Alopecia areata


Can alopecia areata be cured after two years?
If alopecia areata has not improved after two years, it may be related to one's treatment plan or dietary and lifestyle habits. Some individuals might not have received treatment or used improper treatment methods. Consuming spicy and heavily flavored foods, enduring prolonged periods of staying up late, feeling anxious or stressed, or having poor physical health could all potentially contribute to persistent alopecia areata. It is advisable to visit a dermatology department at a reputable hospital to examine the hair follicles to see if there is any atrophy or necrosis. If the hair follicles are found to be atrophied or necrotic, the treatment will be more challenging. Generally, the most conventional treatment involving oral medication along with topical applications must be complemented by proper dietary and lifestyle habits. With long-term treatment, it is entirely possible to fully recover. It is essential to maintain a good mood, engage in regular exercise, and boost the immune system.


Does alopecia areata need treatment?
Alopecia areata is characterized by localized or patchy hair loss on the scalp. There are many causes for this condition, most of which are related to individual dietary habits and lifestyle. For instance, irregular meal times, malnutrition, or frequent consumption of spicy and stimulating foods can contribute to the condition. Additionally, staying up late, experiencing anxiety, tension, or overall poor mood can also lead to hair loss. In most cases, alopecia areata that appears for a short period can be treated through dietary adjustments. However, if the affected area is large, it is advisable to seek professional treatment at a dermatology department of a formal hospital; otherwise, the area of hair loss may continue to expand. If it progresses severely, it might lead to complete hair loss or even loss of eyebrows.


What should be paid attention to in daily life for alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata has many causes and complex contributing factors, and each person's triggering elements differ. Besides seeking treatment from qualified medical institutions, it is crucial to avoid spicy and stimulating foods, overly salty or strongly flavored foods, as well as to refrain from staying up late, feeling anxious, stressed, or upset. It is essential to enhance physical exercise to boost immunity and to avoid using irritating hair products such as gels or conditioners, or frequently perming or dyeing the hair, as these do not aid in treatment. Another important aspect is the need for long-term and persistent treatment because the effects of treatment for this condition are very slow to manifest. A single treatment cycle requires at least three months, but with long-term commitment, it is entirely possible to achieve a complete cure.


Can people with alopecia areata perm their hair?
After the symptoms of alopecia areata appear, try not to perm or dye your hair, or use hair gels or creams that are highly irritating. These can easily scald the scalp or irritate the hair follicles, affecting local blood circulation, leading to exacerbation of alopecia areata symptoms or increasing the difficulty of treatment. Once symptoms occur, be sure to seek treatment with standard medications at reputable medical institutions. Also, regulate your diet and lifestyle habits. Avoid spicy and heavily flavored foods, try not to stay up late, and avoid anxiety, tension, or bad moods. Persistent treatment is key to managing this condition. As long as the treatment is consistently followed for at least a three-month course, it can ultimately be completely cured.


Do alopecia areata follicles necrotize?
After the appearance of bald patches, they are mostly benign and there won't be any necrosis of the hair follicles. Hair follicle necrosis usually occurs in several situations, such as local trauma or previous folliculitis, and in cases of alopecia areata that have not been treated for a long time, where the cause of the disease has not been corrected, leading to follicle atrophy and eventually necrosis. Once hair follicle necrosis occurs, treatment becomes quite complicated, and some people may never fully recover. Once alopecia areata occurs, it is crucial to seek medical care from reputable medical institutions, undergo proper testing and treatment, avoid spicy and irritating foods, refrain from eating overly flavorful foods, avoid staying up late, and minimize anxiety and stress. Strengthening exercises and enhancing immunity, if consistently maintained, can still lead to recovery.


Does alopecia areata spread?
Alopecia areata manifests as patchy hair loss on the scalp. In its early stages, or when symptoms are mild, many people can fully recover by adjusting their diet or lifestyle habits, without experiencing any spread of the condition. However, if left to develop over a long period, the symptoms might worsen. It is necessary to avoid spicy, highly flavorful, or irritating foods, and to maintain a healthy lifestyle free of anxiety, stress, sleep deprivation, and bad moods. Upon noticing symptoms, it is advisable to consult the dermatology department of a reputable hospital. There, doctors can make a comprehensive diagnosis and create a treatment plan. With long-term adherence, the condition is entirely treatable.


Will alopecia areata heal itself without treatment?
Most cases of alopecia areata, especially those that have just appeared or in children, generally do not require treatment and can resolve on their own. The prerequisite is to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle habits, eat more vegetables and fruits, ensure children do not become picky eaters or have an unbalanced diet, engage in appropriate exercise, and avoid staying up late. If alopecia areata persists for three months or even longer without signs of self-recovery, it may then be necessary to seek medical intervention using medications or other methods. One should visit the dermatology department of a reputable hospital, where treatment might involve oral medication combined with topical drugs. Other options can include plum blossom needle tapping or local medicinal injections. Employing a variety of treatment methods can often speed up recovery. It is essential to maintain long-term commitment to treatment, typically in courses of three months each, but ultimately, the condition is generally treatable.


The differences between alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, and androgenetic alopecia
Alopecia areata generally occurs only on the scalp with patchy hair loss, usually mild, affecting just a few patches. Total alopecia is an extension of alopecia areata, where hair loss progresses to complete baldness. Universal alopecia is more severe, involving not only complete hair loss on the scalp but also potential loss of eyebrows, armpit hair, pubic hair, and even all body hair. These three conditions represent a progressive worsening, with alopecia areata being the mildest and universal alopecia being the most severe. The treatment plans for these conditions are roughly the same, but the duration varies; long-term persistence is necessary, along with proper medication from a dermatology department in a reputable hospital.


Does alopecia areata have anything to do with immunity?
There are many causes of alopecia areata. In general, alopecia areata in children is mostly related to their dietary habits, such as being picky eaters, having unbalanced nutrition, or being inherently weak in constitution. In adolescents or during puberty, it is mostly related to personal lifestyle habits, such as anxiety, tension, poor mood, or long-term consumption of greasy, spicy, and sweet foods. In the elderly, some cases may be related to other internal diseases, such as those of the liver or kidneys, and some cases may appear in patients with anemia. Overall, it is somewhat related to immunity, but the specific causes vary from person to person.


Which department should I go to for alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata is characterized by patchy hair loss on the scalp. The causes of this condition are complex, generally associated with dietary and lifestyle habits, or reduced immunity, and in some cases, it may also involve genetic predisposition. Once diagnosed, treatment should be sought at a dermatology department of a formal medical institution. An initial examination of the hair follicles in the affected area can reveal whether there is follicle atrophy or necrosis. Treatment often involves a combination of oral and topical medications, and localized medication occlusion therapy can also be employed. The more treatment methods utilized, the higher the likelihood of cure. It is advisable to avoid spicy and irritating foods, refrain from staying up late, and avoid stress and anxiety. Strengthening exercise and enhancing immunity can also improve the cure rate.