Q: I am having a problem with my hair falling out in big chunks. I am getting quite concerned as I now have several bald spots measuring a couple of centimetres across on several parts of my scalp. What is causing this?
A: I assume this is not the usual male pattern baldness that tends to run in families.
It sounds like a condition known as alopecia areata. Alopecia literally means “fox’s disease,” perhaps because foxes could suffer from mange, which leads to patchy hair loss. The word areata means areas or patches.
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No one is sure what causes alopecia areata. Have you been under a lot of stress recently, or have you suffered an injury or a bad accident? Physical and psychological stresses have been thought to be factors, although some investigators dispute this. Others feel that stress may be the trigger that brings on the disease in people who may be genetically predisposed to it. Other suggested causes are local injury to the scalp, infections, pregnancy, allergies or chemical toxicity, and seasonal changes. Just like cats and dogs, our hair also tends to fall out more often at certain times of the year. Surprisingly, hair loss is worse in winter.
It is widely believed that alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, because the affected hair follicles have been found to be invaded by inflammatory cells. Autoimmune disease occurs when the person’s own immune system turns on his or her own cells in an attempt to destroy them. The healthy cells are mistaken for invading organisms.
Thyroid deficiency
Q: I have a thyroid deficiency problem and a friend of mine suggested I take iodine compounds in the form of seaweed or kelp. Does this help?
A: In some parts of the world, thyroid problems can occur as a result of iodine deficiency in the food or drinking water. This could lead to a swelling in the neck known as a goiter. Because this happened in Derbyshire, a county in England, this swollen neck was known in the old days as Derbyshire neck. The condition has been remedied by adding iodine to the drinking water.
Although kelp and seaweed products containing iodine can help in mild cases of thyroid dysfunction, I think you may have to take thyroid replacement hormones prescribed by your doctor. These are called Synthroid or
Eltroxin and come in various dosages.
Your doctor will first check the levels of thyroid hormone in your blood to determine the dosage you require.
