Alopecia areata totalis: hair loss all over the body

Total hair loss or alopecia totalis is a disease that can affect anyone at any age, both men and women. Initially, there are isolated bald patches, as the first symptoms usually occur in the form of alopecia areata, where bald patches occur on the scalp. However, in the case of alopecia areata totalis, the bald patches take on an extreme dimension and, over time, lead even beyond baldness on the head. In the next stage, eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic hair and body hair are often also affected, so that total hair loss can occur all over the body.

Alopecia totalis - also known as alopecia universalis - is probably an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks and eventually completely destroys its own hair follicles. In an advanced stage, this eventually causes hairlessness all over the body.

Causes of alopecia totalis

The causes of alopecia totalis are not fully understood and still raise major questions even among medical experts. In fact, alopecia universalis is more common when previous generations have also been affected by the disease. Therefore, it is currently believed that a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors cause the condition. Hair loss caused by stress or medications are unlikely to be the cause in this case, although they do play a role in many other forms of hair loss.

Alopecia totalis: hair grows back?

For many, this is the single most important question about alopecia totalis: will hair grow back, or is there anything you can do to stimulate hair growth? Unfortunately, the answer is sobering, because so far the disease is not considered curable or there is no known remedy that can stimulate hair growth again if hairlessness has already occurred on the entire body. This is mainly because the cause usually cannot be determined. If the cause is known and alopecia totalis is diagnosed at an early stage, in some cases there is still a chance of hair growth even with alopecia universalis, but unfortunately this happens only rarely.

Severe impairment due to alopecia totalis

Although total hair loss is not usually a sign of a critical health condition, it can be extremely difficult emotionally to deal with the diagnosis. Because the condition alopecia totalis often results in total hair loss all over the body, it can be a devastating diagnosis for patients, leading to feelings of isolation and anxiety. Patients with alopecia totalis often report feeling depressed and anxious. They may also feel insecure and isolated, as they find it difficult to hide their condition. This can lead to social withdrawal and dysfunction in daily life. Thus, besides the physical consequences of alopecia totalis due to the lack of the protective function that eyebrows, eyelashes and other body hair normally have, the condition can also have significant mental health implications.

Dealing with alopecia totalis

With a serious diagnosis of alopecia totalis, good advice is expensive, as a cure has not yet been found. For those affected, it is therefore particularly important to find a way of coping with the disease that allows them to continue to enjoy a high quality of life. Today, there are several options, from high-quality wigs to hair transplantation, in which healthy hair follicles (if still present) are taken from another part of the body and transplanted onto the bald part of the scalp. The transplanted hair follicles can then eventually grow new hair.

Conclusion

In summary, alopecia totalis is a rare disease that leads to hair loss all over the body and often causes a lot of (emotional) distress. There is no known cure for this disease. More research is needed to elucidate possible causes and find a successful treatment method.