Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease. It is also known as spot baldness. In this syndrome, your immune system attacks your hair follicles and causes hair loss. Sudden hair loss may occur on the head, and in a few cases, it may be your eyebrows, eyelashes, and face, as well as other parts. It can also develop and slowly recur after years between instances. The condition may lead to total hair loss called alopecia universalis. It prevents hair growth. When hair does grow back, it is possible to fall out again. The extent of hair loss and regrowth may differ from one person to another. This disease can affect anyone regardless of age and gender, but most cases occur before 30. Till now, spot baldness has no cure. But, some treatments help you grow your hair.

What are Alopecia Areata Symptoms?

The primary symptoms and signs of alopecia areata are hair loss on the head and other body parts. Alopecia symptoms are:

• Small bald patches
• Pinpoint dents appear
• White spots and lines appear
• Nails become rough, thin, split, and lose their shine
• Exclamation marks hairs
• Cadaver hairs
• White hair

Alopecia Areata Causes:

Alopecia is an autoimmune disease. So, your body’s immune system treats your hair as a foreign particle. It destroys hair follicles. Some more causes of alopecia barbae are:

• Vitamin D deficiency
• Hereditary
• Asthma, hay fever, thyroid, or down syndrome
• Cancer treatment
• Genes and hormones
• Stress
• Iron deficiency

Alopecia Areata Treatment:

Your doctor or dermatologist will examine the problem area or areas. They will check the patchy areas in your hair and examine your nails. There are many reasons for hair loss, so your doctor tests you for a particular reason.

The treatment process mainly depends on how long you have had the disease. In many situations, your hair regrows on its own, and treatment may be unnecessary. Your treatment plan is based on the age, amount of hair loss, and area of hair loss. There are many treatment approaches based on the types of medications used.

How to treat a child suffering from Alopecia Areata?

There are many examples where children face patchy baldness because of spot baldness. If your child has hair loss, you can go with a treatment, which is best for their age. The medicines doctors may recommend for alopecia areata treatments are as follows:

• Corticosteroids:The doctor may prescribe corticosteroids with prescribed strength for hair regrowth. These must be applied to the bald spots twice a day or as necessary. For children, it is a highly effective treatment plan.
• Minoxidil:It is a medicine that helps hair regrowth. It has minimal side effects. Hence, minoxidil is preferable for children below the age of ten.

Alopecia Areata treatment in adults:

Some best treatments for alopecia areata in adults are:

• Corticosteroid injections:These injections are for injecting into the bald spots directly. You need these between four to eight weeks, according to your severity. It is the most effective treatment with visible hair growth within twelve weeks.
• Minoxidil:It is an ointment. You can apply it once or twice daily, as your doctor prescribed. Apply it to your scalp, bald area, or eyebrows.
• Corticosteroid ointments:You can use corticosteroid ointments to get rid of bald spots. These are more effective in children than in adults.

How to treat spot baldness naturally?

In alopecia areata, your immune system cannot destroy your hair follicles. So, you can boost your hair growth with some ingredients available at home. Some of the home remedies to treat alopecia areata are:

• Onion juice:Onion juice can work wonders for alopecia They increase hair growth in the patches due to the high amount of sulfur. The sulfur increases blood circulation in your scalp. It also helps keep baldness, causing infections at bay.
• Lavender oil:It is a famous essential oil people use to de-stress and calm themselves. You can use lavender oil to fight alopecia areata.
• Garlic Juice:Garlic also has immense benefits since it is rich in sulfur. It helps to prevent hair fall and increase collagen production. Collagen helps your hair regrow.

Similar read: Garlic: Unlock the Potential Health Benefits

So by reading this, you may get a clear idea about spot baldness, how it can be caused, what are its signs and symptoms? How to treat alopecia areata medically and naturally? Don’t be panic if you have alopecia because you can regrow your hair by following the above steps.