What is that
Beard alopecia - also known as alopecia barbae - is a particular form of alopecia areata that affects the beard.
This disorder can occur either as a stand-alone event, or in association with scalp alopecia. In fact, it has been estimated that, when alopecia affects only the beard, within a year it reaches the scalp in at least 50% of cases.
Incidence
Of course, the alopecia of the beard manifests itself in male patients, but with a higher incidence in young individuals aged between 30 and 40 years.
Causes
What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Alopecia della Barba?
The alopecia of the beard is a form of alopecia areata that affects the beard and, as such, is considered an autoimmune disease.
In fact, hair loss occurs because the immune system attacks hair follicles, thus hindering normal activity and preventing hair from growing normally.
Unfortunately, the exact causes behind this phenomenon are not yet completely clear. In this regard, the hypotheses formulated are really many, including the possible presence of a genetic component associated with other factors, such as malnutrition, iron deficiency, infections, etc. However, similar hypotheses have not yet been confirmed and, on the contrary, by some doctors they are categorically refused.
In any case, it has been noted that patients suffering from other disorders of the immune system are at greater risk of developing beard alopecia and other forms of alopecia areata.
Symptoms and Events
The alopecia of the beard is characterized by the loss of beard hair in well localized areas, more or less extensive and with a rounded shape. The formation of these hairless patches can take place anywhere in the beard, therefore, they can occur in the area of the mustache, the neck, the chin, the cheeks, or on the sides.
Usually, the alopecia of the beard begins with the appearance of a single patch of variable size which, with the passage of time, tends to expand. In this first patch others can be added in different areas of the beard.
Often, before the appearance of glabrous patches, or shortly before their extension, the patient feels sensations of itching or burning, which can be associated with a slight inflammation of the skin. However, these symptoms can also occur when the patches have already occurred.
In some cases, hairs can be seen growing in the affected areas, but often they are hairs that no longer have the initial color and are white instead.
It therefore appears clear that a benign disorder such as the alopecia of the beard can turn into a real nightmare for several men, who see their appearance altered. This can cause psychological damage to affected patients and can have serious repercussions on their social life.
Associated pathologies
Pathologies and Disorders associated with Alopecia della Barba
As mentioned, patients suffering from other autoimmune diseases have a greater chance of experiencing beard alopecia. For this reason, it is not unusual for a patient suffering from this disorder to also be affected by other diseases, such as:
- Atopic dermatitis;
- Vitiligo;
- Psoriasis;
- Crohn's disease;
- Asthma;
- Hyperparathyroidism or other thyroid disorders.
Treatment
Fortunately, in many cases, beard alopecia tends to regress spontaneously within a few months. However, this does not mean that the disorder is definitively solved. In fact, alopecia can return to strike the patient's beard even after a short time from its resolution, giving rise to a continuous succession of phases of regrowth and hair loss phases. In other patients, however, alopecia may not appear for years, only to reappear when the individual expects it less.
However, if the alopecia of the beard does not resolve by itself and in the event that the disorder becomes disabling from a psycho-social point of view for the patient, the doctor may decide to intervene by pharmacological treatment.
It is, however, necessary to point out that not all patients respond equally to the therapy for alopecia of the beard; therefore, what can be effective for an individual, can instead be completely useless for another.
Warning!
Pharmacological treatment of alopecia of the beard can promote hair regrowth, but does not cure the disorder, which can recur after days, months or even years. The pharmacological treatment, therefore, is able to attenuate only the manifestations of alopecia, but it is not able to definitively eliminate the disease.
The main characteristics of the therapeutic strategies and the drugs most used in the treatment of beard alopecia will be briefly described below.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroid drugs are powerful anti-inflammatories that work by suppressing the activity of the immune system and, for this reason, they are useful in the treatment of autoimmune disorders, including beard alopecia.
In the treatment of this form of alopecia, corticosteroids can be administered both locally and systemically.
Normally, the first therapeutic approach involves the intralesional administration (ie by injection directly into the areas affected by the disorder) of corticosteroids, such as triamcinolone.
Topical corticosteroids, on the other hand, seem not to be among the best therapeutic strategies, since - especially when used for long periods - they often cause folliculitis.
In more serious cases, finally, it is possible to resort to the administration of corticosteroids systemically, although it seems that, for this form of alopecia areata, such treatment is not particularly effective.
Minoxidil
The role of minoxidil in treating beard alopecia is still doubtful. In fact, while its use seems to be useful in some patients, in others it does not seem to produce significant therapeutic effects.
Laser
According to some studies conducted on patients suffering from beard alopecia, the use of phototherapy performed with different types of lasers (excimer laser, Erbium fractionated laser) would be able to induce hair growth - sometimes complete - in the areas affected by the disorder.
