Is there some form of auto-immunity underlying hair loss?
To a large extent it depends on what form of hair loss one is referring to. There are several forms
of hair loss for which auto-immunity is thought to be the main cause. Alopecia Areata
is an example of this type of hair loss. In Alopecia Areata, there is no pattern, like in male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness,
to the loss of hair. Another common form of auto-immunity-related hair loss is called Cicratricial Alopecia (or Scarring Alopecia). There are several
variations on this form of hair loss. In Alopecia Areata the hair that is lost can grow back as the cells that produce the hair are not destroyed. In
the Cicratricial Alopecias, the cell that produces the hair is destroyed, so the hair cannot grow back.
The question of whether auto-immunity is involved in Androgenetic Alopecia is a bit more difficult to answer. If it does play a role it is most likely
not the lead role. However, it is thought that inflammation, a sign of immune activy, does occur in regions of the scalp that are effected by Androgenetic
Alopecia. It's just not known to what degree this inflammation is involved in the actual miniaturization process involved in AGA.
In any case, it is a good idea for individuals with AGA to keep inflammation under control, especially if dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis,
or any other inflammatory dermatological condition is present. This can be accomplished in most cases by using good anti-dandruff shampoo like Head and Shoulders,
Neutragena T/Gel, or Nizoral. In the case of Nizoral there may even be a mild anti-androgenic effect which can be beneficial in preventing DHT from binding with
the androgen receptors on the hair follicles.
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