Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder that causes regional hair loss. Autoimmune disorders generally refer to the immune system's struggle against its own cells and tissues. The affected area in this ailment is the hair follicles. In most people who develop this condition, it is found that the hair is shed in coin-sized round patches. This condition, which occurs in several regions in most people, tends to be quite severe in some people. In some cases, ringworm develops to affect the entire hair, and the hair on the scalp may fall out completely. In more severe cases, people may lose their entire body hair.
What is Alopecia Areata?
Ringworm (alopecia areata) is associated with regional hair loss in which hair follicles and nails are affected. It is an autoimmune disorder characterized by These spills, which are in the form of small patches at first, may be so insignificant that they are not noticed. Then the coalescence of these small patches may cause you to notice that you are experiencing hair loss in a prominent area.
There are different types of ringworm with different features. In addition to sudden and regional hair loss on the scalp, in some cases, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard and other body hairs are also affected. This situation, which develops quite slowly in some cases, may recur over the years.
Alopecia areata disease is divided into many subtypes within itself. Ringworm is the most common of these subtypes. The type of alopecia in which all the hair on the scalp is affected is called "alopecia totalis". When this effect covers the whole body, its name is “alopecia universalis”. In some people, sudden excessive thinning and weakening of the hair without hair clarity is defined as “diffuse alopecia areata”. Ringworm cases in which the spills occur in the form of hair bands on the nape and behind the ears instead of in round patches are called “ophiasis”.
What Causes Ringworm (Alopecia Areata)?
Ringworm is an autoimmune event. In autoimmune disorders, the immune system qualifies healthy body cells as a foreign invader and attacks these structures. It produces antibodies. Ringworm is a disease caused by the immune system's misinterpretation of hair follicles in this way. Hair follicles are structures that allow hair to grow. Affecting these structures results in hair loss by stopping hair growth. It is not clear at the moment what the main factor triggering this underlying cause of alopecia is. Ringworm is generally detected more frequently in individuals with a family history of thyroid gland disease, diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the triggering situation is thought to be caused by genetic factors.
Conditions that pose a risk for the development of alopecia areata and may be among the causes of ringworm can be summarized as follows:
- Having other individuals affected by ringworm in the family
- Asthma
- Down syndrome
- Pernicious anemia
- Seasonal allergies
- Thyroid gland diseases
- Vitiligo
What are the Symptoms of Ringworm (Alopecia Areata)?
Among the symptoms of ringworm, patchy hair loss is the most obvious one. This shedding usually starts on the scalp and is about the size of a coin. Apart from the scalp, the onset of ringworm can also occur in the beard and eyebrow area. Hair loss develops quite suddenly and the time of occurrence can vary between 5 days and 5 weeks. In addition to hair loss, some people may experience itching and burning in the affected area. In this condition, the hair follicles are not completely destroyed.
Hair strands shed from the surface can grow back if the inflammation (inflammation) in the hair follicles decreases. It has been observed that when hair loss is limited to only a few areas in people suffering from this condition, the condition may improve without treatment. In one third of cases, the course of ringworm may worsen or regional hair loss may occur in repetitive cycles within a certain period of time. In one out of 10 patients, ringworm may progress to forms in which other parts of the body are affected. may cause changes. These changes in the nails are seen especially in cases of ringworm in children. Care should be taken as these changes may be the first sign of the disease in some people:
- Pinhole shaped cavities
- White spotting or streaking
- Hardness of nails
- Pale nails
- Thinning or separation of nails
- Exclamation point hair
- Detecting that some of the hair strands in the affected area are shedding before they reach the surface
- Whitening of the hair around the affected area
Factors such as the onset of the disease at an early age, excessive hair loss, accompanying nail changes, the presence of other individuals in the family affected by this disease, and the presence of other autoimmune diseases are among the risk factors that indicate a poor course of ringworm disease. p>
How is the Diagnosis of Ringworm (Alopecia Areata)?
Physicians can diagnose ringworm only with clinical observation after applying to health institutions with complaints of ringworm. If necessary, a few hair samples can be taken and examined under a microscope.
In individuals who are thought to be accompanied by various autoimmune diseases, blood tests may be useful to clarify these problems. The diagnosis of autoimmune diseases can be made by detecting antibodies synthesized by the immune system in the body. The examinations that can be applied in the diagnostic approach for ringworm disease can be summarized as follows:
- Iron parameters, vitamin, B12,
- Antinuclear antibody test
- Examination of thyroid hormone levels
- Blood sugar
Another answer to the question of how to detect ringworm is dermoscopy. Dermoscopy is another useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of ringworm. Through dermoscopy, physicians can examine the presence of findings such as yellow or black dots, breakage in hair strands, short vellus hairs and exclamation point hair in the affected area.
How is the Treatment of Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia With various medical interventions to be made within the scope of areata treatment, hair loss can be reduced and hair loss can grow faster. Ringworm is a very complex disorder in terms of the healing process. In some people, many alopecia areata treatment methods can be tried to determine which application is more effective. In severe cases, hair loss may worsen despite various medical interventions.
The application of creams that increase blood flow to the affected area or that contain corticosteroids, steroid injections or prescriptions are approaches that can be effective in reversing hair loss in some people. In addition to steroid treatment, in some cases, methods such as drugs that suppress the functions of the immune system, drugs that support hair growth or ultraviolet light therapy can also be used within the scope of ringworm treatment.
Although ringworm (alopecia areata) is not a serious health problem, it is a problem that can cause unhappiness and anxiety in people about appearance. If you detect the signs and symptoms of this ailment in your body, it is recommended to seek support from specialist physicians. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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