent infectious diseases. First of all, these are skin diseases, such as dermatitis, seborrhea or psoriasis.

The exact causes of the development of alopecia areata can only be identified by a trichologist after a thorough diagnosis.

Subspecies

Alopecia in men is a rather difficult disease to diagnose, which has many forms of development. Each of them has its own signs, but only a specialist can distinguish one type of nested baldness from another. The reasons for the development of various forms of alopecia areata are not fully known.

Baldness can have many different subtypes.

Baldness in men can take the following main forms:

• local (having separate foci of hair loss, most often rounded);
• ribbon-like (the main focus of distribution, as a rule, in the temporal and occipital part of the head);
• universal (can occur not only on the head or face, but also in any part of the body);
• total (may also affect eyelashes and eyebrows);
• subtotal (characterized by the appearance of individual foci with their subsequent merger);
• nesting (accompanied by simultaneous damage to the nails).

In men, alopecia of the scalp or face is most common. In the second case, this can lead to the appearance of "bald spots" of the beard.

Clinical forms of alopecia areata can move from one to another over time, which makes diagnosis difficult.

Diagnosis of alopecia areata

Focal hair loss in men is a rather aggressive and rapidly developing disease that soon threatens with complete hair loss. Having noticed the first signs of the disease, you should immediately seek help from an experienced trichologist. The main symptoms that should alert in this case:

• sudden redness of the skin on the head or other part of the body;
• the appearance of severe itching or burning sensation in the affected area;
• the appearance of bald patches.

Diagnosing the cause of focal alopecia is quite difficult.

Such a spot expands rapidly, leading to total hair loss on the head or body. All these symptoms are a reason to urgently seek the advice of a specialist.

Diagnosis of alopecia areata includes:

• visual examination of the hair;
• hair strength test
• clinical blood test;
• blood chemistry;
• a blood test for thyroid hormones;
• spectral analysis of hair;
• analysis with a Wood's lamp, which allows to exclude a fungal infection;
• trichogram (study of skin ready and hair roots).

After conducting all the necessary studies, the doctor will confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment. Diagnosis of this type of baldness can take quite a long time, but it allows you to get an accurate diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible.

To date, there is no single truly effective research method. Qualitative diagnostics in this case is based on several methods at once.

Treatment of alopecia areata is an extremely complex and lengthy process, since several effective methods are used at once for its implementation.

Treatment should be started as early as possible to stop hair loss at an early stage.

For the treatment of focal (nested) alopecia, the following methods are used:

1. Treatment with Minoxidil. It is used both for external use and for ingestion. The drug improves blood circulation of the scalp, thereby accelerating hair growth.
2. The use of non-specific stimuli that provoke increased growth of hair follicles. For this, iodine preparations, formaldehyde or dithranol are most often used.
3. Treatment with hormonal peptides. Contributes to the normalization of hormonal levels, which stops intense hair loss.
4. Use of natural macrolides. They are used as agents included in the treatment of infectious skin diseases.
5. Means that provoke contact dermatitis. They are used as agents that actively stimulate hair growth by intensely irritating the hair follicles.
6. Use of corticosteroids. They are used to treat advanced forms of alopecia areata. Their use has many side effects, so they can only be used to treat alopecia areata in adults.
7. Drugs that suppress the immune system. In some cases, they are included in the treatment of alopecia in men.

Laser treatment is quite effective for alopecia areata

Additionally, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines to help combat the burning sensation or itching.

Treatment of patchy alopecia includes various types of physiotherapy:

• laser treatment (provokes increased growth of hair follicles);
• stimulation of the growth of hair follicles with the help of weak electrical discharges;
• mud therapy (masks and warm compresses from therapeutic mud);
• compresses with essential oils or extracts of medicinal plants that irritate the skin.

Additionally, you can use natural vitamin burdock oil

As an addition to the main therapy, the treatment of patchy alopecia can be carried out using various folk methods. These include masks and compresses from oils, decoctions of medicinal plants and other products that improve blood circulation in the head and stimulate rapid hair growth.

Even the most effective home treatments and shampoos for hair growth in this case cannot replace the main treatment.

In order to quickly and permanently get rid of such a complex disease, you need to carefully follow all the recommendations of the trichologist. In this case, the disease may not become chronic.

It is important to be patient and in no case self-medicate this problem.

