The Diagnosis and Management of Alopecia
November 2012
in “
South African Family Practice
”
TLDR The article concludes that early treatment of alopecia is crucial to prevent permanent hair loss.
The article from 2012 discusses various forms of alopecia, their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. It distinguishes between non-scarring alopecias, which are often reversible, and scarring alopecias, which typically lead to permanent hair loss. Non-scarring types include alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition treated with corticosteroids and minoxidil, telogen effluvium, which is stress-related, trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, and alopecia syphilitica from secondary syphilis. Scarring alopecias, such as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), frontal fibrosing alopecia, lichen planopilaris (LPP), and discoid lupus erythematosus, are treated with anti-inflammatory agents to stop disease progression, but regrowth is usually not possible. The article highlights the necessity of early intervention to prevent irreversible hair loss.
