Autoimmune diseases are numerous, and many directly affect hair health and cause hair loss. The immune system of the body is a very complex network of biological systems that under normal circumstances, work to defend the body and stop infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. When a person has an autoimmune disease, the immune system incorrectly attacks itself and inflames cells, tissues and other organs.
One of the more common autoimmune diseases that affects hair health is alopecia areata which occurs in about 4 million men and women. This disease is caused when the immune mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. When hair health is affected with this disease, the results that usually occur are the appearance of scalp patches that have no hair. Sometimes though, hair health is more extensively impacted when hair is lost all over the head (alopecia totalis).
In some cases hair health is affected all over the body when all hair is lost (alopecia universalis).
Another disease that affects hair health and is the most common of these types of autoimmune diseases are those that affect the thyroid which is an organ that helps regulate metabolism. These diseases are referred to a either Graves Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or more commonly as ‘hypothyroidism’. When the thyroid gland is not working well and begins to affect hair health, it starts to conserve energy and directs the diminished hormones produced, to other areas that are not critical for metabolism such as hair and this affects hair health and results in hair loss. This disease affects perhaps 10% of the population. These diseases which affects hair health is more common in women than men and seems to be caused by both hereditary and environmental factors.
Some other autoimmune diseases that affect hair health and cause hair loss are lupis (systemic lupus erythematosus) and rheumatoid arthritis.
The good news is that the most common autoimmune disease that effects hair health and causes hair loss; hypothyroidism is treatable. Many men and women have chosen to use the HairMax LaserComb, laser phototherapy medical device once their thyroid condition is successfully treated and hair health is no longer affected. They have found that the HairMax helps regrow hair, thicken hair, and restore overall hair health. Unlike drugs used to treat hair loss, the HairMax has an excellent safety and efficacy record.
