How Do I Know Which Alopecia I Have?

When you struggle with hair loss (alopecia), it can be tough to know what to do about it, especially if you don’t know what’s causing it in the first place. Learn the different types of alopecia and how we can help address each one here.

It can be incredibly distressing to deal with hair loss, medically referred to as alopecia. Alopecia can have several different causes, some of which are temporary, but others are more long-lasting.

When trying to treat or manage alopecia, it’s important to know which type you have and what the underlying root cause is, because an alopecia treatment plan has to cater to those factors in order to be successful.

At Thomas Dermatology, located in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and Bullhead City, Arizona, our team of dermatologists understands how frustrating it can be to deal with hair loss, especially when you don’t know what’s causing it or how to treat it.

So, our experts discuss the main types of alopecia and how we treat each one to help you better understand the condition in this month’s blog.

Androgenic alopecia

Androgenic alopecia is a genetic condition that’s better known as male-pattern and female-pattern baldness.

If you’re a man with this condition, hair loss typically starts at your crown and your frontal scalp, and it can also give you a receding hairline. For women, your hair typically thins significantly throughout your head and causes a wide part and major hair loss around the crown.

This type of alopecia can be managed with lots of different treatments, and you can get the best results if you catch the hair loss early. We offer topical creams and oral medications that require indefinite use to maintain consistent hair growth, but platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections may also help address some of the inflammation that leads to hair loss.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that attacks your hair follicles, causing patches of hair to fall out. Typically, this condition only affects your scalp, but it can develop anywhere on your body, including your eyebrows and eyelashes.

In many cases, hair can grow back a few years after the initial hair loss occurred. This condition can be trickier to treat, but oftentimes injections of corticosteroids or PRP can trigger hair growth, and prescription medications can help maintain the return of that growth.

Traction alopecia

Your hair can take a lot. However, using too many hot tools, pulling your hair tight, and weaving it into tight hairstyles can cause permanent hair loss, known as traction alopecia. Thankfully, this can be resolved through treatments such as topical applications and oral medications, but you have to be incredibly gentle with your hair to avoid even more damage.

Telogen effluvium

This type of alopecia refers to temporary, but widespread, hair thinning and loss. Telogen effluvium can have a huge range of causes, including:

Hormone fluctuations
Childbirth
Severe psychological stress
Thyroid disorders
A diet low in protein
Severe infections
Certain medications, such as antidepressants or beta blockers

In many cases, identifying the trigger for telogen effluvium should be enough to resolve the hair loss. Our team can provide treatments such as topical creams or oral medications to help your hair grow back more effectively.

For expert-level treatment of any alopecia type, look no further than our team at Thomas Dermatology. Schedule an appointment with us by calling your nearest office location or using our online booking feature today.