Alopecia (hair loss)

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. Hair loss can affect any part of the body, in both women and men.  The commonest form of hair loss is male pattern balding which affects over half of all men as they become older.  Women can also be affected with thinning of the hair with age.

Other causes of alopecia can be autoimmune (alopecia areata),  hormonal problems, iron deficiency, side effects from medication, scarring from inflammatory skin diseases and excessive hair shedding, for example following pregnancy and illness or stress.  Women can experience frontal fibrosing alopecia.

Treatment of alopecia involves working out the underlying cause first of all, this may be possible through examination of the scalp or may require tests.  Investigations to look at the cause of hair loss may include blood tests and occasionally a scalp biopsy under local anaesthetic to examine the hair follicle (root).

Treatment of hair loss depends on the cause but can include steroid creams and lotions, steroid injections,  minoxidil lotion/foam, tablets or occasionally biologic therapy.