Do you know what is alopecia? Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss that can occur in many forms, including common balding on the head and body hair loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are multiple kinds of alopecia, including alopecia areata, a disease in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing hair loss.
Patchy alopecia areata causes hair loss in coin-sized patches, while alopecia totalis causes people to lose all or nearly all of the hair on the top of their heads. If you’re experiencing any kind of alopecia, don’t worry – there is hope!
The Oscars woke the discussion about Alopecia
Why did Will Smith Slap Chris Rock?
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards in a fit of rage over a joke made by him about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Viewers all around the world were shocked when Will smith after Chris Rock made a crack about his wife’s hair, slapped him right on stage.
Rock appeared to be joking about a “G.I. Jane” sequel, alluding to Pinkett Smith’s baldness. In the 1997 film, Demi Moore sported a shaved head.
On Sunday, Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes at the joke before her husband, Smith, went up to the stage and slapped Rock.
All this happened after Pinkett Smith revealed she had alopecia in 2018, the moment arrived when she addressed it during an interview. She has also spoken openly about her experience with hair loss.
Alopecia is an affliction of the hair that causes it to fall out or not grow. What is alopecia, and how can it affect your hair?
What is Alopecia? What exactly does it do?
Alopecia is a condition in which the body’s own hair follicles are attacked, resulting in hair loss. Many people who suffer from alopecia areata are otherwise healthy. They have hair loss and nail alterations, but they remain in excellent shape.
Hair loss is unpredictable in its occurrence and severity. Hair may regrow without therapy. When a person has a few bald spots, this occurs more frequently. The hair might fall out once it has grown back or not at all.
Dents, ridges, and brittle nails are all possible symptoms of alopecia areata affecting the nails. Some individuals develop bright red nails as a result of this illness. It affects around 6.8 million persons in the United States.
Hair shedding is usually limited to tiny places around the size of a quarter in numerous cases. Hair loss for most people is simply a few patches, however, it can be more severe in some circumstances.
Mites can induce hair loss, although it is rarely deadly. (Alopecia totalis) or, in severe circumstances, the entire body (Alopecia Universalis) may occur as a result of them.
Although the disease affects everyone, it is most prevalent among young individuals aged 30 and under.
What are the Causes of Alopecia?
When white blood cells invade hair follicles and damage them, they cause the cells to shrink and significantly slow down hair growth. It’s uncertain what causes the body’s immune system to target hair follicles in this manner.
One in five persons with alopecia areata has a family member who has had the condition, suggesting that genetics play a role. It’s possible that genetics are involved because alopecia areata is more common in those who have a close relative with the disease. One out of every five persons with the illness has a family member who also acquired it.
Who is very likely to get Alopecia?
Alopecia areata affects everyone. It affects men and women of all races and ethnicities equally. Most people get it in their teens, twenties, or thirties, although it can happen at any age. When it strikes kids under the age of ten, it is more widespread and rapid.
If you have alopecia areata, you may be at an increased risk of getting it if your family member has the illness. However, many individuals do not have a family history of the disease. Researchers believe that several genes are connected to the condition, suggesting that genetics play a role in alopecia areata. Many of the genes they’ve discovered are involved in immune system function.
People who have specific autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis, thyroid disease, or vitiligo, or who suffer from allergic reactions such as hay fever are more prone to alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata can be induced by emotional stress or sickness in persons who are susceptible, but there is no obvious cause in most cases.
Can children get Alopecia if parents have it?
A person is more likely to get alopecia areata if a parent or close blood relative has (or previously had) the illness. While the danger is higher, not every kid with this increased risk will develop alopecia areata.
What is the CURE for Alopecia?
There is presently no cure for alopecia areata, however, there are some types of therapy that doctors may recommend to assist the hair re-grow faster.
Corticosteroids, strong anti-inflammatory medicines that can dampen the immune system, are used in the majority of alopecia areata therapies. These are most often given via injections near the affected area, topical ointment application, or orally.
Minoxidil, Anthralin, SADBE, and DPCP are just a few of the medicines that can be given to stimulate hair growth or affect the immune system. Although some of these may assist with the re-growth of hair, they cannot prevent new bald patches from forming.
Few Facts on alopecia areata
- Alopecia areata affects one person in five, and at least one family member has had it.
- Alopecia areata is a rare autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks and destroys hair follicles, resulting in partial or complete loss of hair. It can quickly develop over several days.
- There is no scientific evidence that stress causes alopecia areata.
- People who have alopecia areata and only a few patches of hair loss frequently experience a spontaneous, complete recovery without the need for therapy.
- There is no known treatment for alopecia areata.
