How do I make my hair grow with alopecia?
Alopecia areata is characterized by small patches of hair loss on your scalp, eyebrows, or eyelashes. Make your hair grow with alopecia areata by using corticosteroid injections, Rogaine, and anthralin.
Alopecia areata is characterized by small patches of hair loss on your scalp, eyebrows, or eyelashes.
In most cases, the alopecia stops with one to two small-sized hairless patches, and the hair grows back naturally after some time, but, in some cases, the person needs to have a proper treatment for the hair growth.
When the doctor diagnoses you with alopecia areata, they may recommend a wait-and-see approach first of all. If your hair regrows naturally, you won't need any medical treatment.
As soon as the dermatologist identifies that you need treatment, they will start the process based on factors like:
Remember that there is no specific treatment for alopecia areata. The dermatologist prescribes you a few types of medications and treatments to determine what works for your condition.
Here is what the dermatologist usually recommends:
For children of 10 years of age or younger
Alopecia areata can occur anytime in life, but it often starts during childhood. If your child is experiencing continuous hair loss, you need to visit a dermatologist as soon as possible.
The possible treatment for alopecia areata for children ten years of age and younger include:
- Corticosteroid. The application of prescription-strength corticosteroids to bald spots can help with the regrowth of hair.
- Rogaine (minoxidil). When the doctor stops the corticosteroid treatment, they typically recommend Rogaine to maintain the regrowth. This medication has little to no side effects, making it a good option for children.
Adults and children above ten years of age
For adults and children above ten years of age, the dermatologist recommends one or more of the following treatments.
- Corticosteroid injections. You may need corticosteroid injections to help your areas with alopecia areata regrow hair. The dermatologist may inject this medication every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on your condition. This treatment is best for people with fewer hair loss patches.
- Rogaine (minoxidil). Applied 2 to 3 times a day, this medication is effective for your scalp, eyebrows, and beard.
- Anthralin. You will need to apply this medication to your bald spots as per the instructions of the dermatologist. As anthralin can cause skin irritation, you need to let it sit on your scalp or skin and wash it off within a specific time period. Using minoxidil afterward gives the best results.
Continuous loss of eyelashes
The eyes are the most sensitive part of our body, and eyelashes protect them. In cases where you observe the loss of eyelashes due to alopecia areata, the ideal treatment will be:
- Glasses. Wearing glasses will help you protect your eyes in the absence of eyelashes.
- False eyelashes.
- Bimatoprost (or any similar medication). This is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the growth of eyelashes and the treatment of glaucoma and high eye pressure.
Bald spots in eyebrows
The immediate treatment for loss of eyebrows due to alopecia areata typically includes:
- Stick-on eyebrows.
- Intralesional corticosteroids. This medication needs to be injected into your eyebrows to promote hair regrowth. The dermatologist will then ask you to apply minoxidil to maintain the regrowth.
How do I stop alopecia areata from spreading?
Although alopecia areata causes are hard to avoid, you can still follow some preventive measures to prevent worsening conditions. These include:
- Protect your bald areas from extreme temperatures with a scarf or a hat. Doing so will also reduce your risk of getting skin diseases, sunburn, and even skin cancer.
- Apply antibiotic ointment inside your nostrils if alopecia areata affects your nose hairs.
- Protect your eyes with false eyelashes or glasses if you experience loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Try to avoid stress and anxiety triggers as much as you can. Although stress is not medically proven to cause alopecia areata, it is still a major reason for general hair loss. People living with the disease also report feeling stressed before a hair loss cycle.
- Learn to relax through meditation or yoga to reduce your hair loss cycle.
Alopecia areata isn't a medical emergency, but you should seek professional consultation if you observe continual hair loss. The condition can affect the hair on your head, nose, eyebrows, and eyelashes.
If alopecia areata causes any psychological reaction, like sadness and anxiety, you can join a support group at any time.
