Alopecia Areata By Professor Barry Stevens FTTS

BY PROFESSER BARRY STEVENS FTTS

ALOPECIA AREATA (symptoms-bald patches) A condition affecting either gender in which one or more bald patches appear which may coalesce to involve significant areas of the scalp.

Symptoms usually include the characteristic stubble (exclamation hairs), crawling sensations.

The lesions may appear pink and spongy. The hair may eventually re-grow. Recurrence is always a possibility.

This form of hair loss is a microscopically inflammatory often spontaneously reversible loss of hair, usually presenting as sharply defined patches of baldness (very occasionally diffuse). It can involve scalp, beard, or other hair-bearing skin. It is widely regarded as an organ-specific autoimmune response (an activity of the immune system), but some suggest psychosomatic implications.

There may be predisposition in families with a history of thyroid abnormality, eczema, asthma, or hay-fever.

It can reportedly follow excessive, sudden, or prolonged stress, surgery, physical injury, bereavement, financial crises, and other human emotions inculcating the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic) – which are generally beyond the control of the individual and may involve a breakdown within the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems – adversely affecting hair-growth mechanisms. Body-chemistry abnormalities may also be implicated.

Areata can have a profound impact on the lives of both children and adults. Its onset can be sudden, unpredictable, and recurrent. It progresses as hair-follicles prematurely enter catagen, telogen and exogen. The disease is not fully understood.

Existing white or non-pigmented hairs usually remain intact in the development of an A Areata lesion. This phenomenon is not understood although by definition white hair-shafts have inactive melanocytes at their germinal matrix at the time of onset of the condition.

The author observes that the disease, which may present as single or multiple bald patches of varying size which may coalesce may commence 6-12 weeks following the ’cause’. In some instances, hair losses have been reported within days.

The Trichologist’s Role – Caution: Only highly trained trichologists should be consulted.

A Areata has significant physical and psychological implications (affecting self-esteem, confidence and appearance). Diagnosis and treatment of a patient with bald patches can be about offering psychological support.

Bald patches can and often are misdiagnosed. The trichologist is usually consulted as a second opinion. A Areata cases can represent a major part of the trichologists daily work. Experienced trichologists have come to respect combinations of Actino + Electro therapies and Laser as safe sensitising procedures used in conjunction with short periods of local Hydrocortisone or Anthralin. Results are positive in many cases where others have failed.

Professor Barry Stevens is one the world’s foremost experts in Trichology. He heads the Trichological Society in London and his papers are internationally recognised as a leading source of accurate information on scalp and hair disorders by Doctors and Trichologists alike. He has been a consultant to the BBC, The Thermal Hair Appliance Industry, Unilever Hair Cosmetics and has been awarded for “Outstanding Services to Hair Sciences – Worlwide”

Editor’s note: As Barbers we are often the first point of contact with our guests scalp and hair issues, and our guests themselves. A lot of the time we are the first and only people to point out these issues in the first instance. You should always refer your guests to a doctor or hair specialist however, I think we should all have some knowledge on the most common issues we see quite regularly in the chair. This gives us a better understanding of what our guest is going through, and we can give support and comfort to them by being equipped with some knowledge on these subjects. I hope you enjoy this series with the Professor.