How To Stop Alopecia Areata From Spreading?

9 October, 2023 | Hair Loss Treatment | Author : Shveta Virmani

Before discussing how to stop alopecia areata from spreading, let’s first understand what it is and why it happens. Alopecia Areata refers to a medical condition in which the hair follicles get attacked by the immune system. Almost 0.7% of the entire Indian population suffers from this condition.

This is a critical medical condition that might appear due to various reasons. No matter the underlying causes of this problem, the initial symptom generally remains the appearance of circular bald patches along with excessive hair fall.

Alopecia Areata can be caused at any age. The youngest patient to have this condition was 4 months old while the oldest one was in his 70s. However, in most cases, the patient experiences hair fall or balding within 20 years.

Patients suffer from extreme hair thinning and balding which lowers their confidence, and sometimes even lead to depression. Therefore, it's critical to control this condition as soon as possible for the overall well being.

Causes of Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata can be a result of multiple conditions. The following are a few factors that play a critical role in triggering this problem.

Genetic Condition: One of the primarycauses of Alopecia Areata in females and males remains their genetic makeup. Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease. When the immune system of the human body misinterprets the hair follicles as pathogens, it attacks to eradicate them. This is when the hair fall starts leading to the appearance of localised bald patches. For some patients, the problem could be severe and they might face absolute balding within a few weeks.
Low Vitamin D: However, there remain other causes as well that might trigger this condition. Less exposure to sun may lead to Vitamin D deficiency which in turn can cause hair fall and Alopecia flare-ups.
Stress: Stress, anxiety, and depression can be other sources of Alopecia Areata. In today’s fast-paced life, this cause is becoming a dominant one.
Lack Of Nutrition: Sometimes, lack of certain vitamins can also trigger Alopecia Areata. Hence, eating a healthy and balanced diet is necessary to avoid such problems.

Types of Alopecia Areata

In Alopecia areata, Alopecia refers to baldness and areata refers to the location of hair loss. Hair loss can be massive or moderate. Similarly, baldness may appear in different parts of the body. Based on these differentiations, Alopecia Areata can be of the following types.

Alopecia Areata Universalis: In this case, the patient loses all strands of hair on the scalp and body.
Alopecia Areata Totalis: In this case, patients lose only the strands of hair on their scalp.
Diffuse Alopecia Areata: This condition is not as acute as the other two. In this case, the patient experiences hair thinning but not bald patches.
Ophiasis Alopecia Areata: If the patient has lost a patch of hair on the bottom back part of the scalp, it indicates this condition.

Anyone can suffer from Alopecia Areata. Genetic conditions like diabetes, thyroid, lupus, etc., may cause alopecia. People with a family history of this disease have a higher risk of contracting it.

Once you notice excessive hair fall or patchy bald areas, search for the ways to stop hair loss naturally. If the problem persists, get in touch with an expert near you without any delay.

What Are The Common Symptoms?

The following are the common symptoms for identifying Alopecia Areata.

Nail Pitting
Loss of hair in all parts of the body (scalp, eyebrows, body hair, and eyelashes)
Itchy bald patches

Sometimes, this condition might cause a few rare symptoms as well. Pigmented bald patches, open and visible hair follicles, and white hair growth are a few such symptoms that most patients do not encounter.

How To Stop Alopecia Areata From Spreading?

If you are looking for ways to stop hair loss triggered by Alopecia Areata, you might need more than just a regular hair care routine. Medical intervention is necessary to stop Alopecia Areata from spreading.

Expert dermatologists can check the condition and offer a solution to arrest the rate of hair fall. Here is how the experts deal with Alopecia Areata.

Corticosteroid Injections: It is an anti-inflammatory injection that helps arrest the hair fall issue. Patients receiving this treatment need to take an injection every 4 to 6 weeks. Almost 80% of patients benefit from this procedure. They experience hair regrowth within 12 weeks from the day of the first injection.
Enzyme Inhibitor: JAK inhibitors are also useful for treating Alopecia Areata. This medicine group helps minimise the action of certain enzymes which trigger Alopecia Areata. However, it has a few side effects like fatigue, headache, acne, etc. Therefore, patients must consult an expert to understand which treatment is best for them.
Topical Treatment: Once the hair regrowth process begins as a result of any of the Alopecia Areata treatments, minoxidil can keep the pace going. The topical application of this drug stimulates the follicles. As a result, hair grows faster.

If you are still concerned about how to stop hair loss, get in touch with a specialist offering the best hair transplant in Delhi.

Can Alopecia Areata Be Treated Naturally?

The simple answer is NO. It is a complicated condition where several physiological elements participate in varying degrees. However, quitting smoking, and alcohol consumption, following a healthy diet, and consuming adequate water can help the medical treatment process substantially.

How Long Does The Problem Persist?

Once the treatment begins, most Alopecia Areata patients recover from the condition. While 30 to 50% of the patients experience regrowth without acute medical interventions within a year, some might require medical treatment and more time.

Here is a table to explain how fast people recover from Alopecia Areata.

Percentage of Patients	Alopecia Areata Duration
6%	2 months
10%	25 – 244 months
22%	130 - 24 months
30%	4 – 12 months
32%	2 – 3 months

FAQ

Do more women suffer from Alopecia Areata than men?

As per data, more males than females suffer from Alopecia Areata. Studies are going on around the world to understand the reason for the gender specificity of this condition.

Can Alopecia Areata be cured permanently?

Unfortunately, medical science has not yet invented an alopecia areata treatment that could solve the problem permanently. However, medical treatment can keep the condition under control.

Is Alopecia Areata contagious?

Alopecia Areata is not contagious at all. A patient experiencing this condition cannot spread it via any vector like air, water, bacteria, etc.

Final Words

To know how to stop alopecia areata from spreading, it would be wiser to consult a dermatologist near you. Different people suffer from different types of Alopecia. Therefore, get in touch with a clinic that offers hair transplant treatment as it will have a panel of experienced dermatologists working there.