Alopecia Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, July 2008.
Answers to questions about alopecia
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- Are there any conditions that can be confused with alopecia areata?
- I've heard it's possible for women to get male pattern baldness - is this true?
- Is it possible to have a hair transplant to treat alopecia areata?
Are there any conditions that can be confused with alopecia areata?
Yes, there are a number of other conditions that have similar symptoms to alopecia areata. Your GP will consider these when hearing about your symptoms and examining you.
Explanation
There is a condition called scalp ringworm (tinea capitis) which has some of the same symptoms to alopecia areata. It's a fungal infection that can cause patchy hair loss, mainly in children. However, it's different from alopecia areata in that the areas of baldness are likely to be red, scaly and itchy. There may be blisters or nodules in these patches which can be painful. There will probably be broken hairs within the bald areas, but these won't be the same as the exclamation hairs that are found in alopecia areata.
Sources
- Alopecia areata. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. www.cks.library.nhs.uk, accessed 9 April 2008
- Simon C, Everitt H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007: 673
- Ringworm. Medline Plus. www.nlm.nih.gov, accessed 1 May 2008
I've heard it's possible for women to get male pattern baldness - is this true?
Yes, there is a condition called androgenetic alopecia which affects both men and women. This is sometimes called male pattern baldness.
Explanation
It's very likely that as you get older you will have some hair loss, even if it isn't very severe. The most common cause of this is androgenetic alopecia which is an inherited condition. Androgenetic alopecia affects everyone differently, and you may find your hair loss isn't very noticeable. Hair loss is usually less obvious in women.
Male pattern baldness is caused by the hair follicles in your scalp getting smaller. This means that the hairs stop growing earlier in their growth cycle and fewer new hairs are produced. The hairs will also be thinner as they don't have as long to thicken before they stop growing.
Androgenetic alopecia can be treated using some of the same methods as alopecia areata. Ask your GP for more information about the options available to you.
Sources
- Hair growth and hair loss. British Association of Dermatologists. www.bad.org.uk, accessed 1 May 2008
Is it possible to have a hair transplant to treat alopecia areata?
There are many clinics that offer hair transplant surgery. However, this type of treatment is still quite new so it's important to find out as much as possible about the risks and benefits of the procedure before going ahead with it.
Explanation
Hair transplant surgery involves moving a strip of healthy, growing hair from one part of your scalp. This is then cut into smaller pieces and these are attached to areas where your hair is thinner. You may need to have more than one operation depending on how much hair loss you have and how much hair you wish to gain. The transplanted hairs should start to grow within one to three months.
It's important to be aware of the limitations of this procedure - how successful it is depends on how much healthy hair you have available to transplant. In addition, the Royal College of Surgeons - the organisation responsible for training surgeons - has no specialist register of hair transplant surgeons. Therefore, you should make sure that your surgeon is fully trained and competent to carry out the procedure.
Further information
- British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons
www.hairsurgeons.org.uk
Sources
- Surgical options: hair transplants - minigrafting, micrografting and follicular units. British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons. www.hairsurgeons.org.uk, accessed 1 May 2008
- Hair transplantation: follicular unit transplant method. eMedicine. www.emedicine.com, accessed 1 May 2008
Related topics
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed Dr Mike Ardern-Jones, BSc, MBBS, MRCP, DPhil, Consultant Dermatologist; Southampton University NHS Trust and Spire Southampton Hospital, and by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: July 2008.
Alopecia factsheet
Visit the alopecia health factsheet for more information.
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