Yes, a blood test can diagnose alopecia. Your doctor may order several blood works to determine the cause of the hair loss along with a scalp biopsy. In most cases, the particular lab tests your doctor could depend on accompanying symptoms or recent life changes you have.
Causes of Alopecia Areata
In alopecia areata, the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing inflammation. Researchers do not fully understand what causes the immune attack on hair follicles, but they believe that both genetic and environmental (non-genetic) factors play a role.
Your dermatologist will examine the area(s) with hair loss carefully and look at your nails. Your dermatologist will also ask some questions. This may be enough to diagnose you. Because there are so many reasons for hair loss, testing is sometimes necessary to make sure alopecia areata is the cause of your hair loss.
Sudden Loss of Patches of Hair
Bald spots may grow very slowly in one area or you may notice a patch or strip of hair loss that appears within just a day or two. In some cases, you may notice burning or stinging before sudden hair loss.
The condition can develop at any age, although most people develop alopecia areata for the first time before the age of 30.
Female-pattern baldness is a pattern of hair loss (alopecia) caused by hormones, aging and genetics. Unlike male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness is an over-all thinning which maintains the normal hairline.
Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
Blood Tests and Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA)
Blood tests should typically be ordered in patients with suspected androgenetic alopecia. Testing for blood hemoglobin levels, iron, thyroid, B12, vitamin D should at least be considered in all patients.
Typically, a diagnosis of alopecia areata can be made based on the pattern of hair loss and the patient's medical history. In some cases, a biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis. “When we do a biopsy, we're looking for immune cells around the base of the hair follicle in order to make the diagnosis,” says Dr. King.
Alopecia areata is more common among African Americans but less common among Asians, compared with whites, according to a new study involving registry data for more than 11,000 individuals.
Alopecia areata (AA) occurs when the immune system attacks the hair follicle. Studies have shown a relationship between AA and low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D should be supplemented if levels are low.
On the AIP elimination diet, you will avoid grains, legumes, nightshades (such as potatoes and peppers), dairy, eggs, coffee, alcohol, sugar, oil and food additives. After a few months, you can work the excluded foods back in one at a time to figure out which foods trigger an inflammatory reaction.
Most people know alopecia to be a form of hair loss. However, what they don't always know is that there are three main types of the condition – alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis.
Often, hair grows back within several months, even without treatment. It may grow in fine or white at first, but usually returns to its original texture and color with time. People with alopecia areata may lose and grow back their hair more than once, either in the same patches as before or in different patches.
If your daily hair fall is more than the usual 80-100 strands of hair, you might be suffering from stress-related hair loss. If you notice bald patches on your scalp, it may be a sign of Alopecia Areata. If you have had the urge to pull out your hair, it may be stress-induced Trichotillomania.
Though the symptoms of alopecia areata typically do not cause physical pain, many people with the condition say that it causes emotional, or psychological, pain. This type of pain is as serious (and can feel the same) as physical pain and can lead to feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Blood Test, LC/MS
The Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Blood Test measures DHT levels in the blood to help determine the cause of male pattern hair loss and prostate problems.
Alopecia occurs for many different reasons and presents in various ways. It can occur suddenly or develop gradually over time. Sudden-onset causes include illness, diet, medications, and childbirth. Alopecia that has a gradual onset more likely has a genetic component.
Ketoconazole shampoos help treat Alopecia by cleaning the skin area around your hair follicle of sebum, or the skins natural oils that are produced. Getting rid of these oils can allow your hair follicles to receive more nutrition and release for your hair to regrow.
There is currently no cure for alopecia areata, although there are some forms of treatment that can be suggested by doctors to help hair re-grow more quickly. The most common form of alopecia areata treatment is the use of corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can suppress the immune system.
The extent of alopecia (how much hair has fallen out) varies and links to the different subtypes. Some said their hair loss involved one small patch about the size of a 1p coin which regrew after a few weeks or months. Others developed more patches which sometimes joined up into bigger bald areas over time.
Alopecia areata is sometimes triggered by viral infections such as influenza that causes excess production of interferons (IFN). IFN- γ is one of the key factors that lead to the collapse of immune privilege.
A variety of factors are thought to cause alopecia areata (al-o-PEE-she-uh ar-e-A-tuh), possibly including severe stress. With alopecia areata, the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles — causing hair loss.
The currently preferred treatment for androgenetic alopecia is topically administered 2 percent minoxidil. Minoxidil appears to affect the hair follicle in three ways: it increases the length of time follicles spend in anagen, it “wakes up” follicles that are in catagen, and it enlarges the actual follicles.