Alopecia Totalis: Definition, Stages, Symptoms, and Causes

Is Alopecia Totalis an Autoimmune Disease?

Yes, like other types of alopecia, alopecia totalis is an autoimmune disease. This means that in rare cases, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, including healthy hair cells and the hair follicles responsible for hair growth.

Is Alopecia Totalis Hereditary?

Yes, our genes and environmental factors influence alopecia totalis, meaning it can be inherited. According to research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 1 in 5 people with alopecia totalis have a family history of alopecia. So, genetic predisposition is an important factor in the development of alopecia totalis.

Is Alopecia Totalis Contagious?

Alopecia totalis is not contagious because it’s a type of autoimmune disease. It’s related to your immune system. For this condition to develop, there also needs to be a genetic influence and environmental factors like excessive physical or emotional stress.

Does Alopecia Totalis Start Later in Life?

Alopecia totalis can affect people of any age. Alopecia totalis in children is very rare. Generally, alopecia totalis begins during the teenage years or in the twenties. However, it commonly occurs before the age of 30, regardless of gender. Whether you are a teenager or middle-aged, it’s possible to experience alopecia totalis.

Is DHT Hormone Involved in Alopecia Totalis?

No, the DHT hormone is not related to alopecia totalis because it’s an autoimmune disease. This can be confusing because high levels of DHT can cause hair follicles to shrink, leading to hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness) and telogen effluvium (stress-related hair shedding).

Stages of Alopecia Totalis

The progression of alopecia totalis can initially resemble the symptoms of alopecia areata. However, for it to develop into alopecia totalis, the hair loss needs to be more extensive than in alopecia areata. Let’s look at the stages of alopecia totalis for a better understanding:

⚠️ Keep in mind that it can take several months for alopecia totalis to affect the entire scalp, or it can develop rapidly within a few days or weeks. This varies from person to person, and the reason for this difference is unfortunately not yet known.

Can Alopecia Areata Turn into Totalis?

Yes, alopecia areata can develop into alopecia totalis, leading to the loss of all hair on the scalp. However, not everyone with alopecia areata will experience this transition.

A 2011 study by Professor Rachita Dhurat found that around 19% of people with alopecia areata develop a more severe form of alopecia, such as alopecia totalis.

Furthermore, this transition often depends on several factors, such as:

• GENETIC FACTORS
• IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEMS
• SEVERE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL STRESS

How Do You Know if Alopecia Areata Will Lead to Alopecia Totalis?

If you already have alopecia areata and experience several symptoms, your alopecia areata might have progressed to totalis. The most noticeable symptom is the increasing number of bald patches. The few bald spots caused by areata start to spread across your entire head. Over time, hair thinning also becomes more apparent, and hair loss continues until all hair on the entire scalp is lost.

What Are the Signs of Alopecia Totalis?

It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of alopecia totalis to determine if you might have this condition.

If you’re unsure, you can start by identifying alopecia totalis symptoms such as:

• PROGRESSIVE BALDNESS
• TOTAL LOSS OF SCALP HAIR
• ITCHING, TINGLING, OR DISCOMFORT ON THE SCALP
• UNEVEN, BRITTLE NAILS

What Are the Causes of Alopecia Totalis?

The exact cause of alopecia totalis is unknown, but it is considered an autoimmune disease. So, what causes alopecia totalis is the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells. However, the reason why the immune system attacks healthy cells remains unknown. Alopecia totalis is also linked to genetic factors.

How is Alopecia Totalis Diagnosed?

To find out if you have alopecia, dermatologists or trichologists usually start with a physical examination. Often, they can identify the type of hair loss you might be experiencing just by looking at your hair and scalp.

However, to be absolutely sure and get the most accurate diagnosis, they might suggest performing a scalp biopsy or conducting some blood tests.

This extra step helps them confirm if it’s truly alopecia totalis or something else that simply looks similar.

Treatment of Alopecia Totalis

Unfortunately, there is currently no guaranteed cure for alopecia totalis. However, there are some available treatments for alopecia totalis that have shown to be helpful in regrowing hair.