A few important tips for those who are undergoing treatment for focal alopecia:

1. Do not limit yourself to treating only the affected area. For maximum effect, it is worth treating the entire surface of the head at once.
2. The longest course of treatment is most effective. The first positive results may appear after at least 3 months of intensive therapy.
3. The complete disappearance of such a cosmetic defect is possible in about a year.
4. During the course of treatment, you should be prepared for the sudden appearance of new "foci" that quickly disappear on their own.
5. It is very important to have a positive attitude and reduce the amount of stress. This will help you deal with the problem much faster.

About illness. Video

All information about alopecia (causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention) can be found in this video.

Despite the fact that the treatment of this problem in the early stages gives the maximum effect, even advanced cases of alopecia areata are quite treatable. Thanks to modern methods, this problem can be completely solved even after years, in the chronic phase of the disease.

This type of disease is the most insidious of all types of baldness, since even qualified specialists in this field can be very, very difficult to determine what the true origins of the disease are and, therefore, it is problematic to give any recommendations.

However, this does not mean at all that it is useless and pointless to look for the causes of nape baldness. Modern medicine has some knowledge about this condition, based on many years of experience in observing patients suffering from nape baldness.

With baldness of the back of the head, the hair falls out strictly locally, in the occipital region. As a rule, hair growth does not stop on the rest of the head. There are relatively few patients with this diagnosis compared to those who suffer from other types of alopecia. In about a quarter of cases, the cause of nape baldness is heredity. Under such circumstances, it is not necessary to say that a person is sick, and the problem is, so to speak, purely cosmetic.

But there is also a group of risk factors that are indirect (or direct) causes of nape baldness. We will talk about them further.

Causes of nape baldness and risk factors

Speaking about baldness of the back of the head, it should be borne in mind that the causes of the disease can be general changes in the state of the body and gender-dependent ones. Yes, yes, nape baldness in men and women is sometimes different things caused by different underlying causes.

Common causes of baldness at the back of the head include conditions such as:

1) stressful conditions, prolonged depression and neurotic disorders. Very often (in more than eighty percent) nape baldness occurs precisely against the background of these conditions. Therefore, emotional stability is very important, and a frivolous attitude to stress is unacceptable.

2) Circulatory problems in the injured area. Most often, baldness for this reason occurs due to dandruff and (or) increased sweating in the back of the head. The skin simply cannot cope with timely cleansing, hair follicles become clogged and problems begin with normal hair growth.

3) Immunological factor. Due to changes in the state of the immune system, it begins to react to the hair follicles as alien, hostile to the body and, therefore, includes mechanisms to combat the “stranger”.

4) Nutritional imbalance can also be an indirect cause of baldness at the back of the head. Especially dangerous is the lack of protein, vitamins and microelements, which can be observed not only due to malnutrition (with diets, for example), but also with an unhealthy diet with a lot of sugars, fat and fast carbohydrates.

Gender coloration of risk factors for nape baldness is expressed as follows. Alopecia of the neck in men is more often caused by hereditary factors and manifests itself in most cases after thirty years. In women, nape baldness is a consequence of hormonal failure caused by diets, pregnancy, menopause, neurotic conditions, etc.

Treatment of baldness of the back of the head. Basic tricks

Treatment for baldness at the back of the head will depend on the diagnosis. Therefore, if you notice anxiety symptoms in yourself, your first and main step is to contact a trichologist. The doctor will prescribe the necessary diagnostic procedures and tests, including a blood test for hormone levels, an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland, and a scraping from the damaged area of ​​​​the scalp.

Depending on the results obtained, treatment is prescribed. It can be medical, hardware or radical (if nothing helps) - hair transplantation.

Among the drugs, minoxidil, finasteride, glucocorticosteroids, anthralin, tretinoin have proven themselves well. But it should be noted: it is absolutely impossible to take them on your own! Only as prescribed by a doctor, since they all belong to fairly strong medications that have serious contraindications.

Medical therapy is often combined with physiotherapy. This is dersonval, and laser, and electrophoresis and electrotrichogenesis. In any case, the specific therapy should be prescribed by a medical practitioner. Self-treatment of nape baldness is fraught not only with a lack of effect, but also with a likely harmful effect on the patient's health.

What can be done to prevent hair loss?

If you suspect that over time you may encounter the problem of alopecia, it's time to think about the prevention of baldness at the back of the head. Prevention may include: normalization of nutrition and bringing the whole lifestyle to a healthy ideal, regular washing of hair with high-quality shampoos against hair loss, massage of the scalp, taking vitamin and mineral complexes (after consultation with a doctor), as well as a course of hardware therapy also after agreement with a specialist.

