ALOPECIA (II)

There are various causes for alopecia. The common causes are:
Androgenic
Hereditory
Nutritional
Environmental
Autoimmune diseases
Chemotherapy
Fungal diseases
Chronic stress

Treatment of Alopecia
Alopecia can now be treated by various medical & surgical methods.

General Measures:Take healthy diet. Diet should be rich in protein, vitamins & minerals.

Lifestyle change: Chronic stressful condition may lead to hair loss. So to counteract stress various relaxation techniques, Yoga, exercises should be done.
Proper hygeine should be maintained so as to avoid dandruff & fungal infections. Head should be covered whenever there is long duration exposure in sunlight.Only medically accepted shampoo & hair oils should be used.

Pharmacological Treatment:

Vasodilators: Minoxidil is a vasodilator which improve the microcirculation of hair follicles & prevent further hair loss. The major problem with minoxidil is its side effects & hair fall on stopping the treatment. For effective treatment it has to be applied for a period of two to three months.

Antiandrogens: They will antagonize the action of Dihydrotestosterone on hair follicles.In 1997 FDA has approved the use of Finasteride for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Finasteride act by inhibiting the enzyme 5 alpha reductase which is responsible for the conversion of testosterone to its active form dihydrotestosterone. Finasteride is approved to be taken orally.