- Alopecia areata, or spot baldness, affects men and women alike. Most of the time, alopecia areata is not that sever, but if it is not treated properly, the alopecia areata that only affected certain parts of the scalp will travel to the entire scalp. This is known as alopecia totalis. It can get even worse, though, as it can move to the entire body, turning into alopecia universalis. Many times, treatment is not necessary as the condition will regress on its own, with 90% of the people affected regrowing their hair over time. When it becomes severe, there are treatments available.
- Taking an oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone, will help decrease hair loss in the affected area, but it has not been proven to be the most effective form of treatment. The area will stop losing hair, but only as long as you are taking the corticosteroid. Depending on the severity of the alopecia areata, the dosage of prednisone will be between 30 mg and 150 mg. Taking prednisone also exposes you to some adverse side effects. Weight gain is the most severe, as it is a steroid and it will change your metabolic rate. Other side effects include hypertension, indigestion, osteoporosis, early diabetes development, immunosuppression and blood clots. In an initial study of 22 patients experiencing alopecia, 16 regrew hair within three to six weeks. The more severe the alopecia, the less likely regrowth and regression was.
- For those with alopecia areata, the most successful treatment available is suppression through a topical ointment that contains tacrolimus like Protopic. There is no guarantee that the alopecia areata will remain suppressed, as higher levels of stress may cause it to return.
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