Autoimmune Disease
You have enough to deal with when you have an autoimmune disease without having to worry about autoimmune hair loss too. So look for medical guidance and solutions with the most compassionate, easy-to-work-with doctor specializing in hair loss at Linkov Hair Surgery in Manhattan. You’ll find a wealth of options for autoimmune hair loss treatment. Don’t suffer in silence; call today for a consultation with a doctor who understands what you’re going through.
What Is Autoimmune Hair Loss?
Your immune system is designed to protect your body from harm caused by things like cancer cells, viruses and bacteria. When the immune system turns on your body instead of protecting it, the result is an autoimmune disease. Alopecia areata is a condition in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles, resulting in slowed production of hair or hair loss.
If you’re looking for answers on how to treat autoimmune hair loss in the greater Manhattan area, look no further than Linkov Hair Surgery. These top doctors are highly experienced in diagnosing and treating autoimmune hair loss, as well as many other types of hair loss. In fact, Dr. Gary Linkov lives with an autoimmune condition, which is one of the reasons he got into hair restoration medicine. His passion is your solution.
What Are Signs of Alopecia Areata?
It’s normal to shed up to 100 hairs a day. If you have alopecia areata, though, you may notice an excessive amount of hair falling out each day, either in your hairbrush, in the shower or on your pillow. There may be visible patches of missing hair. Common symptoms of alopecia areata include:
- Hair loss most commonly affecting your head and face, but can happen all over the body
- Hair typically falling out in round patches
- Hair loss from your eyebrows or eyelashes
In rare cases, patchy hair loss progresses to losing hair from your entire scalp, which is known as alopecia totalis. If you lose hair all over your body, that’s known as alopecia universalis, which is extremely rare. Even though your immune system attacks hair follicles when you have alopecia areata, those follicles aren’t usually destroyed, which means there’s potential for hair regrowth.
What Other Autoimmune Diseases Can Cause Hair Loss?
Autoimmune diseases cause inflammation and often affect more than one part of the body. There are many different autoimmune diseases, and whenever the body falls under attack, hair loss may be a symptom. Common autoimmune conditions that can trigger hair loss include:
Lupus Lupus is an autoimmune disease that usually targets different parts of the body. It causes systemic inflammation that may lead to hair loss. During remission, lost hair may grow back, but if there’s any scarring of the follicles, hair loss may be permanent.
Thyroid imbalance When the thyroid gland is either underactive or overactive, the hormones responsible for the growth of hair shafts are affected, which can impact the regrowth cycle.
Diabetes Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease that prevents the pancreas from making insulin. Damage to blood vessels from this condition can affect the hair growth cycle.
Any medical condition “Link to Conditions” that affects the skin can also affect the body’s ability to grow healthy hair. A variety of other health conditions sometimes trigger hair loss, including:
What Are My Autoimmune Disease Hair Loss Treatment Options?
The best treatment for autoimmune hair loss depends on the extent of your hair loss and the actual cause. If you’ve only lost a small amount of hair, treatment may not be necessary, since the lost hair may grow back. Alopecia areata can’t be cured, but your NYC doctor can recommend several different forms of treatment for autoimmune disease hair loss, such as:
- Minoxidil Sold over the counter, this product can slow hair loss and stimulate hair regrowth. It’s sold under the brand name Rogaine, as well as generic brands. Apply it as directed by your doctor, usually once or twice a day. It may take a few months to see results from this form of treatment.
- Corticosteroids Prescription-strength corticosteroids applied once or twice a day to areas where hair has been lost can help hair to regrow. Using topical corticosteroids is usually more effective for children with autoimmune hair loss than for adults. Corticosteroids can also be prescribed as a pill to be taken orally.
- Steroid injections Your NYC doctor may recommend injections of corticosteroids into bald areas, which is an effective way of treating autoimmune hair loss. Injections are typically given every four to eight weeks, as needed.
Additional medications may be prescribed to treat autoimmune diseases. Treating the underlying autoimmune disorders often slows hair loss, but it can’t prevent the formation of other bald patches in the future. More severe cases of alopecia areata can cause long-term or permanent hair loss, in which case you may be an ideal candidate for hair transplants, including:
What Are Some Self-Care Methods for Living with Alopecia Areata?
Cosmetic and protective techniques help your symptoms as you undergo treatment. You must wait for hair loss treatment results, which can take months. What you can do when you’re living with alopecia areata or other types of hair loss include:
Reducing stress Whenever you’re dealing with a lot of stress, it can lead to health concerns. Work on reducing stress wherever possible and learn ways to cope with stress, such as doing yoga and meditation. An improved ability to manage stress helps reduce cycles of hair loss.
Eating a well-balanced diet Healthy hair depends on getting adequate nutrients. Poor nutrition and deficiencies in certain nutrients such as iron and vitamin D contribute to hair loss.
Covering bald areas Use sunscreen to protect bare skin and use hairstyles, hats or scarves to minimize the visibility of hair loss and protect your head from the elements. Consider hair replacement systems, such as toupees and wigs. Options in hair replacement systems have come a long way, and many choices look natural.
If you’re looking for autoimmune hair loss treatment or treatment for other forms of hair loss, contact Linkov Hair Surgery. There’s no better choice in NYC if you’re looking for a compassionate and friendly environment to obtain effective treatment to reverse hair loss or thinning hair. Schedule your consultation today.
