Everyone experiences hair loss differently – even something as common as male pattern baldness affects people differently.
If you’ve recently noticed a change in your hair or your scalp looks or feels a little different, it can be difficult to know how to begin diagnosing the problem, especially when there are several different types of hair loss.
Diagnosing Hair Loss
Some types of hair loss are much easier to diagnose than others. In fact, most hair loss experts could provide you with a diagnosis the minute you walk into a room.
Other types of hair loss, on the other hand, require further inspection. Rare types of hair loss will actually require a biopsy to diagnose, Cicatricial Alopecia being one of them. A reputable clinic such as New Hair Clinic in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane would be able to assist you with a diagnosis.
Understanding Cicatricial Alopecia
Cicatricial Alopecia is a condition that destroys the hair follicles but also produces scar tissue. Since this is a gradual process, most patients won’t notice that it’s happening. In some rare cases, the condition can progress very rapidly, causing inflammation and itching.
Unfortunately, there is still very little information available on the triggers of this condition, which means there are no precautionary measures that you can take.
Cicatricial Alopecia can happen to males and females of any age and ethnicity. Some research shows that it is slightly more common in African adult women but the numbers are not big enough for the condition to be pegged to this group of patients. The scary thing is that the condition isn’t necessarily related to health issues either; even perfectly healthy people can develop Cicatricial Alopecia
Cicatricial Alopecia Symptoms
An inflamed and red scalp is the most common sign of this condition but there may also be pain, tenderness or burning. In some cases, pustules and scaling can also occur.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to schedule a consultation with a hair loss expert sooner rather than later. Waiting to see whether the condition will dissipate on its own may end with you going completely bald. Unfortunately, once scar tissue starts to form, hair will stop growing in those areas, which is when permanent solutions such as a hair transplant need to be considered.
Itchy Scalp or Cicatricial Alopecia?
Everyone experiences an itchy scalp from time to time, with dandruff being the most likely cause. If your scalp starts to itch and you know that you’ve recently washed your hair so this shouldn’t be the case, take a closer look at your scalp in the mirror. It will be very easy to distinguish dandruff from Cicatricial Alopecia. If your scalp looks inflamed or it actually feels like it’s on fire, schedule an appointment with a hair specialist as soon as you possibly can. Seeing a specialist early on means that topical steroid treatments may actually be able to get rid of the problem before surgery is required.
