ALOPECIA AREATA

What is alopecia areata ?

Alopecia areata is a hair-loss condition which usually affects the scalp. It can, however, sometimes affect other areas of the body. Hair loss tends to be rather rapid and often involves one side of the head more than the other. Alopecia areata affects both males and females. This type of hair loss is different than male-pattern baldness, an inherited condition.

What causes alopecia areata ?

Current evidence suggests that alopecia areata is caused by an abnormality in the immune system. This particular abnormality leads to autoimmunity. As a result, the immune system attacks particular tissues of the body. In alopecia areata, for unknown reasons, the body's own immune system attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation. Biopsies of affected skin show immune cells inside of the hair follicles where they are not normally present. What causes this is unknown. Alopecia areata is sometimes associated with other autoimmune conditions such as allergic disorders, thyroid disease, vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Sometimes, alopecia areata occurs within family members, suggesting a role of genes and heredity.

What are the different patterns of alopecia areata ?

The most common pattern is one or more spots of hair loss on the scalp. There is also a form of more generalized thinning of hair referred to as diffuse alopecia areata throughout the scalp. Occasionally, all of the scalp hair is lost, a condition referred to as alopecia totalis. Less frequently, the loss of all of the hairs on the entire body, called alopecia universalis, occurs. Sometimes the hair loss can involve the male beard, a condition known as alopecia areata barbe.

Who is affected by alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata tends to occur most often in children, teens, and young adults. However, it can also affect older individuals and rarely toddlers. Alopecia areata in not contagious. It should not be confused with the hair shedding that may occur following the discontinuation of hormonal estrogen and progesterone therapies for birth control or the hair shedding associated with the end of pregnancy.

How is alopecia areata diagnosed?
The characteristic finding of alopecia areata is the exclamation point hair. These unusual hairs can be found in areas of hair loss. They are visible with a hand lens as short, broken off hairs that are narrower closer to the scalp (appearing like an exclamation point). A biopsy of the scalp is sometimes necessary for a diagnosis.

How is alopecia areata treated?
In approximately 50% of patients, hair will regrow within a year without any treatment. The longer the period of time of hair loss, the less likelihood that the hair will regrow. A variety of treatments can be tried. Steroid injections, creams, and shampoos (such as clobetasol or fluocinonide) for the scalp have been used for many years. Other medications include minoxidil, irritants (anthralin or topical coal tar), and topical immunotherapy (cyclosporine), each of which are sometimes used in different combinations. A study reported in the journal Archives of Dermatology (vol. 134, 1998;1349-52) showed effectiveness of aromatherapy essential oils (cedarwood, lavender, thyme, and rosemary oils) in some patients. As with many chronic disorders for which there is no single treatment, a variety of remedies are promoted which in fact have no benefit. There is no known effective method of prevention, although the elimination of emotional stress is felt to be helpful. No drugs or hair-care products have been associated with the onset of alopecia areata. Much research remains to be completed on this complex condition.

Alopecia Areata At A Glance

•  Alopecia areata is a hair-loss condition which usually affects the scalp.
• Alopecia areata typically causes one or more patches of hair loss.
• Alopecia areata tends to affect younger individuals, both male and female.
• An autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, is believed to cause alopecia areata.
• For most patients, the condition resolves without treatment within a year, but hair loss is sometimes permanent.
• A number of treatments are known to aid in hair regrowth. Multiple treatments may be necessary, and none consistently works for all patients.
• Many treatments are promoted which have not proven to be of benefit.

(copied from : http://www.medicinenet.com/alopecia_areata/article.htm)

WHY SWIMMERS SHAVE ALL THEIR HAIR ???

In the race, definitely are looking for is victory. So also in the race pool, the swimmers will do everything to win the race. One way for competitive swimmers is to shave all the hair in his body. Besides shaving their arms, legs and torsos, some swimmers also shave their heads and a few have even been known to shave their eyebrows.

