Alopecia Specialist
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Specialists In Dermatology
located in The Woodlands, TX & Houston, TX
No matter your age or gender, hair loss can greatly affect your self-confidence and sense of well-being. The skin care experts at Specialists in Dermatology, with offices in Houston and The Woodlands, Texas, provide treatments for hair loss (alopecia) that can actually help regrow your hair. Call them today to make an appointment, or take advantage of their convenient online scheduling service.
Alopecia Q&A
What is alopecia?
The dictionary defines alopecia (al-oh-PEE-shuh) as the partial or complete loss of hair from areas where it normally grows. The good news is that many of the advanced treatments offered at Specialists in Dermatology can help.
Common types of hair loss include:
- Male and female pattern baldness
- Telogen effluvium
- Alopecia areata
What causes male and female pattern baldness?
Often related to hormonal changes and family history, male and female pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss in the United States. It occurs as hair follicles shrink and eventually stop growing new hair. Fortunately, the hair follicles remain alive and may respond to treatment.
For men, the pattern is so typical that doctors use it to help diagnose the cause of your hair loss. It generally begins as a receding hairline that continues to move backward over time. This type of hair loss can eventually create a horseshoe pattern of baldness with hair growing only on the sides of your head.
Women with female pattern baldness may inherit the issue from male as well as female ancestors. It’s often triggered by hormonal changes associated with menopause. Often noticed first as a widening part, this hair loss usually presents as thinning hair on the crown of your head and rarely leads to the nearly total baldness.
What is telogen effluvium?
Telogen effluvium (TE) is the second most common form of hair loss. It may occur when extreme emotional or physical stress, such as surgery or trauma sustained during an accident, causes your hair follicles to move into a resting state. Sudden changes in hormone levels, certain medications, and an unhealthy diet can also trigger TE.
What is alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata is due to an immune system disorder that affects your hair follicles. It causes patchy hair loss on the scalp and sometimes in the eyebrows and other areas. It’s most common in teens and young adults and is reversible about 90% of the time. Treatments can help speed up hair regrowth.
What is the treatment for alopecia?
Treatments depend on the type of hair loss you’re experiencing and may include:
- Topical minoxidil and oral spironolactone for female pattern baldness
- Topical minoxidil and oral finasteride for male pattern baldness
- Corticosteroid injections, topical steroids, and topical immunomodulators for alopecia areata
- Specific blood work can be done to help rule out several potential causes of TE
