You may be interested to learn whether certain hair loss and hair maintenance solutions will help manage or enhance your condition if you have alopecia areata (AA), a disorder that causes hair loss and can result in bald patches.
It may seem like there are always new items being advertised to you, from topicals to implants and everything in between, but this is not a coincidence. Advertising for these items is resurging in traditional media, including TV advertisements, the internet, and bus and train ads. Learn more on how these products work for you.
Understanding Popular Hair Products for Alopecia Before Using Them
When the body’s immune system destroys the hair follicles, alopecia areata, a form of autoimmune illness, results in hair loss. There are several new hair loss products on the market, whether they are over-the-counter, prescribed, or even subscription services. The product may make one of the following claims to assist you:
- Keep your natural hair
- Cover up thinning hair
- Alternative hairstyles or hair implants
If you suffer from a disorder like alopecia, several of these solutions could seem alluring. To create a suitable, individualised treatment plan, speak with a dermatologist before rushing to try one of these products.
This is crucial for alopecia since there are several types and degrees of severity for this ailment, and they all respond differently to therapy. There are three basic kinds of autoimmune alopecia, according to the American Academy of Dermatology:
- The most prevalent kind of alopecia areata can cause patchy hair loss anywhere on the body
- Alopecia totalis, a condition that causes complete baldness of the head
- The most uncommon kind of alopecia, alopecia universalis, causes complete total baldness throughout the body.
The prognosis varies depending on the kind. While some people may be able to grow their hair back without the problem returning, others may suffer from persistent body-wide hair loss.
Hair Growth Supplements
Minoxidil (Rogaine), a well-liked and viable choice, is frequently used in conjunction with a brief course of hair supplements. Although topical minoxidil may be helpful in certain cases of mild alopecia areata, it is unlikely to have a significant impact if there is active inflammation.
5% minoxidil has been found in studies to increase density and hair shaft diameter in cases with androgenetic alopecia, which is more popularly recognised as pattern baldness but is not autoimmune linked. In order to protect the hairs that are still developing on the scalp, it is preferable to start using minoxidil as soon as possible. If the hairs have already shrunk in size, it may still be possible to restore some of their original characteristics.
When continuously applied to the beard region, minoxidil does aid in improving facial hair growth when it comes to hair loss in other locations. Although extreme caution would need to be exercised to prevent getting minoxidil in the eyes, it can also aid in the development of eyebrows. It is strongly advised against use along the eyelashes.
Due to minoxidil being administered to the scalp, there is also a chance of excessive hair growth on the forehead and sideburn area. The minoxidil would need to be stopped if facial hair increased to an extreme level, which can be troublesome in women at times. If hair growth remained for more than six months after ceasing, laser hair removal or other hair-reduction procedures would probably be required.
