Alopecia Areata-Hair loss with small Oval patches on Scalp

You may have observed hair falling off causing small, oval patches on the scalp of your head. This is an illness and the general term used by doctors is Alopecia Areata indicating hair loss. People get scared by seeing the patches on the scalp and assume that they are affected by some disease. It usually begins as one or more small, round or oval, smooth patches and affects both males and females. Alopecia Areata is a type of hair loss that is caused by auto immune disease.It does not destroy the hair follicle, there is always a high chance for hair re-growth.

If you have an autoimmune disease such as type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease or vitiligo (white patches on the skin) there are chances you acquire this hair loss problem as the cells in your body that normally fight infection (white blood cells) attack some of your own cells by mistake.

According to Ayurveda, this is caused due to aggravation of Vata & pitta . In the patients affected by Alopecia Areata, they gather around hair follicles, causing inflammation / burning that makes your hair stop growing and fall out. The positive fact is that even though there is quick hair loss there are always chances for hair re-growth.

Some people have one or two small patches the size of a one rupee coin. For few people the spots are not seen due to thick hair or inside the scalp.

People try to cover up these patches by trying a different hairstyle or wearing a cap, scarf etc. The teenagers and youth are badly affected badly due to the embarrassment caused by the patches on the scalp. They tend to avoid gatherings due to lack of confidence.

If you observe such patches on your scalp you need to consult a doctor or a skin specialist immediately. There are numerable medicines  that activate hair growth and can counter such hair fall problems. This is a common problem as 1 in 10 people are facing this problem these days.

Symptoms of Alopecia Areata

Individuals will get patches of hair loss over a few weeks. The patches are usually coin-sized and round or oval. The scalp without hair is smooth and looks normal (no indication of redness or inflamed). There are reported cases of tingling and minor pain in those areas. There may be short hairs with length of around 3mm at the edges of these patches also called as exclamation mark hairs.

Alopecia areata can also affect any part of your body that has hair, including your eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, armpits and genitals. The individuals also suffer from nail pitting, your nails appear rough and slightly dented.

Treatments for Alopecia Areata

There are topical ointments prescribed by doctors based on the extent of hair loss. Depending on the size of the area being treated, you may need several injections. The regrowth usually starts after three months or so. If you have more than a couple of patches of hair loss, your doctor may suggest using steroid injections or medicines to apply on your skin.

Steroid injections are the best treatment for areas of patchy hair loss, with re-growth usually starting in one to two months. Steroids are drugs that reduce inflammation.

However, they don’t work for everyone, and they aren’t usually used for children.

Diet regulations for Alopecia Areata

Diet also plays an important part in this treatment. Iron deficiency leading to anaemic condition causes excessive hair loss. Iron and zinc supplements should be taken if the diet does not produce enough on its own.

Intake of fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and cheese, chicken, fish will supply your hair follicles with the vitamins they need for optimal operations. Consuming water per day will help transport the needed nutrients to your hair and help keep your hair strands hydrated and strong

Home remedies for Alopecia Areata

• To a cup of coconut milk put in two tablespoons of gram flour. Apply on the scalp and massage softly. Wash the hair after five minutes. Use this practice one time in a week.
• Round patches of baldness appear on the scalp when hair fall off in bunches. Onion juice should be rubbed into such bald patches regularly for some time. It will help the hair to grow again.
• Application of neem oil regularly for two-three months at the bald spots helps the hair to grow again.
• Pure aloe vera gel can be applied liberally to the scalp, massage thoroughly and rinse.

Being alert and consulting the specialist on time will be the best solution. As they say a stitch in time is ideal to combat the hair loss. Reassurance by near and dear ones is the major factor that needs to be addressed in the treatment. The individual has to be explained that this is not a major disease and the hair will grow again after a small gap with proper care and medication.

If you know of any other home remedies, do reply in comments.

For further reading: Prevent Premature Hair Whitening