Alopecia areata, a benign but mentally severe hair disease

Since the incident with Will Smith at the Oscars, the whole world suddenly heard about Alopecia areata, a hitherto relatively unknown disease. Actor Will Smith was so mad at comedian Chris Rock's joke about his wife's bald head that he couldn't control himself and slapped Rock. The joke went down very badly. Not surprising because although Alopecia areata is a benign disease that is hardly associated with physical suffering, it is psychologically difficult to bear. Did you know that Alopecia areata is also among the dermatologist can you go? We would love to zoom in on it.

What is Alopecia areata? Symptoms

Hair suddenly falls out

In Alopecia areata, bald patches suddenly occur - without any reason - on the head and other areas where there is hair growth, such as in the face (eyebrows and beard), under the armpits and at the level of the pubic area. These bald spots are round or oval shaped. Around these zones, the hair grows perfectly normal. Patients do not feel ill, the only Alopecia areata symptoms are the areas of hair loss. They are otherwise healthy. The hair loss itself is also not associated with itching or pain. Physically, it doesn't bother you. As suddenly as it comes, it also disappears by itself.

How does Alopecia areata occur?

Where does this hair loss come from and can it be avoided? There is a lot of uncertainty about this. The cause is still unknown. Presumably, it is an autoimmune disorder. This means that your own immune system turns against the hair roots, causing an inflammatory reaction around the hair roots and they no longer produce normal hair.

So there is little you can do to prevent it. The good news is that this inflammation is temporary. The inflammatory response stops automatically and once stopped, the hair roots produce normal hair again.

Mentally a tough sacrifice

Suddenly getting bald patches without knowing why it's happening and what to do about it weighs on their minds for many patients. They no longer dare to show themselves to the outside world, end up in social isolation and can develop depression. Will Smith's wife also had depression due to the illness. That is why Alopecia areata affects not only the patient himself but also his or her environment. That's probably why Smith reacted so upset to a seemingly “innocent” joke about his wife's bald head.

Do you suffer from Alopecia areata? Know that you are certainly not alone. It affects an estimated 0.05 to 0.1% of the population, both men and women.

What can the dermatologist do?

Did you know that you also have hair problems with a dermatologist can you go? This has to do with the fact that hair problems start with the (scalp) skin where the hair follicles are located, and dermatological care so can provide the best care.

Although Alopecia recovers on its own, it remains advisable to have a dermatologist to be consulted in case of sudden hair loss. In case of doubt about the diagnosis, he will perform a skin biopsy to rule out other hair diseases. Some patients think that getting a hair analysis or taking vitamin supplements will help, but that is pointless. This is because Alopecia areata is not deficient in vitamins. However, the dermatologistOnce diagnosed, prescribe corticosteroids. It is a cream or lotion that is applied to bald areas. In other cases, corticosteroids will be injected. The dermatologist will determine whether treatment is necessary and which is best.

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