4 Alopecia Types You Should See a Dermatologist About

When did you last watch Call Me by Your Name and drooled over Timothee Chalamet's luscious bangs? We all have felt this kind of emotion at one point.

Losing your hair is painful. No man wants to go through this experience, yet, none of us have any control over it. It doesn’t matter whether you are an Indian, American, or coming from the city of love, Paris. If you are living in France, you are already aware of its water quality, which has dropped to an all-time low. This has further led to increased visits to dermatologue privé for all kinds of hair problems.

 Living in cities is not easy. The urban living condition is far from ideal with an abundance of pollution, dirt, and hard water. All of these factors contribute to untimely hair loss. However, environmental pollutants are not the only ones to blame. Genes play a huge role in hair volume. So, if premature baldness runs in your family, it is likely that you will face it too at some point. If you are not facing severe hair loss, consulting a médecin privé may help. But, what if you are actually, seriously losing your hair? What then?

Let's discuss.

Why are men going bald in their twenties?

We generally associate hair loss with aging. Yet, a large number of young men face the daunting prospect of premature baldness. This number has grown considerably in the last few decades, largely due to major lifestyle changes. People today undergo significantly more stress than the generations before them. In addition, heavy usage of alcoholic products, and inadequate diet also result in a decline in the overall lifestyle quality. While this is not entirely untrue, lifestyle alone does not cause early balding. According to hair experts and dermatologue privé, the primary causes are still not totally clear. But some patterns are: hormonal changes, autoimmune diseases, and thyroid disorders are common among people with signs of premature hair loss.

But none affects men as much as genes. They have the upper hand when it comes to male-pattern baldness. Unlike environmental conditions or health issues, patterned baldness is rooted in our genetic code. For a very long time, this had no cure and no potential for reversal. However, that has significantly changed since the introduction of treatments like PRP and mesotherapy.

Despite all the hulaboos about all the new medicines and treatments, we still don’t know what lies ahead. We know new treatments will pop up in the future, but delaying the treatment is the last thing anyone would want. That being said, the least you can do is to consult a médecin privé and start treatment as early as possible.

Alopecia and its different types

In medical terms, Alopecia is the gradual thinning of hair over time, which ultimately leads to baldness or the total disappearance of hair.

Generally, we lose somewhere around 50 to 100 strands of hair on a daily basis, but when the rate crosses that margin we experience unhealthy hair loss. When this happens, we generally visit dermatologue privé to get a formal checkup. Oftentimes, médecin privé sends their patients for a Trichogramma examination to determine the type of alopecia.

Alopecia varies for each patient. However, once the condition worsens, signs of male-patterned baldness show up. Discussed below are four common kinds of alopecia that affect men.

1. Androgenetic

This form of alopecia affects about 70% of men and is characterized by progressive reduction of hair volume. Common symptoms include the gradual decline of hair in the frontal part of the head. The hairline recedes and it expands to the back of the head. Over time it leads to complete loss of hair. This advanced stage is known as androgenetic alopecia.

2. Traction alopecia

This type of alopecia occurs when we indulge in heavy hairstyles or use a comb in an improper manner for a long time. Frequent styling often puts pressure on hair follicles which eventually leads to the breakage of the hair from the shaft. Although this condition is reversible, if remains untreated it can turn into a permanent condition.

3. Telogen effluvium

This type of hair loss occurs during the telogen phase, leading to a large loss of hair all over the head. This condition is typically common in women. Telogen effluvium is not only limited to disruption of the hair cycle but also takes during stressful situations, childbirth, miscarriage, and surgical operations.

4. Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition. It affects the hair follicles resulting in hair loss in patches. Unlike male-pattern-baldness, it is reversible. It is common to see hair loss in patches on the head, the eyebrows, the eyelashes, and other hairy parts of the body. This condition is also known to have detrimental effects on one's mental health.  

Treatments available and what’s Next?

Treating alopecia is not impossible but it is temporary. Hair loss treatments are usually expensive and take time to show results. There are various kinds of treatments out there. In the initial stages, dermatologue privé generally prescribes non-surgical treatments for the patients. Medical solutions like finasteride and Minoxidil are helpful in arresting the initial hair loss and in some cases may also promote hair regrowth. But, with time the situation only gets worse, and enrolling for a proper treatment makes sense.  

At this point, a médecin privé would ask you to get a hair transplant or a PRP therapy done, which are the only measurable options available against this condition.