Alopecia Areata Treatments - What Are They?

Information presented by HairLossTalk.com

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The current mindset for treating Alopecia Areata is basically as follows: Stimulate hair growth until your hair begins to grow again on its own.

Treatments for Alopecia Areata

This is a very difficult condition to live with. It can be disfiguring. Unfortunately, at this time, medical science doesn't have an extremely solid grasp on what causes it. Its primarily the assumption of being tied to your immune system overreacting and rejecting the follicles. What initiates that activity isn't known, but its also *assumed* to be tied to genetics and possibly hormonal disposition. As a result, the treatments for Alopecia Areat are mostly centered around trying to usurp the process, rather than address it directly. Usurp of course meaning, "make that hair grow anyways".

One of the main ways this is done, especially if you are dealing with a large missing patch of hair, is to inject corticosteroids directly into the scalp skin, and thereby calm the immune system reaction going on in that area. If your bloodwork revealed no obvious cause, then you will need to maintain the following treatments until the condition reverses itself. If there is a definite cause and you've rectified the problem, you may need to maintain these treatments for a year or so before your body can take over on its own. Treatment is dependent upon which type of Alopecia Areata you have. The mild type resulting in less than 50% loss of hair, or the more extensive type resulting in greater than 50% loss. Your doctor can help define it for you.

Treatments for Mild Alopecia Areata

Please be advised that these treatments are only recommended after complete bloodwork has been done, and with the consent of your physician.

» Cortizone Injections administered by physician into patchy areas of scalp.
» 5% Minoxidil applied twice daily *only* with the consent of your physician.
» Anthralin Cream or ointment.

Treatments for Extensive Alopecia Areata

Please be advised that these treatments are only recommended after complete bloodwork has been done, and with the consent of your physician.

» Cortizone Pills. Only take with consent of physician. Potential side effects.
» 5% Minoxidil applied twice daily. Please note that there is a slight risk of initial shedding.
» Topical Immunotherapy. Diphencyprone (DPCP) or Squaric Acid Dibutyl Ester (SADBE). This treatment "agitates" follicles into growth by causing a localized allergic reaction.
» Family history of diabetes, asthma, arthritis, lupus, vitiligo, anemia, or Addison's disease?

Please note that all treatments mentioned above must be continued regularly until hair growth occurs, and even after it occurs in order to maintain it. The best and most effective way to treat Alopecia Areata is to have the extensive blood work done and treat it at the root of the cause.

Join the Community

We strongly encourage you to register on our forums and join in our Alopecia Discussions so you can interact with others, find out their experiences, and see what things they're doing to manage with this condition:

Click Here to go to the Alopecia Areata Discussion Forums

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