Alopecia: Signs, symptoms and if it can be treated

Worried about alopecia? Here's everything you need to know about the surprisingly common condition.

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by Closer staff |
Published on

What is alopecia?

Alopecia is a condition that results in loss of hair from the head or body.

Alopecia areata is a hairloss condition caused by an auto-immunue disorder, causing hair loss to occur in sometimes just one small location on the body to full hair loss.

Causes

It can be caused by a fungal infection, compulsive pulling (trichotillomania), a result of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, vitamin deficiancies such as lack of iron or symptoms of conditions such as Lupus.

Gail Porter lost all of her hair to alopecia
Gail Porter lost all of her hair to alopecia

Trauma and stress can cause a large number of hair follicles to enter a ‘resting phase’ meaning that hair is shedding at a faster rate than it is growing back . This can cause baldness.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Alopecia include small bald patches on your scalp and body. If you are experiencing hair loss- rapid or gradual- visit your local GP, who can determine the cause.

Treatments for alopecia

There is no treatment or cure for alopecia, but doctors may prescribe steroids to help encourage hair regrowth.

Big Brother star Sallie Axl also suffers from alopecia

Alopecia can be distressing, and if sufferers are struggling to cope with hair loss and their changing appearance, they can seek counselling from theSome sufferers also try alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, acupuncture and herbal supplements. These treatments have NOT been trialled and the side effects are not known.

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