Live webcast for hair loss sufferers
Suffering from alopecia? Join top trichologist Carol Michaelides for a live webchat at 9.30amWith over a million people suffering from alopecia in Britain and many more suffering in silence, there is still no set cure for this condition, which for many has devastating effects.
The word alopecia comes from the Greek 'alopex' which is literally translated as 'fox's disease'. However, today alopecia areata is defined as hair loss in patches.
Alopecia is defined as a hair loss disease that effects men, women and children. The onset of hair loss is often sudden, random and frequently recurrent. While the disease itself is not damaging to the person's health, coping with hair loss can prove challenging.
Epidemology
Alopecia affects approximately 1.7% of the population, including more than four million people in the US, with both men and women being equally affected. About 25% of patients have a family history of the disorder.
It's reported that 90,000 people in the UK are affected by alopecia - though these figures are under estimated as many people do not report their suffering.
What causes Alopecia? |
The exact cause of alopecia is presently not known, although it is generally agreed that it is a disease of the autoimmune system. In addition, there is believed to be a genetic component in some cases and some studies have shown a link with stress.
In alopecia, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by a person's own immune system (white blood cells), possibly due to chemicals called cytokines, resulting in the arrest of the anagen (hair growth) stage and a move to the telogen (resting) phase where the hairs are then abruptly shed.
Hair loss article source
<< Home