However, it should be recognized that there are no 100% guarantees either in the prevention of nape baldness or in the treatment of the disease. If the hair in the back of the head continues to fall out and a pronounced bald spot forms that worries you, it makes sense to pay attention to. To date, she is the most gentle. HFE does not require hospitalization, anesthesia, and subsequent antibiotics. For transplantation, grafts taken from the patient himself are used (in the case of nape baldness, this is possible). Transplantation is done manually - each hair is separately used microtools, which avoids damage to the skin.

The appearance of baldness on the head worries not only older men, as many mistakenly believe. According to statistics, a quarter of thirty-year-old men overtake small bald spots, and by the age of forty, every third representative of the stronger sex is significantly bald, women also experience a significant thinning of their hair.

What is alopecia

The medical term "alopecia" refers to increased hair thinning, which has a round or oval focus (with a radius of not more than ten centimeters) and spreads to other places on the scalp (the so-called "alopecia areata"). If the hairstyle is short, it is quite difficult to notice the foci of baldness that have appeared. Experts distinguish three degrees of alopecia:

• light - only small bald patches appear on the head;
• medium - the hair thinned at the crown, and a "widow's triangle" was drawn on the forehead;
• heavy - the hair is preserved only on the back of the head.

The types of alopecia are also distinguished by the localization of the foci of hair loss (frontal, temporal, parietal).

In the female half, baldness does not appear as often as in men, but the hairline begins to thin out evenly over the entire surface of the head. At the same time, due to the shape of most hairstyles, the side bald spots are less noticeable, but the translucent scalp in the crown area spoils the mood for many women after 30.

Causes

Baldness cannot occur on its own. The most common causes of its occurrence in men and women are as follows:

• Hormonal (androgenic) - up to 95% of all cases of occurrence due to an excess of the male hormone dehydrotestosterone in the body, to balance which the alpha-reductase enzyme is produced, as a result of their interaction, the hair begins to fall out profusely, the tendency to this type of alopecia is inherited;
• Autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, cancer, kidney, and gallstone disease;
• Resection of the adrenal glands;
• vitamin deficiency;
• radiation exposure;
• Burn lesions.

Provoke appearancebald patches in men and women can also be adverse external factors:

When a girl notices hair loss, unlike men who look more brutal with a sexy bald head, it becomes a real tragedy for her. The reasons why a bald patch appears on the head of women are somewhat different from men's:

• low levels of iron in the blood, due to which the hair follicles do not receive sufficient nutrition (increased during menstruation);
• violation of the thyroid gland, since the hormones produced by it are involved in the protein metabolism of the body;
• malnutrition, unsuitable diets - especially true for working women who eat "on the run" and mostly in the evenings; improperly selected diets aimed at losing weight often deprive the hair of the elements necessary for growth and development, they gradually fall out, and bald patches appear;
• exposure to newfangled hairstyles with many chemical cosmetics and thermal devices for various hair manipulations; tight hairstyles are especially harmful to the hair follicles, which significantly weaken them and lead to a significant thinning of the hair on the head of a woman;
• lack of a headgear or the wrong choice of it - in the heat and cold, uncovered hair is exposed to the negative effects of the environment (ultraviolet, low temperatures), while an unsuitable headdress may turn out to be too tight or tight, and if you wear it for a long time, the first signs of alopecia will soon appear;
• long-term use of hormonal drugs - for the most part, oral contraceptives, which, if canceled, can cause a powerful jump in hormonal levels and, as a result, some baldness (this also applies to antibiotics).

In addition, if in the female body, due to some failures in the hormonal system, an overproduction of testosterone occurs, this leads to male pattern baldness, i.e. bald patches appear on the temples and in the forehead area.

After the diagnosis of "alopecia" is made, and the reasons why it appeared, the questions are solved, how to get rid of baldness and how to hide baldness.

Ways to cure baldness

Treatment of alopecia can be carried out in different ways - for many centuries there have been many attempts to get rid of unaesthetic baldness. Before starting active actions, it is advisable to visit a trichologist, who will prescribe procedures and medications that correspond to the symptoms.

Pharmaceuticals

The trichologist, first of all, will turn to medicines, the most popular of them are the following:

1. Minoxidil, which stimulates the hair follicles, works best when the bald patch first appears;
2. "Finasteride" - this remedy is able to suppress the production of testosterone, which is to blame for hair loss; treatment continues for three months;

Important! The drug is prescribed only for men.

1. "Spironolactone" - also blocks unnecessary hormones;
2. "Rogaine" - an American remedy for applying to the scalp, which helps fight hair loss;
3. Courses of vitamins.

