Diffuse alopecia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

The disease usually occurs in women and middle-aged men due to a violation of physiological hair growth cycle. When the first symptoms of diffuse alopecia should consult a doctor, as it can develop on the background of other pathological processes.

Etiological factors of the disease

Physiological hair loss in a healthy person should not exceed 150 hairs a day. In diffuse alopecia number of lost hair can sometimes exceed 1000, which causes a feeling of anxiety and anxiety in patients. Causes of diffuse alopecia can be very diverse. Provoke the onset of the disease may be harmful effects of certain factors external and internal environment, which include:

• Acute and chronic psycho-emotional stress. Adrenocortical hormones in large quantities released during strong emotional shocks, adversely affect the blood circulation and tissue trophism head.
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• Hormonal disorders. Pathological processes in the pituitary gland, ovaries and thyroid gland are common causes of alopecia.
  
• Taking medicines. Baldness may provoke antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and many others.
  
• Severe injuries and extensive surgery. They are very strong stress for the body, which leads to a general weakening it.
  
• The presence of concomitant inflammatory or infectious disease.
  
• Poor nutrition. Lack of vitamins and minerals in the daily diet can lead to baldness and other health problems.
  
• Acute and chronic poisoning by toxic substances.
  
• Exposure to ionizing radiation.

The appearance of diffuse alopecia in women or in men It indicates the presence of a serious failure in the body. Therefore, you should promptly pass a comprehensive examination and how to eliminate the cause of diffuse alopecia quickly as possible.

mechanisms of disease development

human hair during growth are the following three stages:

• The first step - the anagen phase.
  
• The second step - phase is catagen.
  
• Third stage - the telogen phase.

During the anagen phase of hair follicle cells divide rapidly, which leads to the maturation and growth of pigmented hair. This process includes the formation of the rod and the production of melanin pigment. On average, the anagen phase in a healthy person takes from 2 to 7 years.

The catagen phase, which lasts about 14 days, there is a separation formed of a hair follicle and its movement to the epidermal layer of the skin.

Telogen phase is considered to be the stage of rest, since the hair stops growing. It is in this phase, and there is hair loss, who have completed their life cycle. When a hair is in the telogen phase, the follicle, a new and gradually pushes it, which leads to hair loss. This stage lasts for 3 months.
In diffuse alopecia hair marked disruption in one of these phases, which is manifested in the form of a pathological hair loss from the scalp. The duration of each phase is caused by the general condition of the human body and its individual characteristics. Failure of any organ can lead to the development of diffuse alopecia, if this man or woman do not eat, and have a weak immune system.
For the normal functioning hair follicles need proper blood circulation and metabolism. If the body can not ensure this, the duration of the anagen phase shortens, the hair growth stops, and in the state of telogen hair begins to fall rapidly. This is what explains the diffuse alopecia and severity of clinical symptoms.

Classification

Allocate anagen and telogen types of diffuse alopecia, which differ from each other by the nature of the onset of disease and the occurrence of reasons. Telogen diffuse alopecia manifests itself gradually, due to the development in the body of a pathological process. Reason diffuse alopecia in this case lies in the hormonal failure, severe stress or deficiency of vital substances. At telogen diffuse alopecia observed premature withdrawal of the hair follicles in the resting phase, during which the hair growth stops.
Anagen diffuse alopecia is characterized by a sudden loss of hair due to the harmful effects of very strong stimuli such as radiation exposure, the acute toxicity when taking certain toxic substances and medicines. Anagen diffuse alopecia occurs in cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pathogenetic mechanism of this form of the disease is that the hair follicles are exposed to strong damaging effect and the hairs fall out in the active growth phase.

Clinical manifestations

The main symptom of diffuse alopecia - hair loss is uniform from all over the head. In addition, in patients with marked staining, brittle and weak hair. If the disease develops in the presence of thyroid dysfunction, syphilis, or atopic dermatitis, it may also fall out hair from eyebrows and eyelashes. Most often, the scalp thins rapidly in the parting or a circle.
At telogen form of diffuse alopecia complete baldness does not occur, even though it may have both acute and gradual onset. Characteristic manifestation has anagenovoy type disease in which there is complete baldness within a few weeks after exposure to a provoking factor. Forecast as in telogen and anagen with diffuse alopecia, in most cases favorable, if timely detection and eliminate the cause of its development.

Restoration of hair after diffuse alopecia on average takes about 3-9 months.

In the photo diffuse alopecia it looks like a uniform thinning of hair of varying severity (depending on the shape and development of the cause), usually affects the parietal region and the parting area. If you notice at the onset of symptoms diffuse alopecia, it should immediately seek help from a qualified professional.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease has been trichologist, but in consultation with other specialists (endocrinologist, psychologist, gastroenterologist) may be necessary during the diagnostic process. Women, unlike men, more likely to seek medical help because of the problem of increased hair loss. That is why men diffuse alopecia is diagnosed much less frequently, but it does not mean that the stronger sex representatives should not contact a specialist.
To determine the correct treatment strategy, the physician must determine the cause of hair loss. This requires a comprehensive examination of the whole body, which includes:

• Clinical and biochemical blood tests. To assess the condition of many organs and systems, reveal anemia, the presence of an inflammatory or allergic reactions, immune problems. Liver function tests done to check liver function and kidney function checked.
  
• A study of hormonal status. Women and men checking the levels of sex hormones, adrenal cortex and thyroid hormones.
  
• blood sugar. Hair loss is probably the first and second type of diabetes, since developing lesions in the walls of blood vessels and nerve endings.
  
• Allergy testing. Needed to avoid atopic dermatitis and other allergic diseases.
  
• Thyroid ultrasound, pelvic and abdominal cavity. To assess the general state of the organism and to identify foci of chronic inflammation.
  
• Studies on helminth infections. When helminthic infestations disturbed state of hair due to a change of normal metabolism and allergic component.
  
• Immunogram. Obligatory study for suspected immunodeficiency states, without which the doctor does not prescribe immunomodulatory or immunostimulatory drugs.
  
• Counseling psychologist or psychiatrist. For the detection and correction of problems in the psycho-emotional sphere.

Anagen type diffuse alopecia easier to install, since there is a clear link with the damaging effects of drugs, poisons or radiation.

Basic approaches to disease treatment

Therapeutic interventions should primarily be aimed at addressing the underlying cause of the disease. In combination with the basic therapy, for the treatment of diffuse alopecia widely used for topical applicationThat improve the microcirculation in the scalp. One can pick means in the form of a cream, spray, gel or masks which contain plant extracts, hormonal components.
Physiotherapy treatments are also very effective in diffuse alopecia. Recommended microcurrent therapy, scalp massage, iontophoresis and other methods. Full recovery is not possible without a proper diet. The diet should be rich in vitamins and trace elements that are essential for the formation of hair shaft (zinc, nicotinic acid, vitamin B, vitamin A). In severe hypovitaminosis vitamins administered in injectable form.
Multifactorial nature of the disease requires a comprehensive approach to treatment. Self-administration of medicines and the use of expensive medical cosmetics baldness will not give the desired result without identifying the causes of diffuse alopecia. Therefore, it is best to be treated under medical supervision.

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