What is Alopecia Totalis?
Alopecia totalis is a very infrequent skin condition causing hair loss. It is very different from Alopecia areata. Limited Alopecia areata causes patches of hair loss on scalp, but Alopecia totalis makes the whole scalp go bald.
Alopecia totalis is different from the other forms of Alopecia areata, called Alopecia universalis. This type of alopecia causes complete hair loss in the whole body.
Indications
The first indication of alopecia totalis is loss of hair from the head. It begins with small patches of hair loss. The patches spread until the head is without any hair.
Hair loss begins all of a sudden and gradually increases. Having brittle and pitted nails is also one of the indications.
Starting Point
The exact starting points or causes are still not known much to many doctors, still whatever few studies or researches are going on, all of them indicate the following things:
Body immune system is the first defense system which helps in protecting from being sick, but many times the immune system attacks healthy tissues.
In case you are suffering from alopecia, your immune system will also attack hair follicles. This type of attack activates inflammation, which causes hair loss.
Hair Loss Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with alopecia totalis, your doctor will check the best . for you. There are many therapies which are effective in treating hair loss:
Tofacitinib
This unique treatment is gaining popularity for treating all forms of alopecia areata.
Ultraviolet Light Therapy
The ultra violet light treatment increases blood circulation to hair follicles hence activating hair growth.
Corticosteroids
Your doctor might prescribe Corticosteroids to repress your immunity. Having this will curb the immune system from attacking the healthy tissues of body, hence reducing hair loss to a minimum.
Topical Immunotherapy
Topical immunotherapy will enhance your immune system to help body in fighting with hair loss. This treatment also helps in activating hair follicles, which result in new hair growth.
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
This is a treatment which can be used by everyone alike, be it men, women or children. This has to be used along with other treatments. Hair growth is very quick with this method.
Diphencyprone (DPCP)
DPCP is a more recent treatment used to activate an allergic response. It helps in boosting the White blood cells thus stimulating hair follicles and encouraging hair growth.