Cosmetic procedures and products

The greatest effect is given in women and men by treatment with such prof. procedures like:

1. Mesotherapy - when the scalp is saturated with vitamin compounds;
2. Myostimulation - helps to remove baldness with the help of pulsed currents;
3. Darsonvalization - exposure to D'Arsonval currents on bald areas of the head;
4. Cryotherapy - the use of liquid nitrogen, especially good for alopecia areata;
5. Laser, - and ozone therapy - procedures strengthen hair follicles, regulate metabolic processes at the micro level.

Diet correction

Bald patches in men and women quite often appear as a result of malnutrition, when the body lacks vitamins and minerals for normal functioning, this affects the condition of the skin, nails and hair. The problem is solved by adjusting your menu and nutritional principles:

• priority (2/3 of the diet) should be fresh vegetables and fruits;
• you should consume as many greens as possible in all forms (salads, smoothies, cocktails, etc.);

• it is necessary to ensure that the body receives the right amount of protein-containing products, while the advantage should be in plant proteins, not animal proteins (nuts, grains, legumes).

Folk methods

"From grandmothers" got a lot of recipes on how to get rid of bald patches in women and men. All this arsenal helps to stimulate and strengthen the hair follicles, fight the emerging bald spots, but in the case of hormonal alopecia, they, alas, do not work.

Treatment at home can be carried out using various masks, lapping and applications. Most often, the ingredients of therapeutic masks against hair loss are:

• cognac;
• kefir (works especially well on dyed hair);
• Brewer's yeast;
• Burr oil;
• eggs;

The treatment of bald patches is very effectively carried out with a tincture of hot red pepper (you can make it yourself, or you can buy it at a pharmacy), which is rubbed directly into the scalp at night - due to irritation of the hair follicles, in a couple of months you can grow a new "undercoat" in place of bald spots.

How to remove bald patches on the forehead in men? Periodic massage with the addition of table or sea salt will help. It can be rubbed into the scalp and kept for a quarter of an hour. The frequency is 3-4 procedures per week, the course is two months, after which new hairs will begin to appear.

Treating baldness in men and women works well with hellebore water. This is a plant, completely poisonous, from which an agent is used as an antiseptic, analgesic and articular medicine. However, it is best to use hellebore water to enhance hair growth, restore follicles and as a way to overgrow bald spots. It is applied to wet hair, distributing along the entire length, especially on the temporal and occipital regions. After 20 minutes, the product is washed off with shampoo.

Additional Information. When using this product, you should not forget about its toxicity, you need to take safety measures: do not inhale the vapors, do not take it inside, carry out all manipulations with gloves (and be sure to remove it out of the reach of children!)

Transfer

What if all the tried pharmaceutical treatments and home remedies for male pattern baldness fail? The only thing left is a hair transplant. Small areas of the scalp, along with the follicles, are cut out from the donor site and implanted in place of the bald spots. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, the first "fluff" should appear in 4-5 months.

Transplantation is sometimes the only answer to the question of how to remove bald patches in women and men

Hair transplantation is carried out in three ways:

• strip method: follicles are cut out in the form of strips from one zone (most often from the back of the head and on the sides) and transplanted into the recipient zone;
• FUE method - follicles are removed with a round punch;
• CFE method - microsurgical instruments are used to collect follicles, this is the least traumatic method, it gives almost one hundred percent result.

What will disguise baldness

The treatment of baldness is a process of more than one week, all this time women are forced to hide the lack of hair using various pads, wigs and hats. Of the wigs, it is better to prefer those made from natural hair, but it is not recommended to wear them for more than six hours in a row. On the street you can use baseball caps, scarves, hats. Hairpins with strands, overlays, as well as powder that paints over baldness will also help to hide the appearance of bald patches. And how to remove bald patches on the forehead in women? This can be done by successfully styling the hair, for example, by letting go of the bangs.

The situation, when more and more hair is lost every day, and a bald spot appears, affects both men and women. If more than 5 hairs remain in your hand when grasping a curl, you should immediately pay attention to your health, visit a trichologist, learn how to treat baldness, and start acting without leading to the formation of bald patches.

Video

Alopecia areata causes profuse hair loss and the appearance of certain, clearly defined, bald spots. Alopecia areata is a disease that leads to partial hair loss or complete baldness. In medicine, there are conflicting opinions about the nature of the origin of the disease - loss begins suddenly, and also quickly ends with hair restoration. The exact causes of formation are not known. Treatment is often long and ineffective.

Genetic studies have revealed the presence of certain genes that determine the predisposition to this type of hair loss, but there is no direct evidence of a genetic origin. Alopecia areata occurs in both men and women.

