What is the difference between alopecia and baldness, their symptoms, causes, and effective treatments? Hair loss, baldness, or thinning hair are common problems faced by many women and men, affecting the health and appearance of their hair. There is a difference between alopecia and baldness in terms of symptoms, causes, and treatment methods, which we will learn about in the rest of the article.
What is alopecia
Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that causes white blood cells to attack hair follicles, causing them to shrink and significantly slow hair production. This causes the immune system to target the hair follicles, causing them to fall out.
What are baldness
Baldness is a condition that occurs as a result of hair loss, which can occur for many reasons other than alopecia. Normally, hair falls out naturally, between 50 and 100 hairs per day, as part of the natural balance.
Symptoms of Alopecia and Hair Loss
Symptoms of Alopecia areata:
- Patchy hair loss is the primary symptom, with bald patches approximately the size of a coin.
- Sudden bald patches appear as round or oval shaped patches.
- Smooth, smooth patches appear without hair follicles.
Main symptoms of hair loss include:
- Hairless areas appear.
- Thinning hair Hair becomes thinner and weaker than usual.
- Receding hairline: Hairline begins to recede, especially in men.
- Excessive hair loss, exceeding 100 hairs per day.
- Itching, redness, or dandruff on the scalp.
Types of Alopecia areata
It causes hair loss on the beard, eyebrows, pubic hair, arms, and legs. It can present in distinct forms, such as:
- Alopecia areata is the most common type, causing hair loss in one or more patches, usually circular or oval in shape, on the scalp.
- Alopecia totalis is a rare condition characterized by complete or near-complete hair loss from the scalp and entire body.
- Alopecia totalis is characterized by complete loss of scalp hair only.
What is the difference between alopecia and bald patches
Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that attacks hair follicles, causing hair loss in smooth, circular patches. Bald patches are a general term for hair loss resulting from multiple causes, such as hormones, nutrition, genetic factors, and stress. The key difference is that alopecia is a specific medical condition, while bald patches are a general symptom with many causes.
Causes of Alopecia
Alopecia is caused by an autoimmune deficiency disorder, often due to genetic and hereditary factors. It may also occur in people with autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis and vitiligo, and environmental factors such as stress.
Causes of Hair Loss
Causes of bald patches include:
- Hereditary baldness, which is the most common type of hair loss.
- Excessive pulling of hair in certain hairstyles, such as a ponytail, can cause hair loss and bald spots.
- Using chemicals in some hair products, such as shampoos and hair dyes, and exposing the hair to high temperatures.
- Taking certain medications to treat high blood pressure, acne, and hormonal contraceptives.
- Following a low-protein or low-calorie diet.
- Stress, illness, and childbirth can cause temporary hair loss.
- Fungal infections, such as ringworm, can cause hair loss.
Effective medications for treating alopecia areata
Alopecia can be treated with certain treatments for hair loss. Among the medications prescribed by your doctor are:
- Steroid medications are prescribed to treat autoimmune diseases and are given as injections to the scalp or other areas. They can also be prescribed as oral or topical medications.
- Minoxidil is used for hereditary baldness and is applied topically.
- Other medications that cause an allergic reaction can cause hair growth.
- Alopecia Areata Care and Prevention Tips
- Avoid using harsh hair products and excessive heat.
- Keep the affected areas clean and dry.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Protect the affected areas from the sun by wearing hats.
- Reduce stress.
Methods for Treating Hair Loss
Treatment for hair loss depends on the cause of the problem. Medical treatments include:
- Minoxidil, a topical spray that stimulates blood circulation in the scalp and activates hair follicles.
- Taking hormonal medications prescribed by a doctor to treat hair loss caused by hormonal disorders, such as finasteride or spironolactone.
- Hair transplantation, a surgical solution for advanced cases of hair loss, involves implanting follicles in the bald areas to fill the gaps.
- Platelet-rich plasma injections are used, where platelet-rich plasma is extracted from the patient's blood and injected into the scalp to stimulate hair growth.
- Taking nutritional supplements such as biotin and zinc to support healthy hair growth, in addition to other medications prescribed by a doctor.
- Using a low-energy laser that stimulates the growth of new hair follicles.
Home Remedies for Hair Loss
There are natural home remedies that can be made to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss. These include using natural oils such as:
- Rosemary oil, peppermint oil, and tea tree oil, which are effective in stimulating blood circulation and strengthening hair follicles.
- Green tea: Soak it in hot water and let it cool, then massage it into the scalp.
- Eggs with olive oil and honey: Mix one egg white with a tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of olive oil, and apply it to the scalp for 20 minutes.
- Onion juice and castor oil: Gently massage the scalp.
Summary of the Difference Between Alopecia and Hair Loss
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss and is a potential cause of hair loss. Hair may regrow after the cause is removed.
Hair loss is a general term for hair loss due to various causes, such as genetics, malnutrition, and hormones, but it is not necessarily linked to an autoimmune disease.