โAlopeciaโ means โhair lossโ in Latin & medical-speak; when it occurs, patients often come to see us.ย Itโs usually not serious, sometimes it is, and itโs invariably distressing.ย Even if the loss is minimal, people are afraid theyโll go bald.ย The list of possibilities is full of obscure ones that only a dermatologist can diagnose,Continue reading “Hair Loss (Alopecia) — Full Text”
Author Archives: Steve
Hair Loss — Some Pictures
See topic Hair Loss, also links to the various conditions. Telogen Effluvium Alopecia Areata Natural Patterns of Hair Loss ………………. …………..Male Patterns …………………… ………Female Pattern Traction Alopecia Secondary Syphilis Trichotillomania Tinea Capitis (Scalp Ringworm) Seborrheic Dermatitis Folliculitis Cellulitis Psoriasis Discoid Lupus
Discoid Lupus
Discoid Lupus is a skin condition, consisting of plaques covered by a firm scale, which gradually expand. The difference between it and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is that many people who already have SLE will get Discoid Lupus, but not everyone with Discoid goes on to develop SLE. SLE can affect many different organs (seeContinue reading “Discoid Lupus”
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a very common skin condition characterized usually by silvery white scales, that leave a red base if theyโre scraped off (see pictures below). Itโs an auto-immune disease, often with genetic components, characterized by inflammation. It affects men and women equally, and seems to be more common in temperate climates as one moves awayContinue reading “Psoriasis”
Folliculitis
Hair follicles, the tiny pores in skin from which hairs emerge and grow, can get infected โ the condition is called Folliculitis. We diagnose it by observing that a patientโs โrashโ really involves mainly the follicles. The follicles turn red, and may even have pus. Often the spaces of skin in-between are unaffected, but ifContinue reading “Folliculitis”
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Commonly referred to among clinicians as โSeb Derm,โ seborrheic dermatitis is a common, poorly understood skin condition which likely has little or nothing to do with sebaceous glands (the latter secrete an oily substance from hair follicles to keep skin hydrated). A fungus is often considered responsible for Seb Derm, but it may really beContinue reading “Seborrheic Dermatitis”
Tinea Capitis (Scalp Ringworm)
Ringworm of the Scalp, called Tinea Capitis in medical terminology, is the same fungus that causes โathleteโs foot,โ โjock itch,โ and ringworm of the body in general.ย It almost only occurs on the heads of children, where it causes one or several patches of hair loss with scaly skin.ย Sometimes there are black dots, whichContinue reading “Tinea Capitis (Scalp Ringworm)”
Trichotillomania
Tricho- is “hair,” in Greek, Tillo- is from ancient Greek for “to pull,” so Trichotillomania means a psychological compulsion to pull at ones hair, sometimes even pulling them out by the roots. It may be a simple nervous habit, with risk of going to extremes. But many people with it have underlying Depression and Anxiety,Continue reading “Trichotillomania”
Hair Loss — Natural Patterns
Female Pattern Hair Loss Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) has also been called โandrogenic alopecia,โ which is a misnomer, because thereโs no proof that male hormones (androgens) have anything to do with it. It occurs mainly after menopause, rarely before, and may affect up to 75% of women over 75 years-old. It never advances toContinue reading “Hair Loss — Natural Patterns”
Hair Loss
See link for Some Pictures of Conditions Causing Hair Loss FIRST — We examine the head to answer two main questions: Isย there skin disease of the scalp, or not? Is hair being lost Diffusely (all over), or Focally (just one or a few spots) Causes of Hair Loss xxxxxNo Scalp Disease Noted โข Telogen Effluviumย Continue reading “Hair Loss”