Find expert help for alopecia areata. Our highly skilled Consultant Dermatologist offers leading specialist care, providing accurate diagnosis and a personalised treatment plan for women experiencing hair loss.
If you have noticed small patches of hair loss, it could be caused by a condition known as alopecia areata. This develops when your immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing the hair to fall out.
We understand how alopecia areata can be a distressing condition, but there are highly effective alopecia areata treatments available that can often prevent further hair loss and, in many cases, help your hair grow back.
The usual symptoms of alopecia areata are small coin-shaped areas of hair loss on your scalp. Some women may also lose hair on other parts of the body – in particular, eyelashes and eyebrows.
Most women with mild symptoms will find that their hair grows back normally within a year. It can be an unpredictable condition, however, and you may experience hair loss again in the future.
In some cases, your area of hair loss may increase, and treatment becomes more complex. That’s why we understand how important it is to offer a highly specialised and holistic approach to treating the symptoms.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder. Usually our immune system protects us from infections and other diseases, but in the case of alopecia areata, it mistakenly attacks healthy hair follicles, causing them to shrink and eventually stop producing hair.
It is not understood exactly what triggers this autoimmune response in some people, although in around 1 in 5 cases, a genetic predisposition is believed to be a factor. Other triggers can include pregnancy, a stressful life event or a previous illness.
We always carry out a detailed clinical consultation and take a full medical history. In most cases it is possible to diagnose alopecia areata by looking at the pattern and extent of your hair loss and through a careful examination of your scalp.
Hair loss can be a complex condition and it is important to get an accurate diagnosis, especially if you have been suffering for a long time. We may order blood tests to rule out other causes of hair loss - such as thyroid disorders or iron deficiencies – which can cause the hair to fall out in a similar pattern.
We offer private treatment for alopecia areata that can often be highly effective. The condition affects each woman differently – you may find that your hair grows back normally within a few months without the need for any treatment, or the condition could recur and specialist expertise might be needed.
Our hair and scalp specialist, Dr Nicola Clayton, is a Consultant Dermatologist and is a leading expert in female hair loss. She has extensive experience in this field, and understands how alopecia areata treatment requires careful evaluation, to find a tailored plan that is right for you.
This can include:
Alopecia areata, like other hair loss conditions, requires careful diagnosis and treatment. An integrated approach that involves other specialists can often work best, and our Consultant Dermatologist Nicola Clayton works alongside a team of Consultant Gynaecologists, Allergy Specialists and a dedicated Consultant Endocrinologist
Although there is no cure for alopecia areata, luckily for most women, there are a range of effective treatments to stabilise your hair loss and in many cases stimulate the regrowth of your hair.
It’s important to see an experienced specialist at the earliest opportunity, as hair loss in women can often be managed effectively. A Consultant Dermatologist can provide an accurate diagnosis to help identify the possible reasons behind your hair loss. Using this, they can then create a personalised treatment plan, which may include specially formulated topical medication, steroid injections and detailed advice on lifestyle changes.
Sometimes there is no simple cure, but in many cases of alopecia areata, a Consultant Dermatologist can provide treatment and lifestyle changes to help stabilise your hair loss and often help it regrow.
If you are concerned about hair shedding or a specific condition like alopecia areata, please call 020 7244 4200 or make an appointment online to confidentially discuss your needs with a specialist.
