Alopecia areata - who is at risk?

Alopecia nest is a disease with a circular non-scar tissue on the scalp, face and other areas of smooth skin. Usually this disease is observed in children and men and women under the age of 25 years.

With a local form, the hair on the head falls out in one or more places, while the total hair is missing completely.

General information

Health professionals believe that there are several reasons why a person can develop alopecia areata. One of them is heredity.

An important role is played by various factors of the environment, as well as neurogenic and psychogenic.

Basis for the treatment of

There are many methods for treating alopecia areata, which are carried out in two directions: external therapy( hormonal, immunosuppressive, irritating) and internal( systemic administration of corticosteroids, immunotropic treatment and photochemotherapy).

Alopecia nest is most effectively treated with the help of the last of the above methods, so we will dwell on it in more detail.

Photochemotherapy( or, in other words, PUVA therapy) is the use of long-wavelength ultraviolet light and an instrument that increases the susceptibility to its effects of individual tissues.

Experts have repeatedly conducted experiments, the purpose of which was to achieve maximum effect in the treatment of the disease using this method. The results are quite encouraging, from 40 to 65 percent of all patients began to recover. However, do not think that the effectiveness after the procedures are always the same. In this case, it is necessary to take into account how large the area of ​​alopecia, and how long the patient suffers from this disease, and when the hair fell for the last time.

Depending on the stage at which alopecia is nesting, different methods of photochemotherapy are used. Let us consider them in more detail.

With the universal form of the disease, long-wave ultraviolet irradiation with oral taking of the photosensitizer is recommended. If the body of the patient has many foci of alopecia, while they are large enough, and with the total form of alopecia areata, the device is used externally. In the event that the hair falls out both on the patient's head and on other parts of the body, including the limbs, doctors use general and local photochemotherapy with a variation of both methods of applying the photosensitizer.

In the treatment of alopecia areata, various medications can also be used. This, as a rule, prednisone, ointment betamethasone. Minoxidil is also recommended, but its use will not produce any result with complete loss of hair. Among other medicines, doctors individually appoint dalargin, zinc oxide, pentoxifylline and nicotinic acid. However, it must be borne in mind that none of the listed means does not fully guarantee that the disease will recede. The most important thing is not to bring nest alopecia to the extreme stage and strictly follow all the instructions of the treating doctor.