Autoimmune Scalp Disorders

Certain conditions can impact or limit your hair restoration options. Others may require us to take extra steps before we can help you. Here are some of the most common scalp disorders we see.

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Alopecia Areata: Do you have a scalp disorder?

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack hair follicles, which in turn kills them, leading to hair loss.

When you have alopecia areata, you may recognize patchy hair loss that presents itself as an oval patch or multiple patches of asymptomatic, well-circumscribed, non-scarring alopecia. You may notice a small bare patch or lose all your hair in entire areas of the scalp.

Common treatments include corticosteroids and immunotherapy (designed to create an allergic reaction that causes hair regrowth).

If you have patchy hair loss, you'll want to visit a dermatologist for the correct diagnosis, and visit us for solutions for your hair loss.

Lupus

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which impacts the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. Some people with lupus can also suffer from hair loss.

A clinical study showed nonscarring hair loss in four women with systemic lupus erythemostus (SLE) and reported varying degrees of hair loss. Some women experienced widespread hair loss, while others lost their hair in localized areas of their scalp.

Hair loss caused by lupus can be reversible if you can control the disease. Follow your doctor's advice and take medications as directed. Once lupus is under control, you should start to see hair regrowth. Discuss any follow up services with your lupus specialist or primary care provider.

Lichen Planopilaris

Lichen planopilaris or lichen planus is an autoimmune disease that can cause swelling, ulcers, and irritation of the mucous membranes, skin, hair, and nails. It's more common to find it in the oral or genital regions, but it occasionally impacts the scalp.

This rare inflammatory condition leads to scaly, red, dry, and flaky skin. It can also lead to bald patches and pain.

The causes of this disorder are still unknown. Researchers have discovered that the body's white blood cells recognize skin and hair cells as harmful invaders and react by attacking them. Several treatments exist, from retinoids and corticosteroids to anti-malarial drugs.

Low-level laser therapy has been effective for this type of hair loss. We recommend the MAXIM cap, which requires just seven minutes of treatment every other day for the best result. Our laser cap uses the highest quality laser diodes set to proper wavelengths in order to provide the best results.

Tinea Capitis

Tinea capitis is also known as ringworm. It's a fungal infection that attacks the scalp. This infection can cause hair loss, dry, scaly areas, redness, and itching. It can also attack the beard.

It's caused by dermatophytic fungi. It's a contagious infection that can spread via contact with infected people or objects.

Systemic oral medications exist which can remove this infection. These medications penetrate the root of the hair follicle and remove the infection. In most cases the hair will regrow on its own, but we can help you speed the process along.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is the common skin condition that causes dandruff. It can cause flaky, greasy skin and rashes. Dandruff, on its own, does not cause hair loss. Scratching at your dandruff does. Repeated inflammation can also damage or scar the hair follicles. Instead of scratching, control both itching and dandruff with a strong coal-tar based dandruff shampoo.

Folliculitis

Keloids

A keloid is a scar caused by excess collagen that forms in the skin during the healing process. They're harmless, though unsightly.

It's rare to find keloids on the scalp, but when we do it can interfere with certain treatments, like FUE. We would need to refer you to a dermatologist who could remove the keloids. In some cases, the scarring may be so severe that even that additional step would put FUE out of reach for some people.

Treatment

Next Steps

If any scalp condition is causing you to suffer from hair loss, don't fret. You can get options and solutions by scheduling your first free consultation with MAXIM. Our team will listen to your health history and concerns. You can even do it virtually!

Our team will let you know if you need to involve additional specialists, or if there are steps that you can take to address scalp conditions at home. We'll also discuss both your surgical and non-surgical options for hair restoration. We will work with you to help you look and feel your best once more unless your particular scalp condition makes it medically impossible for us to do so.

Call (802) 370-3227 or fill out our contact form today.