Alopecia Areata

IN LONDON

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DE FELIPE group is an international network of clinics and not all treatments are available at every location. We kindly invite you to contact us to confirm whether the treatment you require is offered at your chosen clinic.

What is it?

Alopecia Areata (AA) is a type of alopecia that appears suddenly and forms circular or oval patches of skin devoid of hair. It is most commonly located on the scalp but can affect eyebrows, beards, mustaches, or other areas of the body. The patches of alopecia grow progressively over several months, and the hair falls out easily.

It generally appears in middle age or young people. Several patches usually appear, each lasting 6 months, and the total outbreak lasts about 2 years. It can become complicated and spread, affecting the eyebrows, the entire scalp (Alopecia Totalis), or the entire body (Alopecia Universalis).

It is a type of non-scarring inflammatory alopecia.

Causes

It occurs due to a sudden transition of the hair follicle into the telogen phase due to immunological stress conditions in the hair root. A lymphocytic infiltrate similar to that found in other autoimmune skin diseases is observed at the base of the follicle. It appears that this immune attack is what leads the follicle to enter the resting phase.

Other autoimmune diseases are common: Alopecia Areata is four times more common in vitiligo, 3.2 times more common in diabetes mellitus, and 2.3 times more common in hypothyroidism.

Clinical Signs

The clinical signs of Alopecia Areata are the following:

  • Yellow dots are observed.
  • Exclamation point hairs (broken hairs 3 to 4 mm long).
  • Blackdots.
  • Fine haire in the alopecia patches during remission.

The biopsy shows a lymphocytic infiltrate around the bulb.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Alopecia Areata is usually clinical and is made by observing the characteristic clinical and trichoscopic signs. Very occasionally, a skin biopsy is necessary.

Alopecia Areata presents itself with rounded, well-defined, empty patches of hair without affecting the skin texture. The hair is easily detached from the periphery (positive traction sign).

Jacquet’s sign is positive.
Sometimes Nail involvement occurs, with the appearance of stippling on the nail plate in between 10% and 66% of patients.

DE FELIPE group is an international network of clinics and not all treatments are available at every location. We kindly invite you to contact us to confirm whether the treatment you require is offered at your chosen clinic.

Alopecia areata treatment price London

The price of the different procedures for the treatment  is:

Single session fee

Treatments

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

£250

Microinjections with minoxidil

£100

Microinjections with 5AR inhibitors

£100

Microinjections with hair growth extenders

£100

Microinjections with anti-inflammatories

£100

Microinjections with antiandrogens

£100

Low-Level Laser

£50

Stem Cells or Nanofat

£1500

Neuromodulators

£450

Monofilament Threads

£450

Exosomes

£450

De Felipe Program for Inflammatory Alopecia

£1200

Includes:

  • Diagnostic Trichology Consultation
  • 6 Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Sessions
  • 6 microinjection sessions with anti-inflammatories
  • 6 sessions of Minoxidil microinjection
  • 6 sessions of 635 nm photobiological therapy
  • Follow-up dermatological consultation

Frequently asked questions

The most frequently asked questions about alopecia areata can be found here:

Alopecia areata is a condition that causes hair loss. It usually affects the head and face, but it can spread to any area of the body. In most cases, it causes hair loss in round patches that can lead to baldness. Several studies link alopecia areata to an autoimmune condition in which the body triggers an inflammatory response in the hair follicle root, weakening the hair base and destroying the hair follicle.

The duration of alopecia areata is unpredictable. It can last from several months to years.

Alopecia areata is not usually permanent, and the chance of recovery depends on several individual factors.

No. It usually affects the head and face but can extend to any area of the body.

No. Some studies show that alopecia areata has an autoimmune cause but is not contagious. It could be considered a genetic predisposition, but it is not directly inherited.

Yes, alopecia areata can be associated with other autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, vitiligo, and type 1 diabetes.

Hair transplants may be an option for some types of alopecia, such as androgenetic alopecia, but they are not generally used for alopecia areata due to its unpredictable nature.