One of the main reasons why swimmers shave is to increase their speed. Shaving off body hair makes a swimmer's body smoother, thus creating less drag in the water. Though shaving may only trim a few fractions of a second off a swimmer's finishing time, in a close race, that difference could prove to the margin of victory. There is also a less well-known psychological aspect to this practice. Besides removing hair, shaving strips away dead skin cells. The result is that many swimmers claim that they "feel" faster in the water after shaving.

HOW TO SHAVE YOUR HEAD

As Michael Jordan taught us, once you start to go bald, it's best to just cut it all off. Skip the combover and never pay for a haircut again by shaving your own head.

Or you might just like the style or want to see how you look with a shaved head. Either way these instructions can help you do it right.

1. Buy a set of professional clippers. By cutting your own hair you'll save $10-$20 a month, so splurge for nice clippers that will last you a decade or more. Ideally go to a beauty professional store rather than Walmart, and be prepared to spend $50-$100 for the real thing.
2. Cut your hair standing on a sheet on the floor, or in your shower, to catch the loose hair. If you cut it out doors, then you do not need to worry about hair on the ground.
3. Set the clippers to the shortest setting. With most makes this means removing the guard completely. Avoid using an electric razor on your head as it does not work that well and the noise will drive you mad.
4. Choose to do it yourself or get help. You can do it yourself with practice, or get someone to cut your hair for you. If cutting yourself, it's easiest to do it naked and just before you plan to shower, so you won't worry about getting the cut hair all over yourself.
5. Begin at the nape of the neck and run the clippers in rows up over your scalp to the front.
6. Be sure to give extra attention to the nape of your neck, the sideburns, and just over the ears.
7. Check the style. When you think you're done, use a mirror to check, and try running your hand all over your head. You should be able to feel any spots you've missed.

(copied from : http://www.wikihow.com/Shave-Your-Head)

BEFORE THE BIG CHOP

Are you bored with your long hair? If you answer "yes", then you can make "major changes", ie by cutting out your hair. If your hair is damaged, thin, and easily fall out, then by cutting out your hair will be easier for us to do our hair.

Straight ends have a higher risk of breaking against the curls at the roots. Moisture is going to be your friend, it will also be best to wash hair and condition hair while it is still in plats, this will help keep the hair from tangling.

Cutting your hair is your independent decision, not everyone chooses to have the big chop when deciding to go natural, it will take an adjustment from long straight hair to short curly or kinky hair.

If you are growing out your hair the length of time would depend on your personal taste, as well as how long it takes for your hair to grow. Some tips on growing your hair faster is to eat healthy, with fruits and vegetables, also it is important to take vitamins like Omega 3 and Vitamin E.

VIRTUAL BALD WOMEN

If you are proficient with photo and graphic editors like Photoshop, the best way to do it is to put in your picture and make yourself bald. That is one way for you to take a preliminary look at yourself with the new face lift.

The other option is much easier, there are actually sites online that can professionally turn your head bald. While it might take sometime for the sites to do it for you, it's the best alternative to get a free glimpse of the future you.

Headshaving is beautiful for female too. So ladies, if you are not sure about shaving your head bald, you can use the free virtual bald for women, service, to see, what would you look like bald.

That's right ladies, I'm giving you the opportunity to check your head for free, before getting a real headshave.


(picture from : http://womanheadshaving.baldlygo.com/)

BALD CAP

When I first saw the actress Cameron Diaz played in the movie "My Sister's Keeper" with shaven hair, then you'll be surprised. But the bald look that was just "a trick". Cameron Diaz does not shave off his hair to look bald, but he was wearing a "bald cap".

A bald cap is an appliance used to mask a wearer's hair and create the illusion that they are bald. Most inexpensive bald caps are made from latex. However, bald caps can concievably be constructed from dozens of different materials. Many of the newer alternative synthetics are preferable as they can allow you to dissolve the edges with products such as alcohol or acetone.

