What is Alopecia?

Sep 17 / Jacky van Driel-Nguene









One question I get all the time is: is there a cure for hair loss? The right answer is yes and no.
Let's start with the basics: what is alopecia? Alopecia is an umbrella term used to describe hair loss - all kinds of hair loss, and yes there are many. So, all cases of alopecia are not the same; hair loss can be caused by a range of factors such as trauma, stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, systemic illnesses (like diabetes, hypothyroidism, or lupus), or as a side effect of medication used to treat other conditions. For example, someone undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer may experience hair loss as a result. 
Some types of alopecia, such as frontal fibrosing alopecia or central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia cause permanent hair loss. They can be treated to stop the hair loss from progressing, but the hair that was lost often cannot regrow. It's crucial to understand the causes of your hair loss. Different types of hair loss have different causes, triggers, and treatments. A trichologist's aim is to identify the underlying cause of hair loss, rather than simply treating the symptom of hair loss itself. 

"A trichologist's aim is to identify the underlying cause of hair loss, rather than simply treating the symptom of hair loss itself." 

Without knowing the cause, it's difficult to manage or treat hair loss effectively. For example, treating hair loss due to genetics requires different approaches than treating hair loss due to vitamin D or iron deficiencies. Therefore, it's unlikely that a single product can effectively treat all types of alopecia. 
Androgenetic alopecia for example is one of the most common types of hair loss seen by doctors, dermatologists, and trichologists. In men, it's called male pattern hair loss (MPHL), while in women, it's known as female pattern hair loss (FPHL). It has three main causative factors which are genetics, age, and sex. It often occurs alongside another type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.

Although there are many treatments available for androgenetic alopecia, such as PRP, mesotherapy, red light, minoxidil, spironolactone, finasteride, and dutasteride, there is unfortunately no known cure for this condition as of yet. 

There are however many hair loss conditions that are totally reversible or curable, a simple change in food intake or hair care regimen might sometimes do the trick. So don't let "YouTube University" tell you what's wrong. Always consult a qualified trichologist or dermatologist first, to get a reliable diagnosis and scientifically supported solutions. 
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