While Alopecia Areata may not be a topic you often broadcast about, during September you can lift your voice in unison with the estimated 6.8 million people in the United States who also experience this.
Groups across the country, even Major League and Minor League baseball teams, are planning events to increase the general public's knowledge about Alopecia Areata and its effect on those who experience it.
If you experience Alopecia Areata, September would be a great time to raise awareness for those around you, whether it be friends, extended family, co-workers or the community in general. New Look Institute is proud to bring awareness to Alopecia Areata throughout the month of September.
What Is Alopecia Areata?
• As we mentioned earlier, it's estimated that 6.8 million Americans have Alopecia Areata, meaning about 2.1 percent of the population will experience the condition at some point in their lives.
• Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease, so it is not contagious.
• Alopecia Areata can occur at any age, from childhood to late adulthood. Many younger children can experience this illness, so being educated about Alopecia Areata will raise understanding and reduce stigmas.
What Does It Look Like?
Because Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease, it is not physically painful. It can be emotionally and psychologically challenging because of our society's heavy emphasis on looks and beauty.
Hairless patches are the result of the body's defense system turning against healthy cells (hence an autoimmune disease), in this case the hair follicles, which shrinks the follicles so they cannot produce new hairs. Autoimmune diseases can flare up and recede and do not kill the hair follicles, so sometimes hair will grow back in patches but disappear in other places.
Alopecia Areata generally takes one of three forms, though it can progress from one form to the other:
• Alopecia Areata (patchy): The most common form where coin-sized hairless patches appear on the scalp or other parts of the body.
• Alopecia Totalis: Complete loss of scalp hair.
• Alopecia Universalis: Complete loss of hair on the scalp, face and body.
The causes of Alopecia Areata are not fully known. Heredity can play a part, but doctors have determined a number of gene sequences must occur so even if one parent has Alopecia Areata, it won't necessarily pass along to your child. Stress and environmental issues also are thought to be contributors to Alopecia Areata.
What Can Be Done?
While there is no cure for Alopecia Areata, many treatment options are effective in minimizing hair loss. New Look Institute uses laser therapy and all-natural topical treatments to stimulate follicles to encourage regrowth. We also have a certified Trichology Practitioner on staff who evaluates each patient's unique needs and crafts a treatment to get the best results.
If stress contributes to your Alopecia Areata, addressing the underlying cause of the stress is a beneficial option. But if you cannot make the stress go away, you can take steps to improve how you react to the stressors in your life. Either solution can lead to renewed hair growth.
State-of-the-art hair restoration options are available at New Look Institute if stimulation efforts are not effective for you.
New Look Institute also provides service for wigs and other hair pieces to serve as temporary or permanent options, particularly if your Alopecia Areata is known to flare up only for certain periods of time.
As we mark Alopecia Awareness Month during September, New Look Institute encourages you to lift your voice to educate those in your circle or community. We also look forward to working with you to address the effects you experience from Alopecia Areata.
Contact us today to let us know how we can be of service to you.