Bald cap usage has grown to serve other purposes. They are often used to shield a subject's hair during the process of lifecasting. They are used when a subject's natural hair cannot be completely hidden beneath a wig. They are used to facilitate the application of cowl prosthetics or full-head prosthetic masks as they keep the hair from protruding from the cowl, they reproduce the form of the orginal lifecast (as mentioned, taken with a bald cap in place), and prevent tugging on the hair during the often awkward process of donning and adhearing the prosthetic.

3 MOST FAMOUS BALD WOMEN

The celebrity is the most widely hunted by reporters. News of them will be easy to sell, let alone about the news that "splashy". In this case concluded there are 3 most popular female celebrity who shaved her hair.

1. Britney Spears

Britney Spears shaved her hair because she was simply sick and tired of the way she was being handled and sold by the music industry, as well as the nonstop attention from the media. Britney Spears at the time was going through a very messy divorce, was under intense public scrutiny, and it seems reasonable to believe that she simply snapped, albeit in a very dramatic way. It could also be said that this was one of the most public manifestations of a slow mental and emotional downslide for Britney.

2. Demi Moore

Demi Moore shaved her hair to act in its role in the movie "G.I. Jane" produced in 1997. Demi Moore plays the role of Jordan O’Neill, a woman that is trying to make it into the Navy Seals to show that they should open it up to both sexes. She is going through all of the hardships that the guys are, plus the people in charge are trying to get her to quit as fast as possible and pulling stunts just to make her do so. She sticks through it the entire way and earns the respect of all who are there and that know her story.

3. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman shaved her head for her role as Evey Hammond in the film “V For Vendetta”. Told in the film that Evey Hammond is a young woman who is saved from the secret police by the main character, V. Natalie Portman worked with a voice coach for the role, learning to speak with an English accent, and she famously had her head shaved.

FASHION MAGAZINE SHOCKED BY BALD WOMEN PHOTOS

Milan/Paris-based photographer Enzo Dal Verme (Vanity Fair, l’Uomo Vogue, Marie Claire, Grazia, Elle, etc.) has shot a series of portraits of bald women. He met them in New York and collected their stories too. Some of them have alopecia, some have been through chemotherapy, others simply like being bald. They got together with the idea of redefining the concept of beauty. Men can be blond, brown, red, white and... bald. Why not women?

When the photographer showed the pictures to his clients, every single magazine that saw the story (about twenty) refused to publish it for the very same reason: those pictures might clash with the feminine ideal upheld by advertisers. Well, actually one of them had a different problem...

Anyway, time passed and the photographer kept trying with other magazines. No way to publish the story. “Sorry, but I am not going to give up”, he says. “If mainstream magazines have a preference for Barbie-fied women, I will publish everything on the net.”

Now everyone can see the pictures and read the interviews on his blog: “Meeting them has been a privilege for me, I want other people to be inspired by them. After all, their point is not just about bald women. The courage to be oneself is something that concerns everyone”.

For the stories behind these photos please visit Enzo Dal Verme's blog.

Marina, police clerk. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Caggie, fashion designer. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Carolyne, medical student. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Fury, event organizer. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Margareth, actress and model. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Sharon, model and actress. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

Venus, creative director. Photo: Enzo Dal Verme

(copied from : http://www.photography-news.com/2010/07/fashion-magazines-shocked-by-bald-women.html)

CHINESE MEN HAIRSTYLE IN 17TH CENTURY

Men's hair styles in China in the 17th century have unique characteristics. The most prominent of these hair styles are at the front of the hair that was shaved off and the rest of the hair braided into a long ponytail, or queue. The ponytail was never to be cut for it would justify execution as treason.

Although the hair style is actually for the men, but women also can adopt the hair style like this. Hair style like this combination of long hair and bald. In the present time, it never hurts to follow women's hair styles man hair style, it all depends on how our perspective.

TATTOO IN HEAD WOMEN

Tattoo art is one way by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoo much preferred by people who love the beauty and art. Tattoo much done in some parts tubug, for example in the hands, feet, back and forth. Some people even make tattoos on their heads. There's even a woman who dared to make tattoos on their heads. Their motivation varies, in which most of these women want to look different from the others. Before making tattoos on the head, of course, the hair on the head must be shaved off first. Requires great courage to do this, especially in women. Women who dare it is women who really are sure to make tattoos on their heads.