Symptoms

The disease manifests itself in a person aged 15 to 25 years as small patches of bald skin on the head, beard (in men) or body, rapidly growing in area. The patient's state of health is good, the tests do not reveal any serious disorders in the functioning of organs and systems, and he feels excellent.

Gradually, focal lesions increase the territory, new bald spots appear, they merge. The hairs are weak, their structure is broken, upon closer examination they resemble a question mark, they easily come out of the skin along with the bulb. With a progressive form, the process intensifies, leads to total hair loss, and the treatment has no effect.

The paradox of alopecia areata in men and women is that the process of hair loss can stop just as it began - for no apparent reason and no treatment. Moreover, a bald head can be covered with hair of normal density, color and texture. And then fall out again. With alopecia areata, the life of the hair does not seem to depend on the body and the genetic information laid down by nature.

What is alopecia

Depending on the course of the disease, one can distinguish:

• scattered (local) alopecia, when the bald spot is in one place, for example, on the crown, has a rounded shape and does not spread. Characteristic for both men and women;
• subtotal alopecia (universal) of the second degree. It is characterized by foci of hair loss, often occupying a larger area than healthy hair, can spread to the eyebrows, beard (in men), body, armpits;
• total focal alopecia (alopecia totalis, malignant), when the vegetation on the head and body falls out completely. Deprived of hair, the scalp becomes pale, greasy, and sweats profusely. Treatment of generalized baldness often does not work.

In addition to the most common types of ailment, one can note:

• Alopecia areata universalis is a rare form characterized by hair loss on the head and body. On the arms and legs, there are clearly defined areas without hair, a decrease in hair volume or absence in the armpits. Universal alopecia is accompanied by neurasthenia, vegetovascular dystonia, changes in the nail structure;
• marginal alopecia areata appears in children, hair loss along the edges, on the back of the head and temples. As a result, a rim devoid of vegetation appears, vellus hair remains for a short time, then they also fall out. The marginal focal lesion of the scalp suggests long-term treatment;
• alopecia in the form of a crown is often found in women, children, has practically no manifestations of symptoms, treatment is ineffective;
• exposing alopecia areata - when large enough areas without hair are formed that quickly affect healthy skin.

Alopecia areata is also distinguished, characterized by the presence of pea-sized areas of baldness scattered over the surface of the head.

Why does baldness form

Diagnosis of patchy baldness in men and women is difficult due to the lack of objective laboratory data indicating specific causes. Therefore, the disease is considered caused by the presence of some factors, which include:

• prolonged stress, prolonged depression;
• physical injuries that cause the body to produce heat shock proteins, essentially stimulating the immune system and forcing the body to “fight” non-existent enemies;
• chronic infections;
• poor heredity, due to the presence of certain genes in the chromosome responsible for the growth, type, density of hair. If the hereditary line is replete with balding grandfathers, then there is a high probability that the heir will also suffer from alopecia. This factor most often affects men.

Often the causes of focal alopecia are autoimmune diseases, when follicular cells are perceived by the body as a threatening factor, and it begins to produce antibodies that kill their own relatives. As a result, hair loss occurs, atrophy of the follicles, their "fading".

In women, scalp damage is caused by lupus, an immune disease accompanied by weakness, fever, and malaise. Women are characterized by hair loss during early menopause.

Sometimes baldness causes elementary dental caries, both in men and women.

The appearance of lesions in women is caused by diseases of the endocrine system, in particular, improper functioning of the thyroid gland, which causes an imbalance of hormones.

How to treat patchy alopecia

To diagnose and treat patchy alopecia, you need to contact a medical institution to a trichologist - a doctor who specializes in diseases of the scalp. He will accurately identify the causes, make a diagnosis, and determine the treatment. It is also necessary to consult other doctors - laura, gynecologist (for women), dentist to identify inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, oral cavity and genital organs. For both women and men, it will be useful to consult an endocrinologist who will offer to conduct a laboratory blood test for the amount of hormones and prescribe corrective treatment.

Diagnosis of alopecia areata includes:

• blood test for CMV, toxoplasma, mycoplasma, Epstein-Barr virus;
• in children, a study of feces for helminthiasis is mandatory;
• blood test for giardiasis (in children);
• hormone analysis.

Treatment of alopecia areata includes a set of procedures: vitamin therapy, physiotherapy (laser biostimulation of follicles, pulsed currents, ozone therapy), taking dietary supplements, medications. In difficult cases of baldness, transplantation is indicated - the transplantation of healthy follicles with the dermis to the affected area. Surgery is popular with men. Effective treatment of alopecia with corticosteroids - steroid hormones that are injected into the dermis with a syringe (for women).

