Parasitic infections. Tinea capitus is a disorder that produces scalp eruptions and hair loss in both children and adults. The infection typically is caused either by Microsporum canis or Trichophyton tonsurans.
Gut parasites like blastocystis hominis and dientamoeba fragilis are common parasites often overlooked as potential contributors to autoimmune conditions, including alopecia areata.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a component of two important coenzymes: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) [22].
Poor Gut Health Can Trigger Chronic Inflammation
Persistent inflammation in the body can damage hair follicles. Eventually, it can lead to a condition called cicatricial alopecia, or scarring alopecia, which is a type of permanent hair loss.
Tinea capitis is a fungal infection that can cause patches of hair loss (non-inflammatory) along with redness (inflammatory).
In the scalp, fungal infections often form circular, scaly, inflamed patches. Frequently, there can be temporary hair loss (hair returns when infection clears but if treatment is delayed and scarring results, permanent hair loss can be seen). This is a classical example of ringworm (tinea capitis) in a young child.
Folliculitis Decalvans. Staph A bacteria may cause folliculitis decalvans, a condition that causes baldness with scarring (cicatricial alopecia). Inflammation and bacteria in hair follicles cause pustules to form. Hair follicles eventually die, preventing new hair growth and causing circular bald patches.
Hormonal changes and medical conditions.
A variety of conditions can cause permanent or temporary hair loss, including hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and thyroid problems.
A diet rich in probiotics and prebiotics can be very supportive for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which is crucial for overall health, including hair growth. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics are the fibers that generally feed these bacteria.
This common type is a rash of itchy, pus-filled bumps. It occurs when hair follicles become infected with bacteria, usually Staphylococcus aureus (staph). Staph bacteria live on the skin all the time. And they can cause problems when they enter the body through a cut or other wound.
Finasteride (Propecia).
You take it daily as a pill. Many men taking finasteride experience a slowing of hair loss, and some may show new hair growth. It may take a few months to tell whether it's working for you. You'll need to keep taking it to retain any benefits.
This simple test measures the severity of hair loss. During a pull test, a dermatologist grasps small sections of hair, about 40 strands, from different parts of the scalp and gently tugs. If six or more strands fall out, you have what's known as active hair loss.
Spinosad (Natroba).
It can be applied to dry hair and rinsed with warm water after 10 minutes. It kills lice and nits and usually doesn't need repeated treatment.
Tick and flea bites have been reported to be associated with patches of hair loss that could be confused with alopecia areata [3, 4, 5]. The mild inflammatory response to the tick bite inadvertently affects hair growth. The alopecia is temporary and the hair regrows when the inflammation subsides [3, 4].
Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disorder and a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Some people with IBD experience hair loss that is usually temporary.
If you have hair loss and low vitamin D levels, your doctor may recommend vitamin D supplements. Iron. Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen to your hair follicles so your hair can grow. Iron supplements may be recommended if you have hair loss as well as iron deficiency that is confirmed by laboratory tests.
Severe and prolonged hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause loss of hair. The loss is diffuse and involves the entire scalp rather than discrete areas. The hair appears uniformly sparse.
Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face.
Tinea capitis (fungal infection of the scalp) — This form of patchy hair loss happens when certain types of fungi infect the scalp. This causes the hair to break off at the scalp surface and the scalp to flake or become scaly. Tinea capitis is a common form of patchy hair loss in children.
While infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes have treatments that often cause temporary hair loss due to STDs, syphilis is capable of causing hair loss as a direct symptom. This normally occurs during the secondary stage of syphilis and can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin.