Alopecia: Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Procedures for Hair Loss

Hair loss or ‘Alopecia’ is a common problem in both men and women, and even children. In the United States alone, an estimated 30 million women and 50 million men have been known to be affected with this condition, either for internal factors (like hereditary), or external (like pollution), or both (like daily stress).

The symptoms of alopecia can show up as early as an individual’s teens with the risk increasing with the advancement of age. While more than 50% of men over the age of 50 suffer from some degrees of hair fall, women mostly begin losing hair after menopause.

In this article, let us throw a detailed look at the diagnosis procedures, as well as the different types of well-researched and modern-day treatments of alopecia/hair fall you can choose from.

Analysis: How is Alopecia Diagnosed Medically

Hair Sample Test

Your doctor (skin specialist) can diagnose your hair fall issues (alopecia areata) by studying the intensity of your hair fall simply by examining a sample of your hair under the microscope.

Scalp Biopsy

Your dermatologist might as well perform a biopsy of your scalp to ward off other possible conditions that are responsible for your loss of hair, e.g. fungal infections (viz. tinea capitis). While performing a biopsy of your scalp, the doc will need to get a small skin sample of your scalp skin for clinical testing.

Blood Tests

You might also need to undergo blood tests in case your doctor suspects some other autoimmune conditions. Performing the specific blood tests primarily depends on the specific disorder that your specialist might suspect. Probably, the doctor will examine your blood sample for the presence of abnormal antibodies, which, if found, would indicate that you have an autoimmune disorder.

However, there are several other types of blood tests that might help your doctor rule out other medical conditions that include the following:

• Level of iron
• Antinuclear antibody
• Luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormone
• C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• Hormones secreted by the thyroid gland
• Free and total testosterone

Different Types of Treatments for Hair Loss (Hair Fall)

Before you proceed, you should keep in mind that, till date, no known cure for this condition has been discovered. However, there are several types of treatments which you can opt for so as to slow down the possibilities of hair loss in the future, or can help the body grow back your hair faster.

1. Medical Treatments

I. Local Application of Topical Agents

You can apply or rub prescribed medications all over the scalp in order to promote hair growth. The specialist might suggest any one of the number of available over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications as discussed below:

1. Minoxidil (Rogaine): This drug is available over the counter and is usually applied twice every day all over the affected area (including the scalp, beard and eyebrows). This medicine is relatively safe; however, it might take up to a year to get the expected results. Medical evidence suggests that it has been fruitful for people suffering from limited hair loss.
2. Anthralin (Dritho-Scalp): This is a chemical compound that works by irritating the skin, thus helping in the regrowth of your hair.
3. Corticosteroid: Available as application cream [including clobetasol (Impoyz)], ointments, foams, and lotions, this drug has been seen inducing hair regrowth by decreasing any kind of inflammation in your hair follicles.
4. Topical immunotherapy: This is basically a technique in which a chemical compound (like diphencyprone) is rubbed on the affected area to develop a type of allergic rash (almost resembling poison oak) that may promote the growth of new hair within a period of six months. This treatment needs to be continued in order to maintain the regrowth of hair.

II. Drug Injections

If your type of alopecia is mild, and limited to bald spots, steroid injections is a common choice for helping your scalp skin grow back hair on those patches. To promote hair growth, your doctor will inject the steroid using tiny needles into the skin of the areas affected. However, you need to repeat the treatment every one to two months, depending on the intensity of alopecia.

III. Oral Medications

Medicines for alopecia taken orally (pills) primarily functions in two ways, for two different conditions as follows:

1. If your alopecia is extensive, i.e., covers a large area, you might need to take in oral tablets. This procedure, however, has possible side effects, for which, you it is recommended that you discuss this option with your dermatologist.
2. Another oral medication option is taking immunosuppressants, which includes cyclosporine and methotrexate. This group of medicines works by blocking the response of your immune system. But remember that you cannot use this drug for a long time period since these medicines often show up different side effects. This includes damage of the kidney and liver, a higher risk of developing serious types of infections, high blood pressure levels, and even lymphoma (a type of cancer).

2. Hair Transplant Surgery

Most of us are aware or have heard of this option. Presently, transplanting hair is one of the most common procedures of getting your hair back. This is mainly due to the fact that most type of permanent hair loss affects the top of the head (the region above your skull cap). Thus, this procedure of hair restoration surgery can effectively help you regain the most of your hair that you have left. But remember, the surgical procedures are usually expensive, and might be painful (depending on the skills and experience of your surgeon), with some risks like scarring and/or bleeding.

In this case, a cosmetic surgeon or a dermatologist will remove small skin patches off your scalp (usually from the side or the back of the scalp). However, the surgeon might also need to remove a larger strip, depending on the area of baldness. Next, the surgeon will implant the hair in the affected region, follicle by follicle, which makes the process somewhat lengthy.

When the transplantation is done successfully, your doctor might recommend you to use minoxidil in order to minimize further loss of your hair. You should also remember that, you might need to go through a few surgery sessions for getting the natural effect you want, but if your type of alopecia is hereditary, the receding hairline will eventually progress despite the surgical process.

3. Laser Therapy

For the hereditary alopecia cases in both men and women, low-level laser device as a treatment has been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). A few studies have also shown that laser therapy can improve the density of hair. However, more medical research is required to prove its long-term effects.

4. Light Therapy

Also known as phototherapy or photochemotherapy, the light therapy is treatment that involves a radiation of UV (ultra-violet) light along with a combination of an oral medication called ‘psoralens’.

5. Natural Treatments

With the advancement of natural science, many victims of alopecia areata opt for several types of alternative therapies for treating their symptoms that might include one or more of the following:

1. Microneedling
2. Probiotics
3. Vitamins, biotin and zinc
4. Scalp massage
5. ‘Autoimmune protocol’ (or, ‘anti-inflammatory’ diet) by the restriction of daily diet that can include both vegetables and meats
6. Herbal alternatives and supplements including aloe vera drinks, topical gels, saw palmetto, Chinese hibiscus, ginseng, green tea, etc.
7. Onion juice rubbed all over the scalp, as well as the other affected areas
8. Essential and other oils extracted from natural sources including tea tree, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, jojoba, castor, olive, coconut, and others
9. Acupuncture
10. Aromatherapy

6. Nonmedical Home Remedies and other Lifestyle Solutions

Apart from all the treatment procedures mentioned above, you can also go for nonmedical alternatives that are rather safe and relatively cheaper, since you can implement them externally just to cover up the discrepancy. This includes shaving off your hair (while the bald look or hair-shaving designs are in), as well as various fashionable techniques and styling products, wigs, hairpieces, and scarves.

For this, you might want to talk to a hair stylist or a fashion expert to get innovative ideas. Moreover, if your alopecia is due to a medical condition, your expenses for a wig can be covered by medical insurance.

5 Things you need to remember before a Hair Fall Treatment

• While most of the alternative therapies have not been clinically tested or proven, their effectiveness or application in treating alopecia is not yet known.
• Since the FDA did not make any consumer safety rule or precaution for the makers of these supplements, the claims often mentioned on labels of these products can be misleading and inaccurate.
• The results of each of the treatment procedures might well vary between individuals, depending on several factors. While some victims of alopecia areata do not at all need any kind of treatment (since their hair tends to grow back on its own, others might not see any kind of improvement (in spite of trying every possible treatment).
• At times, you might need to go for more than one type of treatment to get the expected result, since, in many cases, hair regrowth has been seen to be temporary, with the hair growing back, and eventually, falling out again.
• It is advisable that you always talk to a specialist or a doctor before you decide trying any kind of vitamin or herbal supplement.