Focal baldness in men and women requires immediate diagnosis, identification of the causes that provoke increased hair loss, and treatment by a trichologist. Alopecia areata is a poorly understood and unpredictable disease that requires a long, methodical treatment.

Loss of strands is the norm, if it does not turn into a pathology. A rare man will anxiously count the amount of shed hair, but it is simply impossible not to notice the appearance of bald spots on his head. As a rule, bald areas in the form of spots are the most important symptom of alopecia areata. The disease can be preceded by various reasons, which men sometimes do not even know about. That is why, when bald spots are found, it is so important to conduct a comprehensive and complete medical examination. Not only the beauty of the hair depends on this, but also health in general.

Features of the disease

A short haircut, which is preferred by many members of the stronger sex, provides certain advantages, and one of them is the illusion that the hair almost does not fall out. A long strand in a sink or on a pillow is more noticeable and catches the eye faster than a small hair that has grown 1-3 centimeters. You can reassure yourself that the hair is in excellent condition and does not need treatment until the signs of impending baldness become too obvious.

Attention! Doctors say that the disease is difficult to treat, especially in the stronger sex. Even transplanting strands does not guarantee that you will forget about the problem forever.

Alopecia areata got its name because of the nature of hair loss: foci or nests that are shaped like circles or ovals and may resemble lichen. This is a chronic disease that affects the hair follicles, and sometimes nails. The peculiarity of nested baldness is that a bald spot in the hair can appear in a short time, literally in a week. In some forms, the problem affects the eyelashes, eyebrows, chest hair.

People of all ages can suffer from the disease, therefore There are 4 types of alopecia areata:

1. The disease begins to develop in the prime of life of a man: 20-40 years. Bald spots heal in about six months, the likelihood of complete baldness is extremely small. Statistically, this variety is the most common.
2. The beginning falls on childhood. A person can suffer from the disease for more than 10 years, at the risk of becoming completely bald over time. Baldness is covered with new hair for a long time and hard, it takes more than a year. This type of alopecia areata is diagnosed in 10% of patients.
3. The rapid development of the disease at a young age can lead to complete baldness in 50% of cases, but this affects a minority of patients.
4. The problem affects people who have crossed the 40-year mark, and lasts for years. However, absolute baldness is observed only in isolated cases.

It has been observed that blondes are less prone to alopecia areata than those with dark hair.

Symptoms and stages

In most cases, even a person who is far from medicine can correctly determine the development of alopecia areata. Too eloquent main symptom: rounded bald spots on the head or areas of the body covered with hair.

They may grow larger or appear in new places. The newly formed bald patch has a reddish tint, itching, burning sensation are not excluded. The hair along the edges of the foci break, the strands fall off in bunches. Bald spots can grow, merging and forming one large bald spot.

If, in addition to everything, the ailment affects the nails, they become duller. Longitudinal grooves, dents appear on the plates, the edges are deformed.

Alopecia areata has several forms. They take into account the degree of spread of the disease and the severity of damage to the scalp, body:

• limited (local)- one or more bald patches on the hair or beard. In this case, treatment may not be required if the areas do not increase, and new bald spots do not appear;
• ophiasis (ribbon)- baldness occurs at the back of the head, then moves to the ears and temples. Like a ribbon, it encircles the lower part of the head, although it happens differently: the hair on the frontal zone (frontal Alopecia areata) begins to fall out first. This is due to the different sensitivity of the hair follicles;
• subtotal- about half of the hair becomes bald;
• total- due to focal alopecia, no hair remains on the head at all;
• universal- following the strands, eyebrows, eyelashes, as well as hairs all over the body (partially or completely) fall out.

Some experts additionally distinguish 2 more types of focal alopecia: pinpoint, as well as Nikolsky's ringworm form.

The first is characterized by small, literally millimeter-sized bald spots in the hair on the head. The second is associated with pathologies of the nervous system: epilepsy, schizophrenia and other diseases.

One form can change into another. It is possible that a total or universal variety will immediately appear, bypassing the lighter phases. Despite this, in the development of alopecia areata, 3 stages are always distinguished:

1. Active. In this phase, all the main symptoms are manifested: itching, burning, hair loss and breaking off.
2. Stationary. The bald patch stops growing. The skin has a normal appearance. The hairs do not loosen if you pull them with your fingers.
3. Regressive. The baldness is covered with a light fluff.

Attention! Despite the pronounced picture of alopecia areata, it is worth undergoing a full examination to exclude the possibility of a fungal infection and determine the presence of concomitant ailments.

