Ask your pharmacist alopecia areata type of hair loss

Alopecia Areata (type of Hair Loss)
Eamonn Brady is a pharmacist and the owner of Whelehans Pharmacy, Pearse St, Mullingar. If you have any health questions e-mail them to info@whelehans.ie

I previously discussed male pattern baldness in the Westmeath Examiner. Alopecia areata is another cause of hair loss. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition (meaning a type of disease where the immune system attacks the body) and is a type of temporary hair loss. White blood cells called T-lymphocytes attack the hair follicle causing the hair to stop growing. The cause is not fully known.
It initially appears as a rounded bear patch about an inch in diameter and affects men and women equally. It often starts in childhood. It is estimated about 1 in 100 people suffer from alopecia areata with many only experiencing one bout with normal growth afterwards but about 20% experience permanent hair loss. There are three types of alopecia areata depending on the severity of hair loss. Alopecia areata is patchy hair loss, alopecia totalis is total scalp hair loss and alopecia universalis is the loss of all body and scalp hair.

Treatment of Alopecia Areata
There is no cure for alopecia areata but there are treatments with varying degrees of success. The treatment is broken into two groups; those with less than 50% hair loss and those with more than 50% hair loss.
For those with less than 50% hair loss, the first choice in mild cases is normally corticosteroids which are only available on prescription from specialists. This would be a corticosteroid cream or lotion applied directly to the bald area (eg) Betnovate® cream or application. Alternatively a corticosteroid might be injected directly onto the bald area. Re-growth does not occur in all patients.
Tretinoin (Retin A®) is normally used for acne. However it has recently started to be used as a treatment for both alopecia areata and male pattern baldness. Retin A® gel is rubbed into the bald areas. It works best when used in combination with Minoxidil (Rogaine®). The main side effects of Retin A® cream is red, irritated and stinging skin but this can improve with time.
Minoxidil is more often used for male pattern baldness but can be used for alopecia areata. It can help with patchy alopecia areata but is not effective when there is 100% hair loss. It may stimulate limited hair growth in a small number of people but it will only work for as long as it is used. It will take four months to notice any benefits. Rogaine® is the brand of minoxidil. It can be used in men and women. It is available in 2% strength and 5% strength (Rogaine® Extra strength).
Oral zinc has been shown to be of occasional benefit in alopecia areata. Its effectiveness is thought to be due to its effect on the immune system. However very high doses are needed for it to be effective and this may result in side effects including vomiting and diarrhoea and a deficiency of other essential minerals such as copper, magnesium, iron and manganese.

Where to get wigs locally
I sometimes get asked where wigs are available locally for the likes of people with severe alopecia or undergoing chemotherapy. Joli Hairdressers (04493 95921) offer a good range of quality wigs, headwear and scarfs. They have staff trained in this area and a private fitting area. Joli are a HSE registered wig supplier meaning that the HSE will give you an allowance towards your wig if you have a medical card. Some health insurance plans cover part of the cost.

To be continued…Next week I discuss treatment for those with more than 50% hair loss.

This article is shortened to fit within Newspaper space limits. More detailed information and leaflets is available in Whelehans