Alopecia (baldness): symptoms, causes, treatment, etc.

Definition of baldness (alopecia)

Alopecia, also known as baldness, is a scalp disease when the amount of hair that is lost is more than the hair that grows.

Normally, human hair can lose 50-100 strands per day. If you lose more than 100 hairs per day, you may have alopecia.

There are several types of baldness which are divided into 3 types based on the symptoms, namely as follows.

Alopecia areata, baldness is only at a certain point in the head.
Alopecia totalist, bald hair completely and evenly all over the scalp.
Alopecia universalist, losing all the hair on the body.

The type of baldness most often experienced by many people is alopecia areata. Alopecia can occur temporarily. However, it is possible that the scalp will be bald for a long time.

This condition can be influenced by various factors, ranging from genetic factors, stress, to signs of a disease. If you feel worried, you should consult a dermatologist to overcome this baldness problem.

How common is baldness (alopecia)?

Baldness problems, especially alopecia areata, can happen to anyone. In fact, the number of cases of baldness continues to increase in various countries, including in Indonesia, with a lifetime risk.

People of any age, gender, and race can develop alopecia. In some cases, baldness will appear after experiencing a disease, pregnancy, or trauma.

In addition, men and women who are over 50 years old are also more at risk of experiencing baldness.

Signs and symptoms of baldness

Baldness caused by hair loss can be characterized by many things, depending on the cause. Some cases can occur suddenly, others gradually, starting from the scalp to the rest of your body.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of alopecia.

Hairline retreating and thinning

Hairline that starts to recede and thin out is one of the early symptoms of hair loss which can lead to baldness. This condition can occur with age.

In men, their hairline will retreat, especially when they are 30 years and over. Generally, the problem starts from the hairline above the temples on both sides of the head, while the hairline in the middle remains near the forehead.

This receding pattern of hairline will form a V over the head (widow peak). Over time, the sides and back of the head will be bald, leaving only the hair on the top of the head.

Meanwhile, the hairline that will retreat first in women is from the middle to the top of the head. However, both the sides and the back of the hair will stay.

Uneven baldness

Patchy baldness, aka alopecia areata, is a condition that allows the scalp to feel itchy or painful. Usually, these symptoms will be felt before the hair starts to fall out.

Hair loss suddenly

Hair loss that exceeds normal limits can also be a sign of baldness. This can be caused by a variety of things, such as physical or emotional trauma.

This severe loss can be indicated by the presence of a handful of hair that falls off when combing or washing your hair. Generally, this condition can make hair thinning, but it is temporary.

Other symptoms of baldness (alopecia)

In addition to the three general symptoms above, there are several other signs that need to be considered related to alopecia, including the following.

The scalp sometimes feels burning or itching.
The skin is peach colored, looks smooth, and is round in shape.
Bald skin is a circular patch that can occur on the beard or eyebrows.
Hair loss does not only occur on the scalp, but also in other parts of the body.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor for baldness?

If the hair loss does not improve or gets worse, consult a doctor immediately. The reason is, sudden baldness is a sign of another disease that may require special therapy.

That is why, knowing what causes baldness will take precedence before treating it with various therapies. Consult a dermatologist if you feel that your hair loss is severe when you brush or wash your hair regularly.

Causes of baldness

The main cause of baldness or alopecia is hair loss. However, there are various factors that trigger this, including the following.

Family history

One of the factors that can trigger alopecia is a family history. This means that when a family member goes bald, you are also at risk of developing the same problem.

Family history can also indicate the age at which you will experience baldness.

Hormone

Apart from being influenced by genetic factors, baldness can also be triggered by changes in the baldness hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone). The DHT hormone is produced by converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone by the help of certain enzymes.

Then, about 10% of the testosterone in the male body will be converted into the hormone DHT which causes hair follicles to shrink. As a result, no more hair grows in it.

Meanwhile, baldness experienced by women can also be caused by hormonal changes during menopause.

