Psoriasis is a term that encompasses a group of chronic skin disorders that affect any part of the body from the scalp to the toenails, but most commonly involves the scalp, elbows, knees, hands, feet and genitals. Over seven million men and women in the U.S. of all ages have some form of psoriasis which may be mild, moderate or severe. In addition it may be categorized into different types: plaque, pustular, erythrodermic, guttate, or inverse psoriasis. Most forms involve itching and/or burning sensations along with scaling and crusting of the skin. Type specific signs include:
Plaque psoriasis (the most common type): raised, thickened patches of red skin covered with silvery-white scales;
Pustular psoriasis: pus-like blisters;
Erythrodermic psoriasis: intense redness and swelling of a large part of the skin surface;
Guttate psoriasis: small, drop-like lesions;
Inverse psoriasis: smooth red lesions in the folds of the skin.
While the cause of psoriasis has yet to be discovered, suspected triggers include emotional stress, skin injury, systemic infections and certain medications. There is a possibility that susceptibility to psoriasis is inherited.
Psoriasis cannot be cured but it can be treated successfully, sometimes for months or years and occasionally even permanently. Treatment depends on the type, severity and location of psoriasis; the patient's age, medical history and lifestyle; and the effect the disease has on the patient's general mental health. The most common treatments are topical medications, phototherapy, and in severe symptoms photochemotherapy (PUVA), and oral or injectable medication administired by a physician.
Seborrhea is a chronic skin condition of unknown origin. It is characterized by redness and/or scaling, typically involving the central cheeks, the areas around the nose, the eyebrows, the area between the eyebrows, the backs of the ears, the chest, the ear canals and the scalp. Dandruff is actually a mild form of seborrhea.
Although there is no cure for this problem, the signs and symptoms can generally be controlled using a variety of topical preparations along with shampoos.
Female Pattern Baldness occurs when hair falls out but new hair does not grow in its place. The cause of the failure to grow new hair in female pattern baldness is not well understood, but it is associated with genetic predisposition, aging, and levels of endocrine hormones (particularly androgens, the male sex hormones).
Changes in the levels of androgens can affect hair production. For example, after the hormonal changes of menopause, many women find that the hair on the head is thinned, while facial hair is coarser. Although new hair is not produced, follicles remain alive, suggesting the possibility of new hair growth.
Female pattern baldness is usually different from that of male pattern baldness. The hair thins all over the head, but the frontal hairline is maintained. There may be a moderate loss of hair on the crown, but this rarely progresses to total or near baldness as it may in men.
The hair loss of female pattern baldness is permanent. In most cases, it is mild to moderate. No treatment is required if the person is comfortable with her appearance.
The only drug or medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness is minoxidil, used on the scalp. For women, the 2% concentration is recommended. Minoxidil may help hair to grow in 20% to 25% of the female population, and in the majority it may slow or stop the loss of hair. Treatment is expensive, however, and hair loss starts again when minoxidil use is stopped.
Telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. A chronic form with a more insidious onset and a longer duration also exists. Telogen effluvium is a reactive process caused by a metabolic or hormonal stress or by medications. Generally, recovery is spontaneous and occurs within 6 months.
Trichotillomania is a disorder that causes people to pull out the hair from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic area, underarms, beard, chest, legs or other parts of the body, resulting in noticeable bald patches. Hair pulling varies greatly in its severity, location on the body, and response to treatment. For some people, at some times, trichotillomania is mild and can be quelled with a bit of extra awareness and concentration. For others, at times the urge may be so strong that it makes thinking of anything else nearly impossible.
Trichotillomania (also referred to as TTM or "trich") is currently defined as an impulse control disorder but there are still questions about how it should be classified. It may seem to resemble a habit, an addiction, a tic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Most recently, it is being conceptualized as part of a family of "body-focused repetitive behaviors" (BRFBs) along with skin picking and nail biting.
For more information on this condition please visit www.trich.org
Alopecia areata is a common disease that results in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. There are three types of alopecia areata; alopecia areata, alopecia areata totalis and alopecia areata universalis.
Alopecia areata, the most common variation of the autoimmune disease, presents itself as round, smooth patches of various sizes.
Alopecia areata totalis presents itself as total loss of hair on the scalp
Alopecia areata universalis is the rarest form of alopecia areata and presents itself as the loss of hair over the entire scalp and body.
In all forms of alopecia areata, the hair follicles remain alive and are ready to resume normal hair production whenever they receive the appropriate signal. In all cases, hair regrowth may occur even without treatment and even after many years.
Traction Alopecia, a hair loss condition caused by damage to the dermal papilla and hair follicle by constant pulling or tension over a long period. It often occurs in persons who wear tight braids, especially "cornrows" that lead to high tension, pulling and breakage of hair.
This condition is most common in African-American women and men who braid their hair too tightly. It is also common in Sikh men of India and Japanese women whose traditional hair styles also pull and damage hair. Traction alopecia occurs more frequently in children, teenagers and young adults than it does in older women and men.
Traction alopecia is reversible if diagnosed early, but may lead to permanent hair loss if it is undetected for a protracted period. Hair loss is often in the frontal and temporal regions, but also depends on the hair style.. With those who wear cornrows, the area most commonly affected is that adjacent to the region that is braided.
Traction Alopecia can also occur due to overprocessing of the hair. Chemical treatment of hair with dyes, bleaches, or straighteners disrupts the keratin structure in a manner that reduces its tensile strength. The hair can become fragile and heavy fall out can occur with brushing or combing.
The key to stopping traction alopecia is detecting it early. Hair styles that put unnecessary strain on the hair root must be changed for "looser, more gentle hair style. African-American women, who suspect they may be vulnerable to traction alopecia should take action immediately to change their hair style or treatment methods
Unfortunately, no medical treatment is available to reverse late-stage traction alopecia. Hair grafts have been identified as the only practical solution.
