Alopecia Areata
Alopecia
Alopecia areata is a circular, regress hair loss with one or more bare patches. In 80% of cases, the scalp hair is concerned. At other body sites may occur the disease.
Alopecia areata is an inflammatory disease. For an autoimmune cause of the frequent encounter any talk with other autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis, myasthenia gravis, ulcerative colitis and ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura). Furthermore, some animal models also support the theory of an autoimmune pathogenesis, as well as the response of alopecia areata in different immunosuppressive agents.
Frequency
The disease incidence is about 20 per 100,000 inhabitants. There are no significant differences in the frequency distribution of the sexes. Familial clusters occur.
Symptoms
- Characteristic are circular or oval shaped bare patches on the scalp. In the edge of a notified body finds the so-called characteristic piston hairs that are split about 0.5 cm long, slightly pigmented, and occasionally at the end. Mainly the back of the head and the lateral region of the scalp are affected. Less commonly, even eyelashes, beard and body hair from the rest of alopecia areata be affected.
- The bare bodies ache and itching not. Few are seen in the affected areas of inflammation of small sebaceous glands.
- Occasionally one also finds nail changes, so-called pits and Dimples nails, as a side effect.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of alopecia areata is clear from the characteristic appearance. The examination of tissue of the affected area shows inflammatory changes around hair shaft and, occasionally known as "Langerhans".
Therapy
- Therapeutic trial with topical (applied to the affected area) or a low-dose systemic steroids (tablets), treatment duration
- Cortisone-shock therapy
- Cyclosporine (local or systemic)
- PUVA therapy
- local "immunotherapy" with diphencyprone, which causes an allergic contact dermatitis, or treatment with Cignolin 0.3 to 0.9%, which is a toxic dermatitis caused.
- Occasionally, a test of applied minoxidil in combination with locally has tried any of the above therapies.