Most people know alopecia to be a form of hair loss. However, what they don’t always know is that there are three main types of the condition – alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis. But what is the difference between the three?
Alopecia areata
This is one of the most commonly reported types of hair loss, referring to bald patches or spots on the scalp.
Alopecia totalis
This is hair loss affecting the whole of the head, including eyelashes and eyebrows. It is a more advanced stage of alopecia areata, which progresses to totalis and universalis in around 1 – 2 per cent of cases.
Alopecia universalis
This term relates to hair loss all over the body, meaning that the entire epidermis is free from hair. It is the most severe form of alopecia areata, and as such is quite rare, occurring only in around 1 in 100,000 people.
Did you know…?
As well as the three types of alopecia outlined above, there are a couple of other ways alopecia can be classified. These include:
• Alopecia areata barbae – this is hair loss limited only to the male beard
• Alopecia areata multicularis – this refers to multiple areas or patches of hair loss
• Alopecia areata monocularis – one area of baldness, found in any location on the scalp
Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust have received a generous donation of two new innovative machines designed to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment.
The Orbis Paxman machines have been donated by inspiration breast cancer charity Walk the Walk. They are portable, so can be used at both Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital.
The devices work by cooling the scalp and head before, during and after chemotherapy treatment. By lowering the temperature of the scalp, the hair follicles shrink and subsequently limit the effect of chemotherapy on hair. This can prevent or at least limit the kind of profuse hair loss usually caused by chemotherapy treatment.
Nina Barough, who is the founder and head of Walk the Walk, said:
“I know personally how much integrated care helped me on my journey through breast cancer so I am delighted that Walk the Walk has made this very special donation to Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital.
“It is extra special to be able to see our fundraising efforts go to such a worthwhile cause within our local area and I know women are going to benefit from the scalp cooling treatment.”
One of the first things women do when they notice their hair is thinning or falling out is to look for information and possible solutions. Improving your knowledge of hair loss in women can help you feel more in control of your situation, but only if you gather information from the right places. Here’s where to look:
• Your GP
Your family doctor is the first and best place you can go to get more information on female hair loss. Although not a specialist, your GP can start the process of diagnosing your condition and can also refer you to specialist dermatologists and trichologists.
• Hair loss clinics
Visit a reputable and well-known hair loss clinic for advice and guidance, or check out their websites. These clinics, staffed with people well-experienced in female hair loss, will be able to give you information about hair replacement techniques and how to manage your hair loss.
• The Internet
If you’re looking for medical advice, treat online websites with caution unless they are reputable (i.e. Bupa, the NHS). However, the Internet is a good place to get emotional support to help you cope with your condition. You can talk to other female hair loss sufferers via forums and discussions, so you needn’t feel alone in what you’re going through.
Female hair loss can have many causes, some of which have similar symptoms (apart from hair loss, obviously). It is extremely important to ensure that you are diagnosed properly and find out the exact cause of your hair loss, as only then can you receive effective treatment.
Androgenic alopecia and telogen effluvium are both conditions which cause hair to thin or fall out, and they are often mistaken for one another. The following is a little advice to help you figure out which of the conditions you actually have.
Telogen effluvium is different to androgenic alopecia in that it is often caused by hormonal changes and imbalances, such as pregnancy, the menopause or thyroid problems. As well as undergoing extensive blood tests to identify any hormonal imbalances, you should also try to recap the last year or so with the aim of recalling any traumatic or excessively stressful events or situations you’ve experienced.
If your blood tests come back negative and nothing traumatic has happened to you, the chances are your hair loss is caused by the hereditary condition known as androgenic alopecia. Unlike telogen effluvium, this condition is ongoing and permanent. However, you can find solutions to help you with hair loss management, such as human hair wigs or other hair replacement techniques.
There are so many myths and misconceptions surrounding female hair loss, it can be difficult for people looking for information about it to sort fact from fiction.
One of the main myths about hair loss – particularly sudden, seemingly unexplained hair loss – is that it is contagious in some way. This is not true, as most conditions which cause female hair loss cannot be passed on from person to person. You can’t ‘catch it’ from breathing the same air as the affected person, nor by touching them, using their hairbrush (although you shouldn’t really do this anyway, for hygiene reasons) or any other form of contact.
Tinea capitis (ringworm)
This condition is one of the only exceptions to the rule that hair loss is not contagious. Tinea capitis, or ringworm, is a fungal infection mostly found in children. In some cases, it causes patchy hair loss. There is a possibility that you can catch ringworm from an infected person, but it is incredibly easy to treat.
Androgenic alopecia
Although it doesn’t count as being ‘infectious’, some hair loss conditions are caused by hereditary/genetic factors. This means that your mother, father, grandparents or other family members could technically ‘pass on’ the condition to you.