The new hair growth phase in menopausal women will be much slower and the hair that grows will not be as strong as normal hair. As a result, hair breaks easily and is difficult to grow back.

Even so, this condition can also occur in adolescents caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition causes irregular menstruation, excess body weight, facial hair growth, and hair loss.

Stress

In fact, short-term stress, such as being late to work, traffic jams, or having a lot of tasks, will not lead to baldness. Even so, long-term stress can lead to baldness.

When the body is stressed or experiencing negative emotions, the hair will fall out more easily. The reason is, most of your hair will go into the resting phase earlier when stressed. Three months later, the hair will fall out.

That's why, a condition called telogen effluvium causes unnatural hair loss which can result in alopecia.

Habit of pulling hair

This habit of pulling hair or trichotillomania usually occurs when a person experiences stress. You may be pulling hair without realizing it which makes the hair quickly damaged and bald.

Certain drugs

The use of certain drugs, such as cancer drugs, depression, and hypertension can lead to baldness. In addition, excessive contraceptive pills and vitamin A supplements can also cause the same problem.

Risk factors for baldness

Here are some factors that can increase a person's risk of developing alopecia.

Genetic factors.
Over 50 years of age.
Women who have entered menopause.
Malnutrition causes hair to be easily damaged, brittle, and fall out.
Experiencing certain diseases, such as diabetes, lupus, and lichen planus.
Has an abnormal nail color, shape, texture, or thickness.
Stress.

Diagnosis and treatment of baldness

How to diagnose this condition?

The dermatologist will usually diagnose baldness based on a physical examination, which looks at the area that is experiencing hair loss and your symptoms. After that, the doctor may pull the hair gently near the edge of the patch area.

This aims to determine whether there is a structural abnormality in the roots or hair shaft. If the doctor is still in doubt, you will undergo a scalp biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and be examined in the laboratory.

What are the ways to solve the problem of baldness?

Baldness is generally temporary and will grow back normally if the cause is treated. However, most cases show that alopecia cannot be avoided with age.

If you are worried that this problem could interfere with your appearance, there are several drug options for treating alopecia that may help as follows.

Use the right medicines

If baldness is triggered by hormonal problems or immune system disorders, especially in men, the way to overcome this is by prescribing the drug finasteride. You can also get drugs that help treat alopecia with over-the-counter minoxidil.

Minoxidil can be in the form of a liquid or soap which is usually used on the scalp twice a day. This remedy helps reduce hair loss and regrow hair.

Meanwhile, medicine finasteride available in oral form and should only be given to men only. These pills block the DHT hormone which can help lengthen hair.

In some cases, steroid injections also helps treat dandruff by growing new hair within 4 weeks.

Keep in mind that you should consult a dermatologist to find out which drug is most appropriate for the cause of baldness.

Hair transplant

Apart from drugs, there are other ways you can treat alopecia, namely hair transplant surgery. Hair transplantation is the procedure of implanting hair on the scalp.

This procedure is actually only available for people who still have healthy hair growth on the back and sides of the head. That is why, hair grafts do not help those who are shaved bald.

This is because the hair in both parts will be a hair donor to cover the bald area. Although quite effective in growing hair, this operation is expensive and can cause pain.

Laser therapy

One type of therapy that is currently popular for treating baldness is low-dose laser therapy. Laser therapists claim to help grow hair by increasing blood flow in the scalp.

In fact, this therapy also helps stimulate follicular metabolism when it enters the catagen (hair loss) and telogen (resting hair phase) stages. That way, hair growth when it is in the anagen phase will increase.

Although it looks effective, further research is still needed to see the benefits and side effects of laser therapy on baldness.

The use of wigs

If medications and therapies don't work for baldness, you may need wigs or wigs.

Home remedies

In order to support the treatment process given by the doctor, caring for the hair and scalp is important so that it heals quickly. Here are habits that need to be considered to help overcome baldness.