Common localized hair loss “baldness”

  Baldness can occur at any age, but is most often seen in middle-aged people between the ages of 30 and 40, with no significant gender differences. Many patients have a history of trauma and mental stimulation before the onset of the disease. Patients often discover hair loss unintentionally or by others, with no self-perceived symptoms. Initially, there is one or several well-defined round, oval or irregular shaped hair loss areas with normal, smooth, non-scaly scalp and no inflammatory reaction. During the active phase, the hair at the edge of the alopecia area is loose and can be easily pulled out.  The etiology is not completely clear, and current research has found that it may be related to genetics, emotions, stress, endocrine disorders, and autoimmune factors. Generally speaking the more extensive the hair loss area, the greater the chance of hair re-loss, the higher the recurrence rate and the smaller the chance of complete recovery.  This condition is generally easy to diagnose, but sometimes it needs to be differentiated from pseudo-baldness caused by inflammatory scarring alopecia. For small lesions, topical medication is the main treatment, aiming to stimulate local skin, improve blood circulation and promote hair growth. The commonly used ones include tincture of chili pepper, etc., which is effective twice a day. For rapid and widespread hair loss, oral small and medium doses of glucocorticoid drugs can be taken under the guidance of physicians and gradually reduced after controlling the disease. In addition, taking cystine, zinc gluconate, vitamin B6, etc. can help hair growth.  Patients with persistent mental tension, anxiety and insomnia can consult the mental health department for help. In stubborn cases or those with a large area of hair loss, comprehensive treatments such as ultraviolet light irradiation and helium-neon laser irradiation are also used clinically. For patients in whom multiple treatments are ineffective, alternative methods can be used to cover the lesions, such as wigs to help patients with generalized pattern baldness resume a normal social life.  Precautions: 1. Relax, excessive anxiety can further aggravate hair loss.  2. Try to find and remove possible triggering factors.  3. Reduce the number of shampoos appropriately, not more than twice a week.  4, try to avoid smoking, stay up late, etc., pay attention to the combination of work and rest.  5, women should not tie braids too tight, to reduce the pulling of the hair.  6, if necessary, go to a regular hospital, using comprehensive treatment to improve the effectiveness of treatment.