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More treatment options for alopecia areata

30.05.2008 in ALOPECIA AREATA, Uncategorized

Topical (‘rub-on’) steroid

Steroid cream, gel, etc, may help hair re-growth, but does not work as well as steroid injections. It may be worth a try if you have bald patches that are not suitable for steroid injections, or if you are waiting to see a specialist to have steroid injections. If re-growth occurs it takes 3-6 months. There is no point continuing with this treatment if no re-growth occurs after six months.

Minoxidil solution

This is rubbed into the bald patches and has been shown to promote hair re-growth in some cases. This is the same treatment that is used for the common ‘male pattern’ baldness. It is not known how it works. The success rate is not high but may be worth a try. In particular, if you have more extensive bald patches that are not suitable for steroid injections, or if you are waiting to see a specialist for steroid injections.

Minoxidil is not available on the NHS. You need a private prescription and have to pay the full cost of the product, which makes it expensive. If it works, it usually takes 2-3 months of treatment for an initial response, and one year for a maximum response. There is no point continuing with this treatment if there is no improvement after one year.

Some people feel that combining a topical steroid with minoxidil gives a higher chance of hair re-growth than either treatment alone. However, there is little research evidence to prove this.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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What are the treatment options for alopecia areata?

23.05.2008 in ALOPECIA AREATA, Uncategorized

Not treating is a common option

Alopecia areata is a very unpredictable condition. In many cases, bald patches re-grow by themselves without treatment. In particular, if there are just one or two small bald patches then many doctors would advise that you simply leave it alone at first. This is sometimes called ‘watchful waiting’. If the hair loss is not too bad then there is a good chance that hair will re-grow after several months. (Any re-growth usually does not start within three months of hair loss.) A change in hair style may perhaps conceal one or two small bald patches. If the hair loss becomes more extensive, then the decision on whether to treat can be reconsidered. But even with extensive hair loss, there is still a chance that hair will re-grow without treatment.

Note: alopecia areata itself won’t damage your general health and so not treating will not lead to any general health problems. When deciding on whether to treat or not, you should take into account the possible side-effects that some of the treatments may have. Also, treatments promote hair to re-grow and do not affect or ‘cure’ the underlying cause of the condition.

Steroid injections

Injections of steroid into the bald patches of the scalp suppresses the local immune reaction that occurs in alopecia areata. This can then allow the hair follicles to function normally again and for hair to re-grow. This treatment may be an option for one or more small to medium sized bald patches. Steroid injections are thought to be the most effective treatment for patches of alopecia areata that are not too big. However, they do not work in every case.

This treatment is usually only done by a skin specialist and so you will usually need to be referred to hospital for it. Several injections (about 1 cm apart) are usually given at each session of treatment but the number is often limited by pain. Therefore, large bald areas are not suitable for steroid injections. Initial re-growth takes 1-2 months and injections are repeated every 4-6 weeks.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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TrichoTalk: 1 Year On From The Launch Of A New Hair Loss Forum

22.05.2008 in Uncategorized

A brand new Hair Loss Forum was launched 1 year ago today where you can either telephone 0207 976 6868 or email one of our panel of hair experts and receive a same day answer on your Hair Loss worries and concerns.

Since our launch we have an additional 710 fresh new visitors on our website a day that is a staggering 250,000 new people following our advice on Hair loss this year.

Diagnosis over the telephone is very hard and in some cases virtually impossible, if that’s the case, and you need and want to take things a stage further then you can book straight in to see one of our resident specialists for a complete and accurate same day diagnosis.

This service is absolutely free and confidential.

We have decided to launch this service purely because of the demand has increased over the past 2 years for us to provide this type of service. We were right.

Call TrichoTalk today and get the answers to your questions from an expert today!

Email: info@thewestminsterpractice.com

OR

Why not call 0207 976 6868 and speak to one of our trichologist who will be happy to help and advise you.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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Girlfriend’s hung up on his thinning hair

22.05.2008 in Uncategorized

Dear Abby:

I am not sure how to handle my boyfriend’s hair loss. “Jasper” is 34, and I’m 23. We have been dating for two years and have a wonderful relationship. We are completely open to each other, and because of that, I feel backed into a corner regarding this subject.

Although Jasper’s hair loss is barely noticeable now, without some sort of plan it will probably take over in a few years.

Jasper is self-conscious about his thinning hair. I can tell he’s worried, but he doesn’t want to do anything about it. I care more about Jasper’s feelings than his hair, so I haven’t let him know how much it bothers me, although he asks me often.

His type of hair loss is treatable. I find him very attractive now, but I don’t know how I will feel when he’s bald, and I’m sort of cringing inside about it.

What should I do?

TIRED OF SITTING ON MY HANDS

Dear Tired:

Most women are not so fixated on “what’s on top” that they fail to value what’s underneath. While some hair loss is treatable, some is not. The kind that isn’t can be successfully treated with a hair transplant.

Whether Jasper is willing to endure the discomfort or the inconvenience is anyone’s guess. In fact, he might prefer to find a woman who is less hung up on hair than you.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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Girlfriend's hung up on his thinning hair

22.05.2008 in Uncategorized

Dear Abby:

I am not sure how to handle my boyfriend’s hair loss. “Jasper” is 34, and I’m 23. We have been dating for two years and have a wonderful relationship. We are completely open to each other, and because of that, I feel backed into a corner regarding this subject.

Although Jasper’s hair loss is barely noticeable now, without some sort of plan it will probably take over in a few years.

Jasper is self-conscious about his thinning hair. I can tell he’s worried, but he doesn’t want to do anything about it. I care more about Jasper’s feelings than his hair, so I haven’t let him know how much it bothers me, although he asks me often.

His type of hair loss is treatable. I find him very attractive now, but I don’t know how I will feel when he’s bald, and I’m sort of cringing inside about it.

What should I do?

TIRED OF SITTING ON MY HANDS

Dear Tired:

Most women are not so fixated on “what’s on top” that they fail to value what’s underneath. While some hair loss is treatable, some is not. The kind that isn’t can be successfully treated with a hair transplant.

Whether Jasper is willing to endure the discomfort or the inconvenience is anyone’s guess. In fact, he might prefer to find a woman who is less hung up on hair than you.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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