Therapeutic Modalities For Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a common, autoimmune disease that can affect any hair- bearing area. Alopecia areata is a lymphocyte cell-mediated inflammatory type of hair loss, but its pathogenesis is not fully understood. The disease can present as a single patch of hair loss, multiple patches, or extensive hair loss in a form of total loss of scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or loss of entire scalp and body hair (alopecia universalis). A number of treatments can induce hair regrowth in alopecia areata but do not change the course of the disease. Treatment is more effective in patchy alopecia areata than in alopecia totalis/alopecia universalis. Therapy for alopecia areata should be tailored in light of severity of the condition and the patient’s age.

Many therapeutic modalities have been used to treat alopecia areata, with variable efficacy and safety profiles. The treatment plan is designed according to the patient’s age and extent of disease. Several studies have shown the efficacy of intralesional corticosteroid injections. For limited scalp alopecia areata, intralesional corticosteroid therapy is considered as the drug of choice by many experts. The most widely used agent is triamcinolone acetonide. The injections can be repeated at 4–6 weekly intervals. The use of mesotherapy multi-injectors with 5–7 needles is an alternative approach to decrease injection pain and to make the procedure more homogenous. Side effects include skin atrophy and telangiectasia which can be minimized by the use of smaller volumes and avoiding superficial injections.

Many forms of topical corticosteroids have been prescribed for alopecia areata, including creams, gels, ointments, lotions, and foams. Topical corticosteroids are far less effective in alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis. A highly potent topical corticosteroid under occlusion is the preferred method when using topical corticosteroids. Folliculitis is a common side effect to topical corticosteroids.

PUVA is a method of administering a dilute psoralen solution selectively to the scalp for 20 minutes using a cotton towel as a turban. The patient’s scalp is then exposed to ultraviolet A radiation. Treatment sessions are performed two or three times per week. PUVA-turban therapy lacks the systemic side effects of oral PUVA and can be considered as alternative therapy for patients with alopecia areata.

One important step that should not be overlooked during the course of management of alopecia areata is offering psychological support to foster increased self-esteem and adaptation to this disease. Helping patients with alopecia areata cope with depression and an unpredictable disease like alopecia can be achieved by several ways, including education of the patient about the nature of disease, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, antidepressants and support groups. Hypnotherapy may significantly improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life, but not hair regrowth .

If these therapies fail or are not tolerated, third-line therapeutic options can be discussed with patients in terms of the expected outcome of therapy and possible side effects. These agents include methotrexate with or without a systemic corticosteroid, azathioprine, cyclosporine, and pulse therapy of corticosteroids. While using these drugs, close monitoring of patients is important to avoid possible side effects.

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Alopecia Barbae – Treatments

Alopecia barbae is a subtype of alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Different types of alopecia areata are identified according to which part of the body the condition appears to affect. This type of spot baldness is not a symptom of any other disease or disorder. As an autoimmune disease, it occurs because the immune system has mistaken hair growing in the beard as an invading organism and attacks hair follicles in order to protect the body from this misidentified intruder Alopecia barbae is not contagious and is not a painful condition.

There are several factors which allegedly cause alopecia barbae, but scientists are still unable to determine the exact root cause of this condition despite modern technology. Theories considering the Causes of Alopecia majorly revolve around genetics and hormonal imbalance. Genetics play a big role because it has been observed that people with family members having alopecia of any kind has a higher percentage of acquiring the condition at some point in their lives compared to those without. Another thing is that the imbalance brought about by the rush or lack of a specific hormone in the body can also cause changes in the amount of hair in the body.

One specific androgen, known as dihydrotestosterone or DHT is thought to play the most critical part in all kinds of alopecia, especially androgenetic alopecia. Hair growth is also determined by the amount of blood circulation in the near the skin surface. If the blood circulation gets compromised, hair loss will follow because hair follicles cannot produce and re-grow hair due to lack of nutrients and oxygen brought about by the blood.

Alopecia barbae Treatment options for are limited and some are severe with low success rates, lengthy treatment plans as well as side effects from the treatments. The treatments include use of 5% Minoxidil to help encourage hair regrowth. While this treatment can help, there is not a high percentage reversal rate in cases of alopecia barbae. Also, steroids are used as a treatment for Alopecia Barbae. Daily topical application of a steroid cream onto the beard patch is the most common way to use steroid therapy. Some doctors will give the patient the option of a regiment of steroid injections once every four to six weeks for up to six months to help the hair grow back. However, they do not always give results, and it can even occur that the beard patch stays permanently without hair and the skin of the beard patch can become thin and easily damaged. Minoxidil is often used in conjunction with steroids, as it appears to enhance the action of the steroids.

Marbo Lotion quickly stops hair loss regardless of its cause. This product is very easy to use and gives fast results. We highly recommend use of this product together with Marbo Shampoo 03 for best results. Recommended in case of different scalp problems: dandruff, oily hair, seborrhoeic dermatitis, scalp itching, thin and weak hair, hair loss for hormone imbalance (problems with thyroid gland, cystic ovaries), occasional seasonal hair loss, cytostatic therapy and radiation, for hair damaged by chemical treatments.