Therapy of diffuse hair loss | The therapy of hair loss

Therapy of diffuse hair loss

For diffuse hair loss, other treatment options are used. Diffuse hair loss, unlike hereditary and circular hair loss, is not limited to certain parts of the head. There are many reasons for this, e.g. incorrect diet, stress, hormonal changes or side effects of medication can lead to diffuse hair loss.

As a rule, diffuse hair loss is stopped by the therapy of the underlying disease. Within half a year, normal hair growth normally resumes. Possibly a supportive treatment with Minoxidil may be appropriate. Targeted food supplements are controversial as a treatment.

Therapy for circular hair loss

Circular hair loss, or Alopecia areata, leads to bald, round to oval areas within a short time. This can occur everywhere where hair grows; thus also in the beard or in the eyebrows. The cause is suspected to be an autoimmune disease.

A therapy is not absolutely necessary, in principle, the circular hair loss can regress by itself. Due to the suspicion of a functional disorder of the immune system, glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisone) can be prescribed to suppress the immune system. These can be administered locally in the form of a cream or hair tincture, or in severe cases systemically as tablets.

In mild cases, taking zinc as effervescent tablets can also lead to an improvement in symptoms. Currently, the most effective therapy is an external immunotherapy with the active ingredient DCP (diphenylcyclopropenone). DCP is not officially approved for the treatment of alopecia areata, but it is used at many university hospitals.

DCP leads to a defensive reaction on the scalp, so that the body’s own defensive substances are “distracted” and concentrate on the preparation. Side effects, or sometimes desired reactions, are redness, itching and scaling of the scalp. DCP is mainly used when circular hair loss covers a large part of the scalp and even if previous attempts with corticoids have been unsuccessful.