Some patients with mild baldness can grow hair on their own without treatment for some time. However, in some cases, the condition is so prolonged that all the hair on the body falls out, becoming a generalized baldness. In some cases, the hair grows out but starts to fall out again after a period of time, and the condition is repeated, which has a great impact on beauty and psychology. The following are the answers to some of the questions frequently asked by patients with baldness.
1. Can baldness be cured?
The hair follicles of patients with baldness still exist and retain the function of regenerating hair, so they can grow out again. After treatment, within 1 year after the onset of the disease, about half of the patients’ hairs can be regenerated. The first hairs that grow out are soft and light-colored, and later they are replaced by thick, black hairs. However, almost all patients with baldness will relapse, and about one fifth of patients can develop total or universal baldness. And only one in ten patients with total or universal baldness can be cured. The more severe the condition, the worse the prognosis for patients with baldness. In other words, if a lot of hair falls out at the beginning, then it may develop until all the hair falls out, or even all the hair on the whole body is lost.
2. Why do you get baldness?
The pathogenesis of baldness is not yet fully understood. Current research suggests that autoimmunity may be an important cause of the development of baldness. Because about one-fifth of patients with baldness have a family history, it also suggests that the disease is a disease with genetic qualities.
3.How to diagnose baldness?
The diagnosis of baldness can be made based on the clinical features of hair loss. It is characterized by the rapid and complete loss of hair in one or several circular areas with clear borders and no scarring. It usually occurs on the scalp, but can also occur on the eyebrows, eyelashes or beard. Alopecia areata are usually the size of a coin. When all the hair is lost, it is called total baldness, and when all the hair on the body, including the scalp, is lost, it is called general baldness.
4.Do I need to do any tests if I have alopecia areata?
Most patients with baldness do not need laboratory tests. In a few cases, if the diagnosis is uncertain, fungal tests, dermoscopy, skin biopsy, lupus erythematosus or syphilis serology are needed to rule out ringworm, plucking fetish, resting alopecia, lupus erythematosus and syphilis.
5.What are the dangers of baldness?
Alopecia areata has a great impact on beauty and psychology. The psychological effects may affect the general health situation and may lead to anxiety and depression, which can lead to social, work and personal problems. However, there is no direct damage to somatic health.
6. Are intra-scalp hormone injections effective and safe?
Intra-scalp glucocorticoid injections can stimulate hair regrowth locally at the injection site and are effective in patients with less than 5 rashes and hair loss patches less than 3 cm in diameter. This therapy is indicated for the treatment of smaller areas of patchy alopecia and areas with cosmetic needs such as the eyebrows, but is not suitable for patients with large areas of rapidly progressing alopecia, and is less effective in patients with total baldness. It is also important to pay attention to its side effects. It is a common side effect of glucocorticoid injections within the skin lesion when skin atrophy occurs at the injection site, especially if the same site is injected repeatedly or with high concentrations of glucocorticoids. Those who inject glucocorticosteroids near the eyes have a higher risk of cataracts and increased intraocular pressure.
7. Is topical hormone ointment effective?
The use of ultra-potent topical glucocorticoids such as clobetasone propionate ointment has been widely used in the treatment of baldness. In a clinical trial, clobetasone propionate ointment was used to seal the package for 12 weeks and at least 50% hair regrowth was seen in 18% of patients with total or general baldness.
8. Does psychotherapy work?
Psychotherapy has a role to play in patients with baldness. For patients with baldness, it is important to start with psychological adjustment and guide them to adapt to the change of their image, which can reduce the impact of baldness on their psychological and life stress. For some patients with mild baldness, psychological reassurance can sometimes lead to hair regrowth.