Alopecia can be a concerning hair loss condition, especially if you have never experienced it before. There are various types and causes of Alopecia, such as Androgenic Alopecia, Traction Alopecia, and Alopecia Areata. Knowing which type you may have and the possible treatments available is essential. Here, you can learn more about the condition, as well as is Alopecia hereditary, each type of Alopecia and how we can help you here at Vera Clinic.
To book a consultation, please contact our experts on hair transplant in Turkey today.
Do I Have Alopecia? – Types of Alopecia to Look Out For
If you have started to notice hair loss anywhere on your body, from your head to your legs, this could be related to Alopecia. Alopecia itself is an autoimmune disorder, a phenomenon where the body’s immune system acquires a default in the recognition mechanism, leading to the immune system attacking your hair follicles. There are a few types of Alopecia that you may be suffering from:
What is Traction Alopecia?
There are several different types of Alopecia, with many people asking, “what is Traction Alopecia?” Traction Alopecia is hair loss caused by constant pulling (“traction”). The pulling is usually on some hairs more than others leading to the development of bald patches. This type of Alopecia is often due to the hairs being pulled repeatedly by tight hairstyles. Traction Alopecia is otherwise known as tension Alopecia, stress-related Alopecia, or stress-induced Alopecia, where the hair is removed by styling in a ponytail, bun, or braids. It causes Alopecia stress on the follicles themselves. Over time, the hair weakens and causes the follicles to lose their strength, leading to hair loss. Traction Alopecia treatment can specifically help with this and avoid pulling the hair regularly.
Androgenic Alopecia
Androgenic Alopecia is one of the most common forms of hair loss for both men and women and answers the question is Alopecia hereditary? You can be genetically predisposed to suffer from Alopecia due to your family history from an early age. In men, this is also known as male pattern baldness and is where the hairline recedes, and gradual hair loss happens across the scalp and crown.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata is characterized by sporadic and unpredictable hair loss around the body. Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder that often results in unpredictable hair loss. In most cases, hair falls out in small patches, and for most people, the hair loss is nothing more than a few patches. This can look like patches when it happens rather than a total loss of all hair in the affected area. However, in some cases it can be more extreme.
For some, it can lead to the complete loss of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or, in extreme cases, the entire body (alopecia universalis). Alopecia Areata, in some instances, can be attributed to genetics, triggered by environmental factors, or acquired later in life.
There is currently no cure for Alopecia areata, although there are some forms of treatment that can be suggested by doctors to help hair re-grow more quickly.
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis is when people experience hair loss across the entire scalp area. Unlike Alopecia Areata, which appears as patches, Alopecia Totalis refers to the whole scalp area where the hair follicles are inflammation.
Alopecia Universalis
Alopecia Universalis is where a person will lose the hair all over their body along with the entire scalp. Alopecia eyebrows and leg Alopecia can be separate but usually a result of Alopecia Universalis.
The state of hair loss from Alopecia eyebrows and leg Alopecia and its progression can vary from one patient to the other, so it is always recommended to receive expert help and advice if you feel you are suffering from any of these types of hair loss.
Characteristics & Causes of Alopecia Stress, Including Alopecia from Gluten
A few characteristics of Alopecia stress on your body will indicate if you are suffering from any of the above types of Alopecia. While hair loss is most prevalent in the scalp, it can affect the entire body. As seen with Alopecia Areata, a milder hair loss situation can affect the whole scalp or start as patches.
The common causes of Alopecia stress include if you have lupus, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid diseases. It can also be linked to diet, with Alopecia and gluten linked. For example, Celiac disease can cause Alopecia from gluten, causing intestinal damage.
While causes of Alopecia from gluten’s effect on digestion are linked, it won’t affect most people, meaning their diets will not have to change. If you start to notice clumps of hair falling out, whether it is on your head hair, beard, eyebrows or arm and leg hair, it could be the start of more severe hair loss.
Is Alopecia Regrowth Possible?
Whilst there is no cure to prevent Alopecia, typically, hair growth resumes within 6 to 12 months for many people. Often relapses occur, and the growth-loss cycle begins again, meaning Alopecia regrowth is hard to predict and will differ between people.
Overextended periods of exposure to self-induced attacks from tension Alopecia or stress-induced Alopecia can mean the follicular units become irreversibly damaged. This can lead to permanent baldness where the hair will not regrow, but fortunately, there are treatments available to help, including our hair transplants in Turkey.
Is Alopecia Genetic?
Alopecia can result from your family genetics if it isn’t Traction Alopecia or stress-related Alopecia. The term Androgenic Alopecia refers to this and can mean you can suffer from hair loss from a young age, such as in your teens or 20s. If it is Alopecia genetic related, then this will gradually start to occur with a receding hairline and the gradual disappearance of hair from the frontal scalp and crown.
Alopecia vs Male Pattern Baldness: What’s the Difference?
When considering Alopecia vs Male Pattern Baldness, there are a few things to consider. Male pattern baldness is the most common type of baldness in men – also known as Androgenetic Alopecia.
