Different Types Of Alopecia You Should Know About
Alopecia is an umbrella term for the conditions that cause hair fall.
The amount of hair fall differs for everyone. Some people lose hair in a few spots, but some may lose a lot.
Sometimes the hair may grow back but fall out again later. Sometimes the hair is gone for good.
The hair fall may also affect other body parts like the beard, eyebrows, eyelashes, or limbs.
There are different types of Alopecia. Some are rare, whereas some are more prevalent.
According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Alopecia areata, a type of hair loss, affects 6.8 million people in the US.
Some Alopecia is due to factors like genes, lifestyle, and the environment. At the same time, others are related to psychological conditions that cause hair-pulling.
There are treatments available for many types of Alopecia. Most of them are the same and may involve oral medications and topical therapies.
Continue reading to learn more about various types of Alopecia.
Different types of Alopecia
Alopecia can be caused by anything that disrupts the natural, healthy hair growth cycle. Some types of Alopecia are preventable, but others can strike at any age.
Your family history, age, gender, and race can all influence your chances of developing some form of Alopecia.
According to a 2020 research study of Alopecia prevalence by race, African Americans are more likely than whites to develop Alopecia areata, while Asians have the lowest odds.
The researchers suspected that the root cause was a combination of health disparities and genetics.
Here are the different types of Alopecia:
1. Alopecia areata
An autoimmune condition, Alopecia areata causes hair fall in patches, usually on the scalp.
However, it can also impact the eyebrows, eyelashes, and elsewhere on the body.
With Alopecia areata, the body’s immune system attacks healthy hair follicles like the immune system might fight an infection.
Injury to the hair follicles results in hair loss. Alopecia areata is one of the types of Alopecia that tends to run in families.
2. Alopecia totalis
This Alopecia is different from localized Alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata can cause round patches of hair loss on the scalp, whereas Alopecia Totalis causes complete baldness.
The main symptom of alopecia totalis is total hair loss on the head.
It may start as Alopecia areata with small patches of hair loss. Over time, these patches spread until the entire head is bald.
Hair loss can appear suddenly and rapidly. You may have brittle, pitted nails if you have Alopecia totalis.
- Autoimmune: Occurs when the body’s defense system mistakes normal cells for foreign cells and attacks them.
- Localized Alopecia: Hair loss that appears in a very distinct area on the scalp and head.
3. Alopecia universalis
It is unlike other forms of Alopecia.
Alopecia Universalis causes complete hair loss on your scalp and body.
If you start to lose hair on your head and different parts of your body, this is a vital sign of this type of Alopecia.
You can lose your body hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Hair loss can even occur in your pubic area and inside your nose.
Just like Alopecia areata, Alopecia universalis is also an autoimmune condition.
4. Androgenic alopecia
This hair loss condition is one of the most common types of hair loss in both men and women.
Male pattern
Male pattern baldness usually begins with hair loss on the crown or an M-shaped receding hairline.
The last area to lose hair is generally the side and back of the head.
Female pattern
Female pattern baldness differs from Male Pattern baldness as it usually starts with thinning hair along the part line. The part line can widen with time, but complete baldness is rare.
5. Telogen effluvium
This form of hair fall is also known as Diffuse Alopecia areata.
In Telogen effluvium, instead of patches, there is hair thinning. Then the hair falls out in scattered areas across the scalp.
In rare cases, the same hair loss patterns will occur in other body areas.
Sudden hormonal changes, Severe stress, and medication side effects can cause Telogen Effluvium.
6. Ophiasis alopecia
Ophiasis alopecia is a type of hair loss that primarily affects the sides and back of the scalp.
It’s an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects children. Ophiasis Alopecia areata can be more challenging to treat because it does not respond as quickly to medication.
7. Cicatricial alopecia
Also known as Scarring alopecia, this type of hair loss is an inflammatory condition that causes scarring and permanent hair loss by destroying hair follicles.
Cicatricial Alopecia affects men and women equally, but it is uncommon in children.
It progresses differently in each individual. Hair loss can occur gradually over time with few symptoms.
It may be quick in some people over months, causing burning and itching. The affected areas may become red, with scaling or pustules.
8. Lichen planopilaris
Another inflammatory condition affects young women more than men.
Lichen planopilaris is a rare condition with no known cause that causes smooth patches of skin on the scalp.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia
It is a form of Lichen planopilaris.
Frontal fibrosing Alopecia causes slow but progressive hair loss, usually just above the forehead. It may also affect eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Inflammatory condition: Occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s tissues, resulting in inflammation.
- Pustules: bulging patch of skin that’s full of a yellowish fluid called Pus.
9. Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA)
CCCA often begins in the center of the scalp as a slight, balding, and round patch that grows over time.
The first sign of CCCA is generally noticeable hair loss on the crown or center.
According to a 2020 report, CCCA is commonly seen in black women.
If you have this type of Alopecia, you should treat it as soon as possible.
Your treatment should start as soon as possible to prevent CCCA from spreading and causing permanent hair loss.
When treatment begins early, some people experience hair regrowth.
10. Alopecia barbae
Alopecia barbae is an autoimmune disorder that can cause your beard hair to fall out in small circular patches.
As the condition worsens, patches may overlap. However, predicting how much hair will fall out is difficult.
11. Traction alopecia
Traction alopecia is caused by pulling or tightening hair in the same way repeatedly.
This condition can develop if you frequently wear your hair in a tight braid, bun, or ponytail, mainly if you use chemicals or heat on your hair.
If you stop pulling your hair back, you can reverse Traction Alopecia. However, hair loss may be permanent if you act slowly.
Conclusion
Hair loss is typically not a severe medical condition. But dealing with it can often lead to Anxiety or Depression.
Support groups are available to assist you in dealing with the psychological effects of the condition.
If you lose all of your hair, it may regrow. If it doesn’t, there are several options for concealing your hair loss and protecting your scalp.
You can also try these remedies for hair loss remedies for men and women.
Get in touch with a hair specialist to get the best treatment available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all types of Alopecia autoimmune diseases?
No, only some types of Alopecia, like Alopecia areata, are autoimmune diseases. Other Alopecia types result from stress, hormone imbalance, or environment.
What are the three types of Alopecia caused by an autoimmune disorder?
Autoimmune diseases cause three types of Alopecia. They are Alopecia areata, Alopecia totalis, and Alopecia Universalis.
What are the seven types of Alopecia?
The seven types of Alopecia are Alopecia areata, Alopecia totalis, Alopecia Universalis, Androgenic alopecia, Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), Ophiasis alopecia, and Telogen effluvium
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