Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions
    Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions
    Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions
    Ebook90 pages1 hour

    Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

    By Kenneth Kee

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Alopecia areata is a medical disorder that produces round patches of baldness.
    It can result in total hair loss( alopecia totalis).
    In some patients, total baldness develops.
    In many patients, the hair re-grows, normally after several months.
    In some patients, the hair loss is permanent.
    Alopecia means loss of hair or baldness.
    Alopecia areata is one form of hair loss.
    Alopecia areata can happen at any age but most patients first get it as teenagers and children.
    At least 50% of the people with alopecia areata form their first patch of hair loss before they are 21.
    Males and females are identically affected.
    The disorder tends to be milder when it first forms at an older age.
    Causes
    Alopecia areata is believed to be an autoimmune disorder.
    This happens when the immune system falsely attacks and destroys healthy body tissue.
    In people with alopecia areata, many white blood cells get together around the affected hair roots (hair follicles) which are mistaken as foreign.
    This causes some mild inflammation.
    The inflammation results in hairs becoming weak and falling out to produce the bald patches.
    It is not known why it is frequent for only certain areas of the scalp to be affected.
    Also, the involved hair follicles are not damaged.
    The involved hair follicles are capable of producing normal hair again if the immune reaction goes away and the disorder returns to normal.
    It is not known why alopecia areata or other autoimmune diseases happen.
    It is believed that something stimulates the immune system to react against one or more of the body's own tissues.
    Possible stimuli are viruses, infection, medicines or other environmental factors.
    There is also a genetic factor which makes some people more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases.
    Hair loss is normally the only symptom.

    The normal pattern is for one or more bald patches to occur on the scalp.
    These tend to be round in shape and can be about the size of a large coin.
    They form quite rapidly.
    A relative, friend or hairdresser may be the first person to observe the bald patch or patches.
    Besides the bald patch or patches, the scalp normally looks healthy and there is no scarring.
    Sometimes, there is some mild redness, mild scaling, mild burning or a slightly itchy feeling on the bald patches.
    Diagnosis
    The doctor will examine the patient and ask about the symptoms, focusing on areas where the patient has hair loss.
    A scalp biopsy may be performed.
    Blood tests may also be done to check for autoimmune disorders and thyroid problems.
    Treatment
    If hair loss is not serious, the hair will often re-grow in a few months without treatment.
    For more serious hair loss, it is not known how treatment can help alter the course of the disorder.
    Frequent treatments may be:
    1. Steroid injection under the skin surface
    2. Medicines applied to the skin
    3. Ultraviolet light therapy
    4. The wig may be used to hide areas of hair loss.
    Watchful waiting or not treating is a frequent initial method.
    Alopecia areata is normally a very non-predictable disorder.
    In many patients, bald patches may re-grow by themselves without treatment.
    Any re-growth normally does not start within three months of hair loss.
    An alteration in hairstyle may perhaps hide one or two small bald patches.
    If the hair loss becomes more extensive then the decision on whether to treat may be re-assessed.
    But even with extensive hair loss, there is still a possibility that hair will re-grow without treatment.
    Alopecia areata itself will not injure the general health and so not treating will not result in any general health disorders.
    Steroid injections (about 1 cm apart) are believed to be the most effective treatment for patches of alopecia areata that are not too big
    TABLE OF CONTENT
    Introduction
    Chapter 1 Alopecia Areata

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKenneth Kee
    Release dateJul 3, 2017
    ISBN9781370968480
    Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions
    Author

    Kenneth Kee

    Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

    Read more from Kenneth Kee

    Related to Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

    Related ebooks

    Medical For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Through Thick And Thin

      Aug 19, 2018

      Through Thick And Thin
      5 min read

    • Article

      Healthy Hair, Naturally

      Oct 28, 2020

      Healthy Hair, Naturally
      7 min read

    • Article

      Shine On

      Feb 6, 2020

      Shine On
      4 min read

    • Article

      Know Your Skin Cycle

      Mar 3, 2020

      Know Your Skin Cycle
      5 min read

    • Article

      Oh No! Where Did My Hair Go?

      May 20, 2022

      Oh No! Where Did My Hair Go?
      6 min read

    • Article

      WOMAN’S GP DR PHILIPPA KAYE ON HER TOPIC OF THE WEEKHow to cope with hair loss

      Aug 30, 2022

      We often spend a lot of time and money on our hair: cutting it, styling it, dyeing it and more. A ‘good’ hair day can boost your confidence. Conversely, while various degrees of hair loss are relatively common, extreme shedding can cause embarrassmen

      2 min read

    • Article

      Doc Q&A INSTANT appointment

      Jun 29, 2023

      Doc Q&A INSTANT appointment
      3 min read

    • Article

      Alopecia

      Nov 14, 2022

      A lopecia (scientifically known as Alopecia areata) is a condition characterized by the loss of hair in patches. As more hair falls out and the patches grow in size, the condition becomes more noticeable. Alopecia is more common than you may think. A

