HAIR

Hair loss can be caused by diseases, medications or medical treatments, recent surgery, high fevers, emotional stress, lack of protein or iron, and hair care, such as using dyes. Often, treating the underlying cause stops the hair loss, and hair grows back. In some cases, other treatment is necessary.

Hair loss caused by cancer treatment requires special care: use mild shampoos and do not use a hair dryer.

Alopecia areata occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, where hair growth begins. Because hair usually grows back within a year, you may decide not to have treatment. Understanding the come-and-go nature of hair loss in this condition can help you make the best treatment decision. Children and teens may need counselling to help them adjust to the hair loss. 

Medication used for alopecia areata includes:

·               Corticosteroid ointments or creams you put on the scalp. There is little evidence that they cause hair growth.

·               Corticosteroids injected into the scalp. The corticosteroid is injected many times about 1 cm apart every 4 to 6 weeks. This is the most common treatment and is best used for treating patchy hair loss. Limited research reports that hair grows back at the site of injection in some people.

·               Corticosteroids you take by mouth (oral). Although this results in hair growth, it is rarely used because of the side effects of oral corticosteroids.

·               Contact immunotherapy. Contact immunotherapy is an experimental therapy that may be the most effective treatment for severe alopecia areata. A common medication used is diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP), which is "painted" on the scalp once a week.

Other medications used to treat alopecia areata include minoxidil (Rogaine), anthralin, and cyclosporine. Anthralin is sometimes used in combination with minoxidil. These medications affect the immune system and may stimulate hair growth, but they do not prevent hair loss.

What to Think About?

How successful your treatment is depends on your expectations and the cause of hair loss. Treatment for hair loss caused by an illness, medication, or damage to the hair usually is more successful than treatment for inherited hair loss.

Considerations about inherited hair loss include:

·           The cost: Medication or surgery to treat hair loss can be expensive and often is not covered by insurance.

·           Length of treatment: Medications must be taken continuously or the regrown or thickened hair will fall out. Surgery can be lengthy, and in most cases you will need several surgeries to achieve the coverage you want.

·           Side effects: Long-term effects of some hair loss medications are not known.

·           Type of treatment: Medications that must be taken continuously can be expensive and can increase the chance of side effects. Surgery, which may be a more permanent solution, is also expensive. In addition, surgery involves risks and the chance that not all hair follicles will remain healthy.