Alopecia Areata Treatment London - When Hair Loss Comes in Patches
The first patch appeared without warning. A smooth, round bald spot where hair should be. Then another. Your hair is falling out in patches and nobody can tell you exactly why or when it will stop.
Alopecia areata is autoimmune hair loss. Your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing them to stop producing hair. It is unpredictable, distressing, and often poorly understood by doctors who rarely see it.
You deserve proper assessment and treatment options that go beyond "wait and see."
Understanding Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is not the same as common pattern baldness. It is an autoimmune condition where your immune system targets hair follicles as if they were foreign invaders.
The result is patchy hair loss, typically starting as one or more round bald spots on the scalp. It can affect beard, eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair too.
The condition is unpredictable. Some people experience a single patch that regrows within months. Others develop multiple patches or progress to more extensive loss. A minority lose all scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or all body hair (alopecia universalis).
Triggers can include stress, illness, or other autoimmune conditions, but often no clear cause is identified.
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Treatment Options for Alopecia Areata
Corticosteroid injections into affected patches can suppress local immune activity and promote regrowth. This is often first-line treatment for limited patches.
Topical treatments including steroids, minoxidil, and immune modulators can support regrowth.
PRP therapy offers a complementary approach. Growth factors may help stimulate follicles to resume production and modulate local immune response.
Systemic treatments including JAK inhibitors are newer options for extensive alopecia areata, available through dermatology specialists.
Light therapy (PUVA) is sometimes used for widespread disease.
No single treatment works for everyone. Often, combination approaches produce best results.
How PRP Helps Alopecia Areata
PRP delivers growth factors that stimulate dormant follicles. In alopecia areata, follicles are not destroyed but are in forced dormancy. Stimulating them can encourage return to active growth.
PRP also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help calm the local immune response attacking follicles.
Research on PRP for alopecia areata is promising though still developing. Many patients see improvement, particularly when PRP is combined with other treatments.
A series of treatments is typically needed. Results take time as hair gradually returns.
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Supporting Your Hair From Inside
While treating the scalp externally, internal support helps create conditions favouring regrowth.
Nutrafol addresses stress hormones and inflammation that can trigger or worsen autoimmune flares. Its adaptogenic ingredients help regulate the stress response that often precedes alopecia areata episodes.
While not a treatment for alopecia areata specifically, optimising overall hair health supports any regrowth that occurs.
The Emotional Impact
Alopecia areata affects more than appearance. The unpredictability is psychologically exhausting. Not knowing whether patches will spread or regrow creates constant anxiety.
Visible hair loss invites questions, stares, and unwanted attention. Many people with alopecia areata experience depression and social withdrawal.
We understand this is not just cosmetic. Proper treatment and support matter for your wellbeing, not just your hair.
What to Expect From Treatment
We begin with thorough assessment. Examining the pattern and extent of loss, discussing your history, and considering any contributing factors.
Treatment recommendations are personalised. Some patients benefit from steroid injections alone. Others respond better to combination with PRP. Some need referral for systemic treatment.
We monitor progress and adjust treatment as needed. Alopecia areata requires patience and persistence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my hair definitely grow back? Alopecia areata is unpredictable. Many people experience spontaneous regrowth. Treatment improves chances and speed of regrowth. Complete permanent loss is uncommon but possible.
Is alopecia areata hereditary? There is a genetic component. Family history increases risk but does not guarantee you will develop it.
Can stress cause alopecia areata? Stress can trigger episodes in susceptible individuals. Managing stress may help prevent flares.
How is this different from normal hair loss? Pattern baldness is gradual and predictable. Alopecia areata causes sudden patchy loss with smooth bald spots and may affect any hair-bearing area.
Should I see a dermatologist instead? Dermatology referral may be appropriate for extensive disease or if initial treatments fail. We can arrange referral when needed.
Do not face unpredictable hair loss alone.