A combination of genetics and hormones causes male pattern baldness. Usually starting with a receding hairline, it proceeds to thin the crown or top of the head. In that sense, male pattern baldness, unlike Alopecia, occurs in a pattern. It is much more common than Alopecia, and it Is permanent. The hair loss also does not come and go in stages as Alopecia does.
Men with male pattern baldness are more likely to lose their hair if their father or grandfather is bald. MPB is a gradual process and can take years to happen. Male pattern baldness affects about 50% of men by the time they’re 50 years old. It also occurs in women but usually much later than men, from their 40s onwards.
Treatments for Alopecia Areata & More in Turkey
The good news is that there are treatments available if you start to suffer from Alopecia Areata, tension Alopecia, and stress-induced Alopecia. With the underlying cause, the extent of baldness, and damage to hair follicles all non-constant values to consider in the treatment plan, the remedies and treatment available can vary between patients.
There is one guaranteed treatment that can reverse the symptoms of Alopecia. Hair transplants are the option to consider in the unfortunate case of perpetual hair loss. Hair transplants have evolved significantly from their humble techniques to be more efficient and successful. Through extracting viable hair follicles, they can be transplanted to the affected areas where they will adapt and flourish.
Here at Vera Clinic, we can help you with Alopecia Areata hair loss as well as specialist treatment of Alopecia eyebrows, leg Alopecia and also facial hair Alopecia. Treatments include:
FUE Hair Transplant – a revolutionary procedure that individually implants hair follicles in the natural direction of your hair growth. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) provides permanent, natural-looking results and has minimal downtime.
Sapphire Hair Transplant – using sapphire stone to perform the procedure, the instruments are highly accurate and have no visible scarring with a fast recovery.
DHI Hair Transplant is a common technique that uses an implanted pen to move hair follicles, providing permanent, natural-looking results.
PRP Injections – Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is taken from a blood sample from the scalp and then reinjected with only the platelet-rich cells remaining, promoting Alopecia regrowth.
A few factors must be met to be considered an eligible candidate for hair transplants in Turkey. You will need to have a good healthy hair to damaged follicles ratio and a monitored underlying cause of baldness. Traction Alopecia treatment and Alopecia stress symptoms will need to be assessed and if not permanent, you may not be a suitable candidate.
Because the procedure’s success relies significantly on your finite reservoir of healthy follicles, subjecting the transplanted hairs to damage may deprive you of another chance. Good overall health is a must, and you should not have any blood-borne diseases.
At Vera Clinic, based in Istanbul, Turkey, we boast state-of-the-art facilities for you to undergo life-changing hair loss treatment. We can accommodate you in a 5-star hotel and provide transportation to and from our facilities. With much lower treatment costs than you’ll find elsewhere, we can help you “arrange the perfect affordable package.
Book A Consultation for Alopecia Treatment in Turkey at Vera Clinic
Alopecia Areata is a challenging form of hair loss that some individuals are genetically predisposed to. Others might acquire this later in life due to environmental triggers or another condition’s side effect. The emotional distress experienced with hair loss can alter an individual’s life. The good news is that hair loss can be managed and restored in most cases.
Contact Vera Clinic to learn more about Alopecia Areata and its treatment through an online consultation with a medical specialist. The session is both virtual and free of charge. It will help you get to the bottom of any stress-related Alopecia symptoms and to see if it is Alopecia genetic related. Please see our FAQs for more information and view our before and after page to see some of the stunning results for previous patients.
Alopecia FAQS
How Can I Tell If I Have Alopecia Eyebrows?
If your eyebrow hair is falling out and not growing back quickly, this can signify Alopecia eyebrows. We have a special treatment to help if this is the case, and you can consult a dermatologist to check the skin where your eyebrows are to rule out any other issues. Hair loss in your eyebrows can also be linked to Alopecia Universalis, where the hair all over your body can start to fall out.
Someone in my Immediate Family has Suffered Hair Loss – Is Alopecia Hereditary?
If you are wondering, “Do I have Alopecia?” it could be that you have inherited it from your family. The question “Is Alopecia hereditary?” will depend on the reasons previous family members had it. If it were caused by stress or Traction Alopecia, this would be from lifestyle and the way they wear their hair, causing strain on the follicles. Androgenic Alopecia is prevalent in both men and women and is from your genetics. Check with your family about the type of Alopecia they have suffered from, which will explain if you are likely to have it.
What is Traction Alopecia & How Can I Prevent it?
“What is Traction Alopecia” is one of the most asked questions. Traction Alopecia is preventable and is mainly caused by too much stress on the hair follicles. Typically, this is from wearing your hair in a tight ponytail, bun, or braids too often, pulling on the roots and causing hair loss over time. The best Traction Alopecia treatment to avoid this happening is to wear your hair down more often, avoid other stresses on your hair like heat and rough towel drying, and you will hopefully see eventual regrowth. If the hair struggles to grow back, we can help you with a specialist hair transplant in Turkey to address this in the long term.