COPING WITH HAIR LOSS FOR WOMEN

Losing hair can be something "scary" for most people. For men, may not be too problematic because it is a common occurrence. But for women, the problem could be a "catastrophe". Women had always wanted to look pretty (which is surely a nice hair too).

Most people have heard of the men’s hair loss treatment called Rogaine. Were you aware that a version of Rogaine for women is also available? It is officially called Minoxidil. Minoxidil, according to some research, may actually be more effective in treating women’s hair loss than Rogaine is for men’s. This drug, which is applied to the head topically, works by stimulating your follicles, causing the regrowth of hair. This is the only drug that has been approved by the FDA for hair growth. Well, men do have a wide variety of hats but really how many of those hats really hide the bald spot? I see men everyday who just toss on the first hat they see, usually a ball cap. Women can use just about any hat and simply call it fashion. Can you pull off a derby? Well what are you waiting for? Ever considered a top hat? That’s a little risky but you can probably pull it off! How about a beret? That’s right you go girl! Why not have fun with it? What better time to accessorize.

Tend to your hair. Some women are simple too rough on their hair. They dye it frequently, they put an exorbitant amount of product in it, they use lousy brushes and heat-these are all factors that can add to your hair loss.

It may be hard to fathom, some women are able to totally intercept the hair loss issues by following good hair care methods for their hair types. Discuss with your beautician your hair type and the most excellent way to care for it. Make sure to pamper your scalp frequently! A pampered scalp is a delighted scalp. A delighted scalp is more disposed to grow the hair you want to grow! 

Hair loss among women used to be an inappropriate topic. Now, there are countless antidotes. Indeed, there are many options for remedying hair loss.

Every woman will have to find her own way to deal with her hair loss. For some that will be with medication. For others it will involve lifestyle changes. For some it may be as easy as switching shampoos. Speak with your doctor is you require assistance in finding the most excellent way to cope with the hair loss you are experiencing.

OLD JAPANESE HAIRSTYLE

Old hair styles can inspire us to apply it. Experiments in hair style can be from anywhere and from anyone. One of the model's old hair style Japanese men (1800's era). Hair style with the characteristic that was shaved off the top, then added a curler that was tied at the top of the head. When at that time, haircut like this is very common, but when applied on the present course, give the impression of "unique", especially when applied to women. But nothing forbids our freedom to experiment with our hair style.

WHY MONKS SHAVED HEAD ?

Often we see the hallmark of a monk. The most visible is that every bald-headed monks definitely. Monk shave off her hair because of the crown should be opened as wide as possible, hair or a hat that blocks the crown made it difficult we opened the door into the nature of pure consciousness.

Monks don't only shave their heads but also their eyebrows. It is a way to break away from the attachment to looks. Hair and eyebrows are defining features of human looks which may bring earthly attractions to opposite sex. To shave away is a way of renouncing earthly attachment.

BETWEEN LOVE AND BALD HAIR

There is really no connection between love and shaven head, but a story and the impact we can pick between two things. Humans are destined by God to live in pairs, male and female. Love is a thing that has wide currency. With love, man and woman united. A genuine love between men and women can result in true love. Often we see in our environment, there are a couple that wore the uniform / twin. In this case, of course there are a couple that decided to shave off her hair together. Their motivations vary, there are just for fun, some are to show how much they love. For a man, maybe it is not serious when he decided to shave off her hair, but for women is a serious matter. This is where everything becomes lighter, because the love that they get together then everything will be light and fun. "The World is Beautiful When It's Love".

ART & BALD WOMAN

Women with shaved hair is exotic, this is because women bald with a touch of artistic it will produce a beautiful work of art. Art is free, can be poured through a variety of media and objects. Bald woman is one of the various objects of art.