Dr. Leela Samudra

Find Out the Type of Alopecia the Bald Patches Might Be Indicating

Alopecia Areata is the most prominent kind of alopecia that causes hair fall. It happens if your immune system attacks the hair follicles, resulting in excessive shedding and even bald patches. Generally, people below 20 are most affected by this condition but it may occur to any individual irrespective of age and gender. The hair loss is reversible on its own and treatments are also available. Below is a list of different types of Alopecia Areata that have been diagnosed in people.

• Alopecia Universalis (AU) - This kind of alopecia leads to complete hair loss from the body, including eyebrows and eyelashes.
• Alopecia Totalis (AT) - Alopecia Tolalis causes shedding of hair from the scalp making one bald.
• Alopecia Barbae - When Alopecia Areata occurs at the beard area making patches or wiping the entire area smooth, it is called Alopecia Barbae.
• Scarring Alopecias (Cicatricial Alopecias) - This is the rarest form of Alopecia where one loses hair permanently.
• Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) - Also called male or female pattern baldness, this type of alopecia causes excessive thinning of hair to the point that the scalp is almost visible. This is a progressive kind of hair loss that is most common in people with hereditary alopecia.
• Traction Alopecia - This type of alopecia results from excessive pulling on the hair, which causes tension in the hair follicles. Primarily seen in women because of certain kind of hairstyles, it can lead to damage of hair shafts preventing re-growth of hair.
• Telogen Effluvium - If more than normal amount of hair falls out then, it is called Telogen Effluvium. It is usually innocuous and the hair returns to its former glory after the phase has passed.
• Anagen Effluvium - This type of hair loss is caused due to chemicals used to treat cancer. After the completion of the treatment, hair usually grows back to its normal state.

Related Tip: Top Causes of Hair Loss and Hair Thinning in Women?