Female Alopecia: Do I Need to Worry About My Hair Loss? – GOOD SHAPE

Already is talked a lot about alopecia the internet – after all, many women deal with this condition on a daily basis. However, even with the popularity of the topic – hair loss is quite common and can happen for a number of reasons – it is important to understand what exactly defines this condition.

AFINAL WHAT IS ALOPECIA?

Alopecia is a broader term that defines all types of hair loss. Basically, it is a disorder caused by an interruption in the yarn production cycle.

“Hair loss can occur anywhere on the body, but it most commonly affects the scalp,” explains the trichologist Sandra Perondi, technical director Mais Cabello. “On average, the scalp has 100,000 hairs that go through periods of growth, rest, shedding and regeneration. About 50% of women have some complaint about hair loss. Among men, it is certain that 50% of the male population up to 50 years old suffer from some type of alopecia.”

What is important to understand at this point is that any and all hair loss situation it can be called alopecia, however, it is necessary to be evaluated by a specialist doctor, such as a trichologist or a dermatologist, to determine exactly the reasons that lead to this hair loss.

“There are many types and forms of alopecia, each with its own symptoms and different degrees of severity,” explains the doctor. “Some patterns of hair loss are classified according to their causes, which can be temporary, ‘non-scarring’, which is reversible, or permanent, irreversible ‘scarring alopecia’, which involves inflammation that destroys the hair follicles.”

In the latter case, the destroyed follicles are replaced by scar tissue, resulting in permanent hair loss in the area – this case, however, is not so common.

MOST COMMON TYPES OF ALOPECIA

Even so, it is worth listing here what are, after all, the most common types of alopecia.

1

androgenetic alopecia

“It is the most common type of hair loss, affecting millions of people in Brazil and worldwide, commonly known as male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is hereditary,” she says.

two

telogen effluvium

One of the most frequent causes of hair loss, this condition is usually triggered by stages of stress, childbirth, anxiety, depression, grief or some kind of illness – like the coronavirus. What is observed is a considerable type of hair loss, especially when washing the strands, combing them or even in environments where the person circulates. The hair becomes thinner on the sides, and in the frontal region as well.

3

anagen effluvium

“Usually caused by cancer treatment drugs, anagen effluvium results in patchy hair loss and eventually a complete loss of hair (it usually grows back after treatment ends)”, explains Sandra.

4

alopecia areata

It is an autoimmune condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles, leading to patchy loss. This condition can affect all ages and genders, and hair loss can start suddenly and without warning. It usually falls in small plaques, most commonly on the scalp, but it can affect other parts of the body.

5

trichotillomania

“It’s dermato-compulsion, meaning people who pull out their hair, and it results in a loss on the scalp or elsewhere on the body. Hair usually grows back if the behavior is stopped, but hair loss can be permanent if traction continues for many years.

6

traction alopecia

It is caused by hairstyles that pull hair continuously and for a long time, and this excessive force pulls the hairs out and can damage the hair follicle.

7

frontal fibrosing alopecia

“This condition is characterized by cicatricial alopecia, that is, irreversible permanent loss, and occurs in a band, usually in the anterior hairline”, he explains. “Over time, the person begins to have the feeling that the forehead is increasing. About half of all people affected by frontal fibrosing alopecia also experience eyebrow loss.”

WHEN TO SUSPECT ALOPECIA?

From the paragraphs above, it is already possible to see that alopecia is a very common condition and realizing it is not that difficult. The main thing is to observe the amount of hair that falls out daily – there is a common average of 100 strands, but above that it can already be considered a cause for concern.

In summary, some of the main signs are:

Hair falling out faster, in greater numbers, or in clumps
Transparency in the bitemporal region (on the sides)
Appearance of a receding hairline on the forehead (forehead appears larger)
Thinner and more fragile wires
Enlargement of the central division

From there, only the evaluation of a dermatologist or trichologist can define the best treatment, which can include microneedling associated with the injection of vitamins into the scalp, hair transplants, use of topical medications, administration of supplements, medication via oral and massage.

DO I NEED TO TREAT ALOPECIA FOR MY WHOLE LIFE?

It depends on the type of alopecia. Cases such as telogen effluvium resolve themselves – that is, the hair grows back after excessive hair loss. “But the important thing is to know that the effectiveness of each treatment varies from person to person, knowing that it is possible to reverse hair loss or, at least, to delay it. To delay the process it must be treated”, says the doctor.

Still, it’s important to keep in mind that some alopecias can’t be cured. The possibilities, in these cases, are limited to controlling the condition and delaying its action – in addition to adopt good habits to keep your body (and mind!) healthy. Therefore, this condition works like a clock racing – the sooner the patient starts treatment, the greater the chances of a response.