There are many underlying conditions and problems that can lead to excessive hair loss and alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. It usually begins with one or more small, round, smooth patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis). This common skin disease is very unpredictable and cyclical. Hair can grow back in or fall out again at any time, and the disease course is different for each person.
The most common cause of hair loss is a medical condition called hereditary hair loss. Luckily, most causes of hair loss can be prevented and treated. Anyone affected by hair loss should see dermatologist. Our dermatologists specialize in treating diseases of the skin, hair, and nails.
Treatment Options (not limited to):
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is applied to the scalp. It can stop hairs from getting thinner and stimulate hair growth on the top of the scalp. A dermatologist may combine minoxidil with another treatment.
Brushes, combs, and other hand-held devices that emit laser light might stimulate hair growth. These devices might make hair look more youthful in some people. Because the FDA classifies these products as medical devices, the products do not undergo the rigorous testing that medicines undergo.
The FDA approved this medicine to treat men with hair loss. It comes in pill form and helps slow hair loss in most men. It helps stimulate hair re-growth in many men. Finasteride works by stopping the body from making a male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
If hair loss is caused by inflammation in the body, dermatologists may inject a medicine called a corticosteroid into the scalp. This can help stop the inflammation that happens when a person has alopecia areata. A corticosteroid is different from an anabolic steroid.