There are many causative factors for hair loss. These may include thyroid abnormalities, iron deficiency, autoimmune diseases, hormonal abnormalities, or the result of an underlying disease such as diabetes. Treatments would include regulating an overactive or underactive thyroid gland, correcting the imbalance of male or female hormones (known as androgens and estrogens), taking supplements, etc. Additionally, fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children, however, it is easily treated with antifungal medicines.
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Treat hair loss at the early signs
Examination by a medical professional is a must and should be performed as early as possible. By finding the cause of hair loss, many modalities can be used to prevent any further loss and to help grow new hair. |
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During your office consultation you will be provided with a detailed plan of the treatments that will benefit you most. Please contact us with any questions you may have or schedule an appointment online for a consultation.
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The word "alopecia" is the medical term for hair loss. Alopecia does not refer to one specific hair loss disease -- any form of hair loss is an alopecia. The word alopecia is Latin, but can be traced to the Greek "alopekia," which itself comes from alopek, meaning "fox." Literally translated, the word alopecia (alopekia) is the term for mange in foxes.
Hair loss can be caused by any number of conditions, reflected in a specific diagnosis. Some diagnoses have alopecia in their title, such as alopecia areata or scarring alopecia, but many do not, such as telogen effluvium.
Alopecia can be caused by many factors from genetics to the environment. While androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern baldness, AGA for short) is by far the most common form of hair loss, dermatologists also see many people with other forms of alopecia. Several hundred diseases have hair loss as a primary symptom.
Probably the most common non-AGA alopecias a dermatologist will see are telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, ringworm, scarring alopecia, and hair loss due to cosmetic overprocessing. Other, more rare forms of hair loss may be difficult to diagnose, and some patients may wait months, even years for a correct diagnosis and undergo consultation with numerous dermatologists until they find one with knowledge of their condition. Plus, with rare diseases, there is little motivation for research to be conducted and for treatments to be developed. Often, even when a correct diagnosis is made, a dermatologist can offer no known treatment for the condition.
Research into hair biology and hair diseases is a very small field, and even research on androgenetic alopecia is quite limited. Perhaps 20 years ago there were fewer than 100 people worldwide who studied hair research in a major way. In recent years, there may be five times as many. This is still a small number compared to, say, diabetes research, but the expanding numbers of researchers investigating hair biology is positive, and eventually should lead to a better understanding and more help for those with rare alopecias.
Dr. Gary Rothfeld
Board Certified Dermatologist
30 E. 60th St. Ste. 805
New York, NY 10022
212.644.9494
1.800.BLEMISH
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