Facharzt für Dermatologie in A 1010 Wien

Androgenetic alopecia

Genetic factors affect the way our hair follicles react to our hormones. In some people, the hair follicles are overly sensitive to the hormone testosterone and this causes hair thinning and hair loss. As testosterone is more prevalent in men, it is mostly men who experience hair thinning and hair loss, however, this condition can also affect women.

While Androgenetic Alopecia is often associated with older men, it can happen at any age and is usually already visible among men at a younger age. The condition is reversible with hormonal therapy and there are now effective medications.

Dr Gregor usually uses combination therapies to generate the maximum success in combating hair loss

Alopecia areata

In this form of hair loss, the patient’s own immune system turns against the hair root, the hair falls out, and circular areas without hair or thin white hair may develop. Hair loss can affect the entire head (alopecia areata totalis) or even all body hair, including eyelashes, eyebrows and beard (alopecia areata universalis). Not only adults, but also children are often affected. The hair can grow back spontaneously at any time, as soon as the immune cells have disappeared from the hair roots. The challenge in the therapy of this disease is that this disease is not life threatening and does not cause pain, but the hair loss is often perceived as very traumatic for those affected and can therefore lead to severe psychological stress. The question often arises as to how far treatment should go for a disease where the risk of side effects may not be justified by the burden of the disease. This decision must always be made on an individual basis, as the level of suffering and acceptance of the disease varies considerably from patient to patient.

In the treatment of the disease, injections with cortisone are used if the disease is mild. In the case of more severe infestation, brushing with a substance called DCP that creates eczema on the scalp and thus frees the hair roots from the inflammatory cells, which inhibit hair growth, can be performed. Therapy both with oral cortisone and, as recently clinically proven in several studies, janus kinase inhibitors (Baricitinib) are also very effective. In rare cases, other immunosuppressive therapies are used.

Scarring hair loss

Far less common, but no less distressing, are scalp diseases in which inflammation causes permanent damage to the hair roots and scarring.

In these diseases, it is important to stop the inflammatory process and thus the scarring and permanent hair loss as soon as possible.

Scarring hair loss diseases are Lichen Planopilaris, Folliculitis Decalvans and Perifolliculitis Abscedens et Suffodiens.