Causes

There are different versions of why men have alopecia areata. One of the main reasons doctors unconditionally call a genetic predisposition. It is believed that heredity is the "culprit" of the problem in 5-20% of cases.

In addition, during the examination of patients with alopecia areata, doctors noticed that these people more often than others suffer from autoimmune ailments (that is, those associated with disorders of the immune system). This observation gave grounds to link diseases of this category (lupus erythematosus, diabetes mellitus, and others) with alopecia areata.

Also The following factors can provoke abundant hair loss and the formation of rounded bald spots:

• frequent stressful conditions, including those caused by overwork;
• diseases of the digestive tract;
• skull trauma;
• infections;
• skin ailments associated with the activity of fungal microorganisms;
• the influence of toxic substances that are used in professional activities (alkalis, acids and others);
• deficiency of vitamins and microelements, which affects the condition of the hair.

Diagnostics

Correctly determining the cause of alopecia areata will help you choose effective therapy, stop hair loss and slow down the course of the disease. If you treat the disease at an early stage, there are great chances to regain healthy and thick hair.

A dermatologist or trichologist can prescribe tests and examinations. If necessary, you should contact a neurologist, endocrinologist and other specialists to establish a complete picture of the state of health.

The primary diagnosis consists in pulling out several hairs from the affected area. In this case, you don’t even need to use force or take tweezers: loose strands crumble almost without outside help. Already on this test alone, an experienced doctor will determine the stage of development of alopecia areata.

Under a microscope or magnifying glass, a specialist will examine the roots of the torn hair and assess their condition. A visual examination of the skin and nails will also contribute to the diagnosis of the form and severity of the disease. In addition, the doctor may prescribe blood tests: clinical or general, for sugar, hormones and various viruses, as well as a biopsy of the scalp, other studies of the dermis and hair.

Treatment

Even with the timely and correct diagnosis of alopecia areata, one should not hope that new hair will grow quickly. The process of getting rid of bald spots requires patience and some effort. Doctors advise patients not to fall into despair and believe in optimistic results.

Alopecia areata is curable, albeit with great difficulty. Even if it is caused by genetics, you can partially stop baldness, affect the duration of remission periods for the better, and give your hair a beautiful, well-groomed appearance.

Advice. With alopecia areata, you need to treat the entire scalp, and not just those areas of the hair where bald spots have formed.

medicines

It is not at all superfluous to take multivitamin preparations during the treatment of alopecia areata. Antihistamine tablets or drops, antiviral and immunomodulators, as well as agents that accelerate hair growth will also benefit. If corticosteroid therapy is required, then when choosing them, it is better to listen to the opinion of the doctor and strictly follow all recommendations.

In the fight against alopecia areata, the doctor may prescribe you the following medications:

• Beloderm. Contains betamethasone. Available in the form of cream, ointment, spray. The cost is from 130 rubles.

• Diprospan. Ampoules with a suspension, the active substance of which is betamethasone. Relieves inflammation and has an anti-allergic effect. With focal alopecia, the drug is administered subcutaneously. The price of 1 ampoule is about 220 rubles.

• Isoprinosine. Immunostimulant with antiviral action. It is produced in tablets of 20, 30 and 50 pieces, the price is from 600 to 1300 rubles.

• Cutiwait. The cream relieves inflammation and has an anti-allergic effect. You can buy it at a price of 330 rubles.

• Sandimmun-Neoral. Belongs to the category of immunosuppressants - drugs that artificially suppress the immune system. With focal alopecia, it is useful in that it weakens autoimmune processes (if they are diagnosed, of course). As a result, follicles are not perceived as foreign bodies that need to be dealt with. Hair doesn't fall out. The product is available in capsules of 50 pieces (there are different dosages: 25, 50 and 100 milligrams), as well as in the form of vials with a solution for oral administration. The cost is from 1100 to 5100 rubles.

• Finasteride. It contains special hormones, so it can be used for alopecia areata exclusively in men. The price of 30 tablets starts from 200 rubles and depends on the manufacturer (domestic or imported).

• Celestoderm V. A hormonal remedy can be bought in the form of an ointment or cream. The cost is from 230 rubles.

With focal alopecia, it is useful to use Dimexide and preparations with minoxidil. All this will speed up hair growth.

Folk methods

Home recipes are a good help in the treatment of alopecia areata, but only if they are not used alone and in isolation from medicines. Folk methods will help activate hair regrowth, wake up hair follicles, improve the structure of the strands and strengthen them. Such help is indispensable in a situation where the causes of alopecia areata are diagnosed, therapy is prescribed, and it is necessary to further stimulate the overgrowth of bald spots with new hairs.

