Alopecia and the causes.......
Updated: Sep 3, 2019
While Alopecia is typically associated with age and stress, hair loss can be either simple or complex depending on the situation at hand: becoming well-educated about the subject is the first step to finding a solution to the issue.
Traction Alopecia (TA) is gradual hair loss, caused by excessive pulling of the hair. This is common for people who often wear wigs, weaves, tight braids and tight ponytails. However, it can also apply to those who wear head-wear; such as stylish baseball caps, turbans, compression safety helmets, and elastic bands. Getting the hair relaxed and/or having tight styles can trigger and speed up the process of hair loss.
If caught early, and /or treated properly traction alopecia can be reversed. Traction Alopecia can apply to anyone, no matter the age or gender.
Preventive Measures / Treatments & Tips:
1. Lessen the use of relaxers or chemical treatments
2. Limit the amount of pressure you put on your edges or nape
3. Rotate your hairstyles so that you are not putting tension on the same hair areas
4. Where hats, helmet and elastic bands sparely. Wear for safety measures and then take them off when no longer needed.
5. Protect the hair at all cost, by wearing silk protective scarfs at night
6. Try to wear low manipulating styles.
7. It is OK to occasionally wear braids, a wig or weaves, but make sure they are not too tight around the edges and nape areas. Also, take breaks with these styles. If you do anything too much, it will cause harm.
Alopecia Areata (AA) is abrupt hair loss from the scalp or elsewhere on the body. It generally starts with one or more circular bald patches that can overlap. This particular kind of hair loss is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body's immune system attacks itself; in this case, the hair follicles, causing hair loss. Genetics is the strongest case for alopecia areata that scientists have found, and while stress could trigger AA there is not enough evidence for it to be a definitive underlying cause.
Treatment
There is no cure for alopecia areata. However, there are treatments that can aide the regrowth of the hair and the slowing of future hair loss. A prescription can be prescribed by a doctor; in the form of a steroid or topical medication that can be rubbed into the scalp. Additionally, there are cosmetic measures that can be taken to cover up the hair loss and plentiful amounts of resources available to help others deal with the emotional stress of the disease. The key to fighting this disease is to catch it when you first notice the
signs of AA.