Alopecia, commonly known as baldness, typically presents as hair loss or absence of hair on the scalp, but can also happen anywhere on the body that has hair. Baldness is more common in men, but can also appear in women. 

Hair loss can happen due to any number of reasons:

• Aging
• Hormones
• Illness
• Genetics

Contrary to several myths floating around, hair loss is NOT caused by:

• Wearing hats
• Dandruff
• Poor blood circulation in the head

There are several types of baldness:

• Male pattern baldness: The most common and usually related to genetics, this condition can start at any age (the earlier it starts, the more severe it usually is). Hair loss typically begins at the front, sides, or crown of the head. Sometimes the hair loss stops, leaving just a bald spot, and other times it continues until all the hair falls out.
• Female pattern baldness: Less common than its male-related counterpart, female pattern baldness usually presents as thinning hair and rarely results in complete hair loss. 
• Alopecia areata: This is a hair loss disorder that comes on quickly; hair typically falls out in small patches, suddenly. Sometimes it regrows after several months, and other times, it doesn’t. The cause of this type of hair loss — and why it sometimes grows back or not — is not known, though experts believe it’s due to an autoimmune condition. Jada Pinkett Smith is one of the most famous celebrities to suffer from alopecia areata — she went public with her struggle in 2018 and has received a lot of media coverage about it.
• Alopecia totalis: Complete hair loss on the scalp.
• Alopecia universalis: Complete loss of all body hair. 
• Cicatricial alopecia (scarring). Hair might be unable to grow back over scars caused by burns, injuries, X-ray therapy, lupus, bacterial or fungal skin infections, lichen planus, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, or skin cancer.
• Trichotillomania (hair pulling): Hair loss caused by hair pulling is a mental disorder, and anyone suffering from it should seek professional help. Once the hair pulling stops, the hair should be able to regrow. 

Available Treatments

Baldness is not necessarily a condition that necessitates treatment. If it’s the result of a medical or emotional condition, you may seek help for the underlying condition. If it’s a result of genetics, you may want to seek an aesthetic treatment. In that case, there are several options, including:

• Medication to promote hair growth
• Hair replacement surgery
  • Scalp reduction/expansion
  • Hair transplant
  • Skin lifts and grafts
• Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections

Challenges Facing People with Alopecia

People with various forms of alopecia face several challenges, both in the medical profession and in their daily lives. In the world of medicine, they might have to wait a long time to get an appointment with a dermatologist or other specialist. 

Accessing mental health support can also be challenging, since alopecia is considered a physical ailment and not a mental one. Since the condition is not fatal, it may not be prioritized. 

As for daily life, people with alopecia often report difficult social interactions at school and in the workplaces, as well as a societal stigma that comes from looking different from others. 

History of Alopecia Awareness Month

Alopecia, in one form or another, affects about 6.8 million people in the US. Alopecia Awareness Month was launched as a national movement in 1986 as a way to generate awareness and recognition of the condition. It’s sponsored by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF). 

Alopecia Awareness Month isn’t only about raising awareness of the condition itself, but also about engendering empathy and tolerance for people who look different. It’s about recognizing the struggle of people with alopecia and working to improve their quality of their lives.

Getting Involved in Alopecia Awareness Month

There are various ways people can recognize and/or participate in Alopecia Awareness Month, such as:

• Follow organizations and individuals who post information about alopecia, from informative data to “a day in the life” of someone living with alopecia
• Share your story, if you have alopecia
• Advocate kindness and acceptance of others
• Join the NAAF’s Walk for Alopecia fundraiser, or organizer your own
• Wear blue, the official color of Alopecia Awareness Month (and tell people why you’re wearing that color!)
• Get political and contact government representatives to ensure those with alopecia have access to healthcare, wigs, etc.

This Alopecia Awareness Month is an opportunity to appreciate the viewpoint and perspective of those with alopecia and to show support of each and everyone’s unique approach to dealing with it.