The last thing most young people want is to lose their precious hair. There are various reasons that induce hair loss. Undue stress and unhealthy lifestyles can cause temporary hair loss while taking in some prescripted drugs and chemotherapy can have a more devastating effect on your scalp. For the most part, early male pattern baldness can be traced to hereditary genes that have been identified in many genetic researches on the subject.
One main cause of early hair loss is a skin disorder called Lichen Planus. Its exact cause is unknown and is common observed to occur in people with autoimmune diseases and comprise roughly 1% of cases requiring dermatological attention in people between the ages of 30 and 70. It affects just about any part of the body and when it attacks the scalp, while not directly causing hair loss, it often cause complication that can lead to hair falling out.
What Is Lichen Planus?
Lichen Planus is an allergic reaction triggered with problems centered on the body's immune systems. A lot of medical experts agree that the disorder can be traced to a stressful physical or emotional situation where the immune system weakens and your body becomes vulnerable to it. Lichen planus often appears as flat level bumps on the skin that are shiny and can have reddish to purplish color. The skin disorder can occur anywhere on the skin but is commonly found in ankles, wrists, lower legs, back and neck with some found in the genitals, hair and nails.
There are various types of Lichen Planus observed to cause different symptoms. The most common is the papular lichen planus where papules on the skin develop as shiny smooth areas that can expand to form plaques ranging in color from pink, violet or brown. Hair within these plaques are lost.
Then there's the Aactinis lichen planus that can be found in tropical countries affecting sun-exposed skin areas and the lichen planus spinulosis develop in people frequently exposed to chemicals like those used in film development.
Hair Involvement
Lichen planus affecting the scalp is commonly referred to as Lichen Planopilaris. It causes permanent scarring that inflames areas around hair follicles that cause hair to fall out. You can see it as distinct bald patches on the scalp affecting middle age men and women. These patches of hair loss can look unsightly and cause traumatic embarrassment for some people. Don't let it to fester and seek medical help right away.
About 20% of cases may require no treatment and will just go away but for many, severe and constant itching can occur and result in lesions. Early treatment can control the spread of the disorder. Consult your doctor right away. Antihistamines have been found to be effective in treating hair loses as a result of lichen planus.
Treatment also includes administering oral steroids initially to put it under control followed by topical steroid liquids. The oral medicines Palquenil and Accutane as well as ointments or creams with Vitamin A formulation are likewise effective. The disorder is expected to subside after a few months of treatment. Subsequent affliction has been known to occur even after successful treatment of the first attack.
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