Patchy Hair Loss

Patchy hair loss or alopecia areata refers to hair loss in a circular manner in various areas of the scalp. Its severe form is alopecia totalis in which you lose entire hair on your skin.



Around 1 in 100 in United States suffers from patchy hair loss. Patchy hair loss is more embarrassing and ugly looking than any other type of hair loss. As patchy hair loss may occur anywhere on the scalp, it gives a look like a garden with a grass grown in different areas and some areas lacking in grass. Imagine how ugly the garden will be? Do you like it? That's why patchy hair loss is mentally painful and distressing. It affects social life, people having patchy hair loss avoid attending public events, school and university lectures etc. and confine themselves within home. People avoid to sit next to persons having patchy hair loss as patchy hair loss often is a symptom of illness. But in most cases patchy hair loss may be caused by fungal and bacterial infection. The infected areas and its hair follicles does not grow hair shafts, giving your scalp a patchy look.

Causes of Patchy Hair Loss:
Patchy hair loss is often caused by fungal and bacterial infection, but other causes may involve like autoimmune disorder in which immune system of your body can not recognizes its own body cells and tissues and causes destruction to these cells and tissues.

Fungal and bacterial infection is the foremost cause of patchy hair loss. The infection weakens the hair shafts and they beak easily giving your scalp a patchy look and texture. Bacteria and fungi greatly destructs hair follicles. Hair follicles are tubular cavities which produces hair shafts through which hair arise in the skin. Hair follicles get nutrients from tiny blood capillaries wrapped around them. In case of infection, bacteria and fungi takes essential nutrients and cause deprivation to hair follicles, that's why they ultimately get damaged.

Another cause of patchy hair loss is autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorder damages bod's own cells and tissues. Hair follicle are more susceptible and vulnerable to damage than other tissues. The immune system produces antibodies and antigens against hair follicles. When it touches hair follicles, they destructs them. What will happen ultimately? No hair follicle results in no hair shaft. It is an easiest formula. Patchy hair loss due to autoimmune response is also a sign of alopecia totalis or hair loss of entire body.

Patchy Hair Loss Treatment:
Before treating patchy hair loss, its proper diagnosis is necessary to find out its real real causes. As there are many causes of patchy hair loss as mentioned above, visit a qualified dermatologist for proper diagnosis. If it is caused by fungal or bacterial infection, it is treated with antifungals and antibacterial antibiotics. In case, autoimmune disorder is the result of patchy hair loss, it is usually treated with corticosteroid, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is also treated with immnosuppressants. It patchy hair loss is not induced by autoimmune disorder, it is successfully treated permanently. But if it is caused by autoimmune disorder, it is temporarily treated and may reoccur soon.

Conclusion:
Patchy hair loss is indicated as circular hair loss in different areas in scalp. It is caused by fungal infection, bacterial infection and autoimmune disorder. In autoimmune disorder, body's own cells are greatly damaged by antigens and antibodies produced by body's own immune system.