Types of Alopecia
- Alopecia areata usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth bald areas on the scalp and is the most common type of alopecia.
- Alopecia totalis is the complete loss of hair on the scalp and frequently begins as alopecia areata.
- Alopecia universalis is hair loss of the scalp and the entire body.
- In all types of alopecia areata (including totalis, & universalis) the hair follicles are still alive, they are just receiving an erroneous signal from the immune system. It is best to visit a dermatologist for a correct diagnosis.
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) appears with a slow band-like recession of the frontal hairline, with scarring (fibrosing) along the front of the scalp, and sometimes the sides of the scalp. Loss of eyebrow hair and body hair is also a recognized in this condition. This often, but not exclusively, affects post-menopausal women.
Lichen planopilaris (LPP) is a type of scarring hair loss that occurs when a relatively common skin disease, known as lichen planus affects areas of skin where there is hair. Lichen planopilaris destroys the hair follicle and then replaces it with scarring, resulting in permanent hair loss. It is between 2 and 5 times more common in women than it is in men with the commonest age of onset being in the mid-40's.
Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss that usually happens after stress, a shock, or a traumatic event. It usually occurs on the top of the scalp. It is different from alopecia areata. Large amounts of a person’s hair might fall out, but it is often temporary, and the hair usually grows back.