According to a study by Jordan Abbott, a dermatologist at the University of Texas Medical School, the recovery rate for alopecia totalis is 8.5%. Some alopecia totalis treatments available include:

• CORTICOSTEROIDS
• TOPICAL IMMUNOTHERAPY
• DIPHENCYPRONE (DPCP)
• NARROWBAND UVB PHOTOTHERAPY (NB UVB)
• TOFACITINIB

The psychological effects of alopecia totalis can be devastating, so it’s important to speak with a professional for emotional support in addition to seeking medical help.

Many people with total alopecia find comfort in wearing wigs and hairpieces or trying eyebrow microblading for total alopecia during their treatments. You might consider these options for a confidence boost and style.

Does Acupuncture Work for Alopecia Totalis?

The literature still discusses whether laser acupuncture can benefit patients with alopecia totalis. Several studies suggest that this topic needs further research, so we can’t really say whether it works or not. Until more specific research is conducted, it should be considered a treatment that depends on the patient’s experience of whether it works.

Does Homeopathic Treatment Work for Alopecia Totalis?

Although homeopathic treatment for alopecia totalis might be popular, and patients who have tried it might be satisfied, there is no scientific research to prove that it actually works. Since the effectiveness of this treatment is not based on pharmacological activity, it’s not appropriate to suggest homeopathic treatment as a guaranteed cure for totalis or hair regrowth.

Does Aloe Vera Work for Alopecia Totalis?

Aloe vera does not work for alopecia totalis. Although it has soothing effects, it will not be helpful for this condition. 🖋️According to a 2008 study by Dr. Amar Surjushe, aloe vera increases the absorption of some steroid creams like hydrocortisone. Unfortunately, such creams are also not considered very effective in treating alopecia totalis.

What Supplements Can I Use for Alopecia Totalis?

For alopecia totalis, you can also take supplements that may help with treatment. However, supplements alone are not enough to treat alopecia totalis.

So, if you are considering using them, make sure to combine them with a treatment that suits your specific situation.

Here are a few supplements that might prove helpful:

• VITAMIN D
• VITAMIN A
• VITAMIN B12
• ZINC
• BIOTIN (VITAMIN B7)
• TOCOTRIENOLS (VITAMIN E)
• OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 COMBINATION
• BLACKCURRANT SEED OIL
• LYCOPENE

What Kind of Diet is Good for Alopecia Totalis?

A diet that is good for alopecia totalis can include a combination of various foods and supplements.

🖋️ In a 2020 study led by Dr. Cliff J. Harvey, an alopecia areata patient experienced hair regrowth after following a diet high in zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. He was also advised to eat natural foods instead of processed ones, while avoiding gluten and dairy.

🖋️ Another study by Christine T. Pham found that a gluten-free diet helped 4.5% of alopecia totalis patients and a significant 70.9% of patients with alopecia areata.

These studies suggest that dietary plans showed positive results in alopecia areata, which might also be possible for alopecia totalis. However, we still need more solid data to be absolutely certain about their effectiveness.

Is Treatment of Alopecia Totalis Possible with Ayurveda?

If you are considering getting alopecia totalis treatment with Ayurveda, you will likely undergo soothing massages and cleansing as part of the process. Additionally, a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, and nuts will be recommended.

In short, Ayurvedic practices take a holistic approach to nourish your body. While this treatment can be a relaxing and helpful option, it’s important to remember that it’s not sufficient to treat alopecia totalis on its own.

Can I Get a Hair Transplant for Alopecia Totalis?

Unfortunately, hair transplants do not seem to be effective for patients with alopecia totalis. The reason it may not work is that alopecia totalis is an autoimmune disease.

There is already no available donor hair since all scalp hair has fallen out. So, even if a hair transplant could be performed, the immune system would attack these hairs, making them unable to attach to the follicles.

What is the Difference Between Alopecia Totalis and Universalis?

The difference between alopecia totalis and universalis is that universalis causes hair loss on both the scalp and the entire body, while alopecia totalis only occurs on the scalp. When we talk about “body hair,” we mean all the hair on your body, including your eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and hair in other areas. Keep in mind that alopecia universalis is much rarer than alopecia totalis, affecting only 0.03% of the population.