      1 min read

    • Article

      THE TRUTH ABOUT hair LOSS

      Jun 27, 2019

      THE TRUTH ABOUT hair LOSS
      4 min read

    • Article

      Hair Loss

      Mar 6, 2019

      Hair Loss
      4 min read

    • Article

      Splitting Hairs

      May 5, 2021

      Splitting Hairs
      3 min read

    • Article

      Shed The Shame

      Sep 1, 2023

      Shed The Shame
      5 min read

    • Article

      Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

      May 5, 2023

      Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
      5 min read

    • Article

      Crowning Glory

      Mar 8, 2022

      Dermatologists are in agreement that one of the most common reasons for consultation during the COVID pandemic has been a loss or thinning of hair, known as alopecia. There are several types of alopecia. Androgenic alopecia is male pattern balding, w

      2 min read

    • Article

      Treating Hair Loss

      Nov 14, 2022

      Treating Hair Loss
      2 min read

    • Article

      A Hairy Situation

      Mar 16, 2021

      HAIR LOSS IS often begrudgingly accepted as a natural part of life. After all, most people, women included, will lose some or all of their hair as they get older. But when hair loss happens suddenly—handfuls coming out in the shower or while brushing

      2 min read

    • Article

      Wearing Thin?

      Nov 23, 2021

      GOING INTO AND coming out of winter are natural times to shed hair. It’s also normal to lose around 50-100 hairs a day. But when it’s coming out more than that, it could be telogen effluvium. If the hair loss goes on for more than 4-6 weeks, I’d sugg

      1 min read

    • Article

      ASK Dr Martin

      Sep 15, 2022

      Q My boyfriend refuses to use condoms. He says they hurt his penis during sex. Is that possible? Asenka, Newham A It’s possible, but almost certainly means he isn’t using the condom correctly. Pain during sex could mean the condom’s the wrong size –

      2 min read

    • Article

      Fight HAIR LOSS

      Jan 22, 2021

      Fight HAIR LOSS
      4 min read

    • Article

      Hair Loss Gains

      Oct 5, 2023

      Hair Loss Gains
      3 min read

    • Article

      ASK Dr Martin

      Feb 24, 2022

      ASK Dr Martin
      2 min read

    • Article

      Types Of Alopecia

      Mar 23, 2020

      Traction alopecia. This type of alopecia is usually caused directly by your actions, which result in excessive tension on the hair and breakage. Certain hairstyles, such as braiding and tight ponytails, are the most common causes. It can also be caus

      1 min read

    • Article

      Examining The Bald Facts

      Feb 16, 2020

      Bex Ridgen has come to terms with being bald, but she still mourns the loss of her eyelashes. “I think it would be weird if my hair grew back now, but I’d love my eyelashes back,” says the Christchurch personal trainer who lost her eyelashes when she

      3 min read

    • Article

      ASK Dr Martin

      Apr 7, 2022

      ASK Dr Martin
      2 min read

    • Article

      Your HEALTH

      May 31, 2023

      Best known for her role on C4’s Embarrassing Bodies, Dr Pixie is a practising GP in central London Q I’m 58 and think I’m going deaf. It’s annoying my family and frustrating me, as it’s difficult to hear in a crowded room. Any clues as to why this m

      4 min read

    • Article

      Through Thick And Thin

      Feb 22, 2024

      Through Thick And Thin
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Alopecia Areata, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions - Kenneth Kee

      Alopecia Areata,

      A

      Simple

      Guide

      To

      The Condition,

      Diagnosis,

      Treatment

      And

      Related Conditions

      By

      Dr Kenneth Kee

      M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

      Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

      Copyright Kenneth Kee 2017 Smashwords Edition

      Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated

      To my wife Dorothy

      And my children

      Carolyn, Grace

      And Kelvin

      This book describes Alopecia Areata, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

      (What The patient Need to Treat Alopecia Areata)

      This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If the patient would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

      If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

      Thank the patient for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Introduction

      I have been writing medical articles for my blog http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

      My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

      Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

      I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

      This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

      From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 amazon kindle books and 200 into Smashwords.com eBooks.

      Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

      For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

      The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

      The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

      Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

      As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

      Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

      I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

      I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

      I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

      Chapter 1

      Alopecia areata

      One patient was a teenage girl who had her first bald patch after her O Level examination.

      She had the injections and cream to help her hair to grow.

      After this incidence she had a recurrence every year after a major examination.

      Each time she had an injection of steroid and cream.

      She did well enough in her examinations to enter medical school in the University of London.

      After her yearly examination she would return to Singapore to have her bald patch injected by me with steroid and application of steroid cream.

      After her graduation as a doctor, the condition disappeared.

      It would appear that her stress over her examinations was the triggering factor in production of the bald spots in her hair.

      Recently I had an elderly patient who also developed 2 holes in the hair of the scalp.

      Growth of hair was slower than the younger patient.

      The new hair was white compared to his other hairs which were dyed.

      I told him not to dye his hair

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1