Hair disease is often distressing for men, women, and even children, suffering from a variety of disorders that cause mild to severe baldness and other follicular conditions. The most common types of the disease include traction alopecia, tinea capitis, and alopecia areata. While some conditions are the result of genetic factors that are virtually unavoidable, other forms occur as a result of styling techniques, chemicals, or various outside influences that are usually reduced with proper care. Hair disease is often diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist who, in many cases, can work with the patient to restore healthy hair.
Sometimes hair disease occurs in response to emotional stress or environmental factors. There are some medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, that can cause the problem, but the hair usually grows back after treatment ends. Certain chemicals used to color, curl, or straighten hair can be toxic in some situations, potentially damaging the follicles. In certain circumstances, the symptoms are permanent, but not always.
Some common causes of hair disease are preventable, and once the problem is identified, it can usually be reversed with proper styling techniques, provided no scarring has occurred. For example, the traction alopecia It often develops in people who frequently braid their hair tightly against the scalp. The constant pulling and lifting of the roots creates tension and eventually, the follicle is too weekly to hold the hair. While ongoing stress from style can lead to significant loss, it is a preventable condition. However, once damage is done, patchy baldness can become permanent in affected areas because scar tissue builds up and prohibits new hair growth.
The cause of spotty hair loss sometimes results from a contagious fungal infection of the scalp. ringworm of the head it is one of those infections that often presents as a small red ring on the head, in the affected area. When the fungus enters the hair fibers, they become brittle and break easily, creating small bald patches that can get progressively worse if left untreated. The area becomes inflamed and blisters often form. Antibiotics and medicated shampoos are frequently recommended to cure this condition.
A common autoimmune skin disease, alopecia areata , can lead to significant hair loss in various parts of the scalp or all over the body. This particular variety of hair disease occurs when an individual's white blood cells attack the follicles. It usually occurs suddenly, starting on the scalp, for reasons not fully understood by medical professionals. Many dermatologists attribute the condition to a combination of genetic factors, emotional stress, allergies, or even exposure to toxins.