Hair and Scalp Diseases
There are a variety of hair and scalp diseases; some are very common, while other more severe hair and scalp diseases are fortunately rare. Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune skin disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles, causing baldness in patches. It affects 1.7 percent of the population, including 4.7 million people in the United States. In cases where the disease progresses to the point where all scalp hair is lost, it is called Alopecia Totalis, and where hair loss advances to the entire body it is called Alopecia Universialis. There is no known cause for alopecia areata and therefore no known cure. The disease usually hits before age 20, and does not seem to favor one particular gender or culture. Hair loss with alopecia areata comes in stages, with hair returning and falling out in phases. For information on this disease, contact the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) at PO Box 150760, San Rafael, CA 94915-0760, (415) 472-3780.
Seborrheic Dermatitis, an advanced form of seborrhea, is a non-contagious skin disease that causes excessive oiliness of the skin, most commonly in the scalp, caused by overproduction of sebum, the substance produced by the body to lubricate the skin where hair follicles are present. Seborrhea is the form of the disease where oiliness only occurs without redness and scaling. The disease commonly occurs in infants, middle-aged people, and the elderly, and is commonly known in infants as cradle cap. The disease has no cure, yet in infants it usually disappears in time. With adults the condition may persist with varying degrees of severity. Flaking, scaling and redness often are symptoms of this disease. It is easily treated with topical solutions found in creams containing corticosteroids and shampoos containing pine tar, selenium sulfide or salicylic acid. Seborrhea and seborrheic dermatitis are both easily treated and controlled, and should be because left untreated they can contribute to hair loss. In fact, a group of Japanese scientists have linked the overproduction of sebum to hair loss. This is because the sebaceous glands in areas of the scalp where hair is thinning or bald are enlarged, and are thought to cause the clogging of pores and several other problems that promote hair loss.
Psoriasis is termed an immune-mediated disorder that affects different areas and functions of the body. It is non-contagious, and one of the areas of the body it can affect is the scalp. It usually appears as patches of raised red skin accompanied by burning and itching. Several contributing factors are thought to contribute to the outbreak of psoriasis, including emotional stress, certain infections, toxemia, the thinning of the intestinal walls and adverse reactions to certain drugs. At least half of people who have psoriasis have scalp psoriasis. Like seborrhea, scalp psoriasis left untreated can cause hair loss. Fortunately, it can also be treated with a variety of topical creams and shampoos containing tar and salicylic acid. For more information on psoriasis, contact the National Psoriasis Foundation at 6600 SW 92nd Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97223-7195, (503) 244-7404 or (800) 723-9166.
It is vital not to scratch the scalp and pick at the scabs that psoriasis causes, as this could damage the hair follicles in the dermis and cause permanent hair loss. As long as the follicles are not damaged, hair loss caused by this malady is usually temporary and hair will grow back once the condition clears. Some of the best ways to stop the itching are using very common household substances such as mouthwashes like Lavoris® and Listerine®. Carbolated Vaseline® works well along the hairline to relieve symptoms. Hair dyes of all kinds and chemical treatments such as permanents and relaxers should be avoided at all costs with psoriasis. These chemicals are extremely harmful in general, but with psoriasis can lead to irreversible damage to the hair follicle over a relatively short period of time.
Like any of these other maladies, one must keep in mind that psoriasis cannot be cured through drugs, and if any cure exists it is in the form of the body healing itself by the correction of malfunctions in the body. One condition present with everyone suffering with psoriasis is toxemia. When the body becomes toxic, various genetic dispositions mature and psoriasis is but one illness that arises due to toxemia. Toxemia is caused by poor circulation and the thinning of the intestinal walls. The patient’s blood becomes acidic, and thus this acidity comes through the largest organ in the body: the skin. Several cases of psoriasis have been healed through natural processes such as internal cleansing, giving up alcohol, increasing the intake of water-especially distilled water, an increase in exposure to the sun in certain cases, an active reduction in stress by removing stressful conditions and practicing meditation, and the elimination of nightshades such as tomatoes, tobacco, eggplant, white potatoes, peppers (not black pepper) and paprika. One food that is a common plague to those suffering with psoriasis is pizza. Obviously containing tomatoes, pizza also contains every ingredient a psoriasis sufferer should avoid, such as white flour, peppers and hot spices. Additionally, pizza is highly acidic and should be avoided by all means.