An easy to understand, scientific look at Alopecia Universalis,
a rare type of Alopecia resulting in total body hair loss.
If you or a loved one is suffering from Alopecia Universalis, it
is important that you educate yourself on the condition. We have all the
important information here.
Alopecia Universalis
The most advanced form in a series of conditions all related
to the same disease, Alopecia Universalis is characterized
by total a loss of body hair. A member of the group of hair
loss conditions called Alopecia Areata, the only difference
between Alopecia Universalis and it's variants is the extent
of hair loss.
What Is
Alopecia Universalis?
Patients are usually otherwise healthy, but have more thyroid disease
and vitiligo than the general population. Those with vitiligo (patchy
loss of skin color) may also develop AU in time. Many individuals with
Alopecia Universalis are born with some hair, but then begin losing it
very quickly. The disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.
It is caused by a mutation in a gene dubbed HR in chromosome band 8p21.2
that is the human homologue of the mouse "hairless" gene --
the human version of the gene in the mouse that is responsible for hairless
mice.
Is the "hairless" gene only found in people with Alopecia Universalis?
Most likely. Based on the known research, we can safely assume that only
individuals with this rare and sever form of Alopecia Areata carry the
gene. Unfortunately, there have not been enough studies done to verify
that this is true of all those afflicted.
Aside from genetic tendencies, the contributing causes of Alopecia Universalis
are not known. It is important that those with it are careful to protect
themselves from the sun, bacteria, and other potentially harmful elements,
as the scalp, nasal cavity and eyes are not protected.
According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, other than the hair,
nails can also be affected. The nail involvement may be limited to pinprick
indentations, all the way to severe distortion of the entire nail. Alopecia
Universalis may be acute and short-lived, or remain permanently. The possibility
of regrowth does remain however, even for those with 100% hair loss for
many years. Predicting when regrowth may occur is not currently possible.
A Little
Background
The Pedigree of Alopecia Universalis
Back in 1998, a researcher named M. Ahmad and his team of colleagues
studied a family where Alopecia Universalis was present throughout all
three generations. Children born into this family with this condition
showed no other health problems, however skin biopsies from the scalps
of these individuals showed very few hair follicles, and of those present,
few contained hair shafts. They established that there were no other
inflammatory conditions present which may be responsible for any inhibition
of hair growth. The individuals were born without eyebrows or eyelashes,
and never developed them. They also never developed underarm or pubic
hair.
They did an analysis of the chromosomes for all 7 individuals with Alopecia
Universalis, looking for genetic similarities. They found a marker at
the location "8p12", which was consistent for all 7, but they
were unable to determine exactly which gene was at this location. As
a result, they hypothesized that there may be a genetic similarity in
hairless mice which might match the one they found in the humans. Fortunately,
there were several examples of Alopecia in mice. They cloned the mouse
hairless gene and used the mouse sequence to make PCR primers. They
then used these primers on cDNA made from the mRNA of human skin fibroblasts.
This identified a cDNA sequence which gave them the coding sequence
of the human HAIRLESS gene. In humans and mice, this gene is expressed
in the skin and brain. (The brain function of the gene is not known).
It appears to encode a zinc-finger transcription factor. A missense
mutation was found to be present in the HAIRLESS genes of all the effected
individuals in the family that was studied.
Thus the nature of Alopecia Universalis was defined. To read about this
study and other related AU studies in depth, please visit the following:
NIH
Review - Alopecia Universalis Congenital.
Living
with and Treating Alopecia Universalis
It is important to beware of the many companies out there claiming they
can regrow hair for those with AU. In our research, we have happened upon
several web sites on the Internet which claim (even with photographs)
that they've regrown a full head of hair for AU patients. Please be a
cautious and skeptical consumer, as the chances of these treatments being
legitimate are a million to one. If they truly worked, the whole world
would know about them.
Aromatherapy and more Scientific Options
Some swear by aromatherapy, but there is little or no evidence to support
that it works. The standard method of treatment is Topical Immunotherapy,
which involves producing an allergic reaction with irritants placed onto
the skin. The theory behind this method is based on the general knowledge
that hair can be stimulated into growth sometimes, simply by irritating
the follicles. Chemicals such as Diphencyprone (DPCP) or Squaric acid
Dibutyl ester (SADBE) are applied to the scalp. About 40% of patients
treated with topical Immunotherapy will regrow scalp hair after about
six months of treatment. Treatment must be continued in order to maintain
the hair, or until the disease has run it's course. Unfortunately, these
treatments are not widely available in the United States, but are used
extensively in Europe and Canada. They are being investigated as possible
future treatments.
Head Coverings
Since treatments for advanced forms of Alopecia like AU are less effective,
a wig may be a good option for you. Believe it or not, there are many
companies which offer undetectable wigs for these uses, as well as for
chemotherapy patients. Make sure your provider is willing to cut, thin,
and style the wig often for you, and provides sufficient adhesive for
your more active days. Some wigs come with suction caps which attach directly
to the wig. They're a little more expensive, but are worth the investment.
