What Are Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis And Alopecia Universalis?

Alopecia is a general term referring to hair loss which usually affects the scalp. However there are lots of unique types of Alopecia, all with unique effects on the human body which require different treatments. This report focuses on some of the very rapid and devastating forms of Alopecia, namely Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.

Alopecia

So how widespread are these kinds of Alopecia? Well according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) these common but very challenging diseases affect approximately 1.7 percent of the population overall, including more than 4.7 million people in america alone. A figure of near a million has recently been suggested for the United Kingdom population independently as we can see it is far more common than we think.

These three kinds of Alopecia result in very different kinds of hair loss and it’s essential to have the ability to differentiate between them. The expression Alopecia Areata is used to refer to hair loss occurring in spots anywhere on the body yet this condition almost always occurs on the scalp. Alopecia Totalis refers to complete loss of their hair on the scalp and Alopecia Universalis, the most intense form of Alopecia leads to complete loss of all hair on the body.

Immune system

The most current clinical studies have concluded that these three kinds of Alopecia are due to an abnormality in the immune system. The end result is that the immune system attacks specific tissues of the body. In Alopecia Areata, for as yet unknown reasons, the body’s own immune system, attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair development. There has not been any scientific evidence to demonstrate that the disease is brought on by nerves or anxiety and it is now obvious that the problem isn’t a traditional nervous disorder.

Alopecia victims’ have no control over when strikes of Alopecia will strike and it’s this completely unpredictable nature of the disease which makes it so tough to take care of. These kinds of Alopecia have no significant physical side effects and if victims are living a healthy lifestyle, eat well and do not smoke they’ll most likely be in very good health. The only noticeable negative impact with Alopecia is a stippling on the claws in some individuals, like tiny scratches or dents and even though a small quantity of people have nails which are severely distorted that is uncommon.

Final note

Other reports of side effects include itching around the areas of hair loss during the first hair loss phase however that resides as time goes by. With respect to if Alopecia is a hereditary illness, occasionally Alopecia can happen within family members, suggesting a role of genes and heredity. In reality about 25 percent of individuals with alopecia have a family history of this disorder. According to the NAAF if an adult over age thirty develops the illness then the possibility of passing the condition to another family member is decreased, however as most alopecia sufferers are children and young adults that the risk is increased. Despite the higher risk only one in five victims’ has other family members with the illness. This report should provide you a great comprehension of Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.