Nutrition and diet has an effect on all parts of the body, including the hair. If the body is lacking certain vitamins and minerals, or simply isn’t getting enough food, it can cause the hair to fall out.
Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia can be devastating to a number of the body’s systems and can even be fatal if left untreated. The excessive weight loss associated with these illnesses can cause stress to the body, resulting in the shedding of hair.
Eating disorders cause hair loss in the following three stages:
• Due to a lack of proper nutrition, gastric abnormalities and organ function insufficiency, the hairs in the anagen (growing phase, occurring at the roots in the hair follicles) become starved
• Hair then skips the catagen (transitional) phase
• Hair goes straight into the the telogen (resting) phase and then the exogen (loss) phase of the hair growth cycle. This can cause mass shedding and premature loss of hair in a condition known as telogen effluvium
For the sake of your hair and more importantly, your health, it is crucial that you eat properly and take care of yourself. If you think you have an eating disorder, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis, treatment and support.
Hair loss can completely change the way you feel about yourself, affecting your confidence in your appearance and your self-esteem overall. This can have an impact on all aspects of your life, from your career to your relationships and home life.
Negative thoughts and self-criticism can impact on:
• Your performance in job interviews
• Romantic relationships and friendships
• How you approach new challenges and opportunities
• Meeting new people and trying new things
• Job performance and career progression
Of course, hair loss can only affect these aspects of your life if you let it. You need to find methods and tricks to banish negative thinking, to help you believe in yourself and achieve more. Try listing things you like about your appearance (e.g. your figure, your sense of humour, your eyes etc.) and your personality. Also, try to focus on your strengths as a person in different environments, such as at work or as part of a family.
You can’t let female hair loss hold you back and impede your success, so get rid of those negative thoughts and start being nice to yourself. If you believe you can do something, others will too.
There is a lot of ground to cover when trying to understand what hair is, what it is made of, how it grows and what causes female hair loss conditions. We have already looked at a number of key facts, but there is still some way to go.
The following are a few more facts and snippets of information about human hair.
• One of the main functions of hair is to regulate the temperature of the body, helping with heat insulation and cooling
• Hair also protects the skin from the dangers of exposure to UV radiation from the sun
• Hair also has a sensory function, helping the skin to sense touch by other objects and movements of air
• The function of eyelash and eyebrow hair is to protect the eyes from dust, dirt, sweat and any other forms of moisture (i.e. rain)
• The most common causes of female hair loss are conditions such as alopecia areata, telogen effluvium and androgenic alopecia (pattern baldness). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer can also cause hair loss
• Other hair loss conditions include trichotillomania (the compulsive pulling out of one’s own hair) and traction alopecia (where excessive tension on the scalp causes hair to fall out)
If you have been diagnosed with a female hair loss condition, it can be helpful to know a little more about hair, such as what it is made of and how it grows.
The following are a number of key facts about hair, which may prove relevant to your female hair loss condition.
• Hair is made of keratin, which is a fibrous structural protein used by the body to form skin and nails too
• Hair growth starts in the hair follicle and occurs everywhere on the skin apart from on the lips, soles of the feet and palms of the hands. This tissue is known as glabrous skin
• Visible hair is considered to be ‘dead’ tissue; the ‘living’ portion of the hair is found in the follicle
• Hair is made up of the bulb (at the base of the root), the sebaceous gland (used to lubricate the hair) and the erector pili muscles (these make the hair stand up)
• Human hair varies in thickness from 0.00067 to 0.0071 inches
• Hair colour is created by melanin, which is produced inside the hair follicle
• Hair growth follows a specific cycle, moving through the anagen (growth), catagen (transitional) and telogen (resting) phases. These phases all occur simultaneously; meaning that different hairs are in different phases at the same time.
One of the most frightening things about hair loss is the lack of control over what is happening to your body, especially with conditions such as alopecia, telogen effluvium or pattern baldness where the hair falls out suddenly and without any noticeable cause.
There is often nothing you can do to stop your hair falling out; all you can do is watch. This can be very upsetting, causing the sufferer no end of anxiety and distress.
However, some people with hair loss take the bold step of shaving all of their hair off and embracing baldness. By stopping it in its tracks and choosing the way you look, you get to take back some control over your body and appearance.
It can be hard to face the world for the first time without the ‘self-confidence shield of hair, leaving many people unable to interact and deal with people in the same way as before.
You need a lot of support, self-confidence and self-belief to shake off the stigma of female hair loss and be happy with your new look, but you can do it if you remember that true beauty comes from the inside. You don’t need hair to look gorgeous; often all you need is a smile on your face.
