How To Treat Likiliki (Alopecia Areata)

Hair loss is a common condition in the elderly. When it affects infants, parents worry. One very hair condition that affects infants as well as elderly is likiliki which is the local name for alopecia areata.

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Alopecia areata is a hair condition that affects the scalp of the head and other areas where there are hair follicles. It affects both infants and elderly but not impossible among young adults. It is not a gender based condition.

Alopecia areata (Likiliki)

Causes Of Alopecia Areata

It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in which hair follicles are damaged by a misguided immune system. Biopsy of affected skin shows immune lymphocytes penetrating into the hair bulb of the hair follicle. It is associated with some disease conditions such as thyroid disease, vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.

Symptoms

There is no other sign from hair loss without any scarring which is common in infection. The scalp is smooth, round with the skin colour. When it affects the nails, it shows the pit on the surface. If left untreated, most cases resolve after a while with hair regrowth in less than a year. Few cases lead to permanent hair loss.

Pharmacotherapy/Treatment

The best and easily available solution is steroid cream, shampoo and lotion. However, every steroid should not be used for a long time and this condition takes a long time to resolve. Serious conditions involve injecting steroids under the affected skin.

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Another product is the use of topical sensitisers such as diphencyprone or squaric acid dibutylester which is used when there is more than 50 percent hair loss or in recalcitrant alopecia areata. Immunotherapy are products that fight the body's immune system. An example is methotrexate.

Minoxidil cream is a very important product that works anytime, anyday. It's effectiveness is improved when added to anthralin. But a recent introduction is the use of oral JAK (Janus kinase inhibitors) such as tofacitinib, ruxolitinib and baricitinib. The only set back is that they are not to be used for a long time.