How do u know if u have alopecia?

Hair is a wonderful thing. It grows on your head, it frames our face, it protects the scalp from the harsh sun’s rays and helps us to look fierce or fabulous depending on the day of the week. But what happens when you start losing your hair at an alarming rate? How do you know if you have alopecia? Don’t worry – here’s all you need to know!

What Is Alopecia?

Alopecia (pronounced al-oh-PEE-shah) is simply another way of saying “hair loss”. In some cases, it can be temporary; in other cases, though (and yes, there are worse things than gasp baldness), it can be permanent. There are different types of alopecia out there too:

Androgenetic Alopecia

This one is partially inherited and results in gradual thinning over time as well as a receding hairline.

Telogen Effluvium

It brings sudden mass losses in hair after undergoing severe physical trauma such chemo/radiation therapy.

Traction Alopecias

Wearing tight styles for long periods causes constant tugging that obviously leads towards bald patches

Anagen Effluvium

Severe exposure to toxins ultimately affects continuous growth pattern,resulting complete baldness.

Also Yes! The names kinda sound like spell incantations which could tell loads about being magical indeed!

Am I Going Bald?

Here’s where things get tricky because some amount of shedding daily is normal but how much is enough before going”Phew I’m turning into Dwayne Johnson!” .Good news fellow weirdos who might be afraid they have bucketfuls coming off each morning-Humans shed between 50-100 hairs everyday!For those worried ones waiting with bated breath let me clarify – We lose that much hair each day,even those with the voluminous Rapunzel style locks!

But here are some things to note :

  • If you start seeing an increasing number of stray hairs on your shower floor during bathing or lying around in bed post a good ol’ slumberfest.

Tip – Here’s something for all the curious know-it-all readers. Each strand has its own individual lifespan comprising growth,resting and shedding phases which spans from few months to years where various factors affect it intensively such as genetics,hormones,stress just like Exams,Situations at work ,Love life etc.

  • if there are visible female pattern baldness instances (which appear mainly affecting top & crown areas)and leading towards exposing scalp more often.

Tip – Voluminous shampooing might make it more obvious(there goes my hope).

  • You notice thinning hairlines creeping up suddenly.

    Tip – Let’s not confuse receding hairline with Male Pattern Baldness.According to research approximately 25 % of men will see their hair depreciate by 30% before age hits them hard! Areas under threat include temples,crown regions & entire frontal region i.e Hair gets thinner thus we can never get our sides shaved completely leading rounder haircut options only.( I’d kill people who call me bald again)

Who Is At Risk?

Anyone !Yes..anyone can fall prey but Talk about inequality .It affects people regardless of gender,race,ethnicity. As humans live longer ,chances of alopecia also accelerate.Enter hormonal imbalances,sudden pregnancy stuffs,some infection breakout,lifestyle/environmental hazards(such as smoking),malnutrition,tight hairstyles,polycystic ovarian syndrome,HIV/AIDS treatment-stuffs happen due to these.And yes then enters hereditary feature where God decides your fate based upon genes passed down in your family tree.

How Is Alopecia Diagnosed?

As much as we love diagnosing ourselves with casual visit of Dr. Google,it’s better to get an expert opinion for these cases by seeking help from dermatologists/medical personnel. They might conduct a physical examination, review medical history and blood tests to detect other underlying deficiency or allergies.

Here are three procedures checks you can expect:-

  1. Pull Test :The hair specialist gently tugs at small groups of strands in the scalp regions.It helps detecting whether shedding has advanced beyond normal limits.

  2. Scalp Biopsy : Sometimes they take skin samples from the affected area to resist possibility of autoimmune problems

  3. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) : Hair shaft disorders like loose anagen syndrome which results weak sticking between follicle & hair root causing abnormal falling off can be caught easily via this procedure.The high-contrast images obtained makes it easy identifying everything about that fuzzy matter!

Don’t even take my word for it.These professionals have spent years mastering their craft,so better lay trust on those tests only rather than believing superstitious prevailing beliefs you came across on Internet(Although I did predict some things pretty damn accurately).

What Are The Treatments Available?

It depends entirely onto diagnosis classification! However let us provide readers with hope regarding different treatment options against alopecia:

For Androgenetic Alopecia :

  • Rogaine – Designed specifically for stimulating regrowth

  • Finasteride – It blocks action of certain enzymes resulting in red-pencilling excessive baldness seen usually in males

### Telogen effluvium/Traction Alopecias :

These types have main prerequisite i.e stopping external or internal factor responsible such as decreasing stress levels/more healthy diets/minimizing strenuous hairstyles/preventing side-effects caused post chemo sessions

#### Traction Alopecia :

   Utmost priority here lies to stop wearing tight/overexerting designs Hats/braiding/pulling harshly etc
  Allow hair follicles rejuvenate themselves naturally over time

Anagen Effluvium :

  • Stop exposure to toxins altogether.

To Wear or Not To Wear a Wig?

Gone are the days when wigs were looked down upon for deceiving people. Realistically , they have turned into a phenomenal fashion accessory seen commonly in runways.Surprised right!

Wearing wigs can prove extremely effective at hiding baldness caused by alopecia(for those who feel conscious about it) as(women’s wig/voluminous tie-back styles of men)But remember wearing these aren’t permanent solutions and may cause some restriction on social existence but definitely is worth giving them atleast one chance.

Conclusion:

By now, you might be thinking Alopecia sucks! But don’t beat yourself up too much if you’re experiencing it; after all, our body develops weirder habits everyday that go beyond our control.It leaves us no choice but to cope bravely through treatments.Now let me predict your next move.You’ll probably try all home remedies in order to make things better like applying onion juice/massaging coconut oil/sticking with vitamin supplements while waiting for specialist appointments.Anyway I hope this article helped enlighten readers with basic knowledge/information (hopefully presented humorously enough!) which will hopefully benefit towards breaking some myths around alopecia.Don’t shy away from consulting professionals if required -they’re there 24ndark hours ready assisting-take their help whenever needed.Good luck,till then keep vibing !

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