Alopecia Symptoms

Symptoms Of Permanent Hair Loss

Permanent hair loss, medically termed alopecia, affects the scalp and typically develops over time. A number of things can cause hair loss, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, a psychological disorder, a burn, a nutritional disorder, an endocrine disorder, a connective tissue or skin disorder, an infection or toxin exposure. We lose an average of 50 hairs a day normally, but these are replaced by new hairs. When new hair starts to not replace the hair we lose, permanent hair loss occurs.

Male-Pattern Baldness Symptoms

This symptom of permanent hair loss is characterized by baldness on the top of the mans head, receding hairline in the temple area, and eventually, complete or partial baldness.

Female-Pattern Baldness Symptoms

This symptom is characterized by thinning hair at the sides, front, or crown. Women typically keep their front hairline. It is also rare for women to experience complete baldness.

Scarring Alopecia Symptoms

This condition, also referred to as cicatricial alopecia, is a rare condition. Permanent hair loss is caused by hair follicle scarring that results from inflammation damage.

How is Permanent Hair Loss Diagnosed?

Your doctor will begin by performing a thorough physical examination. During this, they will also obtain a family medical history and a personal medical history. They will then analyze and discuss the symptoms of permanent that you are experiencing.

A pull test is commonly performed after the physical examination. During this test your doctor will gently pull on several dozen hairs to determine how many come out. This will help your doctor rule out or diagnose telogen effluvium and stage your shedding process.

Skin scrapings may be done to help determine whether an infection is responsible for your hair loss.

A punch biopsy is done when the diagnosis is hard to come to, specifically when it comes to scarring alopecia or alopecia areata. During this test, a small section of the deeper layers of your skin will be removed with a circular tool, and this sample will then be analyzed.

Several other tests may be performed to test for related diseases and conditions that can cause hair loss, such as diabetes, lupus, or thyroid disease. Your doctor will also ask about the medications you take, or have taken recently, because some medications have hair loss as a side effect. Some of these medications include drugs that treat arthritis, heart problems, gout, depression, and high blood pressure.

Treating Permanent Hair Loss

Depending on what is causing your hair loss, certain medications may be effective. These include minoxidil, propecia (not to be used or handled by women under any circumstances), anthralin, and corticosteroids.

Surgery is also an option. The two surgical techniques available to treat permanent hair loss include scalp reduction and hair transplant.

Resources

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278