Important! The main contraindication is an allergy to any component of the recipe.

Try to eliminate the manifestations of alopecia areata with such home remedies:

1. Pepper tincture. Improves blood supply to the scalp and nutrition of the bulbs. To prepare, grind a large red pod and fill it with 100 grams of vodka. Keep in a dark and cool place. A day later, the tincture is ready for hair treatment. Rub it on the areas affected by alopecia areata twice a day.
2. Nettle rinse. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of dry grass with a liter of water. Put on a slow fire and after boiling, hold on the stove for 7-10 minutes. To strengthen your hair, rinse your hair every other day.
3. A decoction of coltsfoot. Cooked almost the same as nettle rinse. Only the boiling time on low heat should be reduced to 5-7 minutes. Means wash or rinse the head. The course of treatment is a month. During this period, the hair should become much stronger.
4. Ginger tincture. To quickly overcome the effects of alopecia areata and stimulate healthy hair growth, mix 2 ingredients: crushed ginger (a little more than half of the average root) and a glass of vodka. Close tightly and store for 14 days in a dark and cool place. Shake the container regularly. With the finished tincture, moisturize the places that have suffered from focal alopecia, while doing a gentle massage with fingertips.
5. Infusion of hop cones. Cooking it is as easy as shelling pears: pour 100 grams of raw materials with a liter of boiling water. Wrap and leave for 15-20 minutes. Rub into areas bald due to alopecia areata, or rinse hair after washing.
6. Burdock ointment. 20 grams of burdock root (dry or fresh) should be poured with 200 milliliters of water and put on fire. When the volume of the contents is halved, add 1 tablespoon of pork fat to it and cover the container with a lid. You can remove it from the fire after the fat has melted. In the fight against alopecia areata, it is necessary to treat with this ointment 3-4 times a day the places from which the hair fell off.
7. Egg-oil mask. Combine chicken yolk with a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well and rub into the scalp. You don't need to warm your hair. The mixture is washed off after half an hour, and the procedure is repeated once a week.

Also, with focal alopecia, it is useful to rub aloe or garlic juice into bald areas, make mustard hair masks.

Alternative ways

The easiest option for additional treatment of alopecia areata is taking vitamin preparations. It should be a balanced complex, where there is a place for calcium, zinc, magnesium and other substances that are useful for hair.

Besides, To help cope with baldness, the following physiotherapy procedures are called upon:

1. Galvanization. The effect on the vessels of weak current discharges improves the process of blood circulation.
2. Darsonvalization. A special drug treats alopecia areata with high frequency current. Hair becomes stronger, follicles receive more nutrition.
3. Laser therapy. The use of ultraviolet and infrared rays helps to cope with alopecia areata and fungal microflora on the skin.
4. Massage. It activates metabolism, improves blood circulation, which is useful for alopecia areata.
5. Mesotherapy. Nutrient injections deliver vitamins and minerals directly to the scalp.
6. UFO. Ultraviolet irradiation acts directly on those areas where hair has fallen out, improving the condition of the follicles.
7. Phonophoresis. Saturation of the cells of the dermis with oxygen activates the work of the hair follicles, stimulates blood circulation.
8. Electrophoresis. Injections of drugs against alopecia areata are performed with simultaneous exposure to current.
9. Other methods.

Note! For treatment, you need to undergo a full course of procedures prescribed by a doctor. But with intense hair loss and advanced alopecia areata, they may be ineffective.

Prevention

Some experts believe that the mechanism and causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood, so disease prevention is impossible. And yet, most doctors advise adhering to certain rules that will help reduce the likelihood of alopecia areata.

To do this, you need to adhere to the daily routine, alternate work with rest, avoid stress and monitor the quality of nutrition. It should be balanced, contain vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, magnesium, zinc. It is worth giving up bad habits, allocate time for sports and daily walks.

Particular attention in the prevention of alopecia areata should be given to hair care. Shampoo should be suitable for the type of hair and not irritate the skin. Many manufacturers produce separate products for men, so there should be no problems with choosing a product.

In addition, it is important to protect the strands from temperature changes, to cover them from the sun and frost.

It cannot be unequivocally stated that even if these conditions are met, any representative of the stronger sex will be 100% protected from alopecia areata or even its relapses after successful treatment. However, by following simple rules, you can significantly increase your immunity, saturate the body with micro and macro elements, increase resistance to negative factors, and in case of illness, speed up recovery.

Useful videos

Alopecia - causes, features and treatment.

Alopecia areata, (alopecia areata), hair treatment.