Alopecia, which leads to hair loss, has a negative impact on the psyche of its sufferers because of the spots it leaves in the hair, but there is hope to end the suffering of people with this disease after announcing a new drug that has proven effective against alopecia areata.
In the United States of America 300,000 people suffer annually from alopecia areata, and in Germany 1.5 million people suffer from various forms of alopecia areata, and even celebrities such as the wife of American actor Will Smith were not spared from this disease, according to a report in Deutsche Welle. .
For all these people, there is good news, which is the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of a new and effective drug against alopecia called “Olumiant” from the American drug company “Eli Lilly”.
It is related to a drug on the market but for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
80% of hair restored
The new drug underwent a 6-month study that included people who lost at least 50% of their hair due to alopecia areata.
The drug showed great effectiveness, as the people who underwent the test regained 80% of their hair within 6 months of taking the drug, according to the German “Fitbook” website.
In both studies, scientists divided 1,200 people randomly into two groups: the first group got a hair loss medication and the second group got a placebo.
Based on this study, approximately one third of the patients who took the "Olemant" drug recovered from hair loss.
amazing
“It is amazing that we have a drug that can help people regain their self-confidence, return to the nature of their lives, and discover themselves again and show them to others,” says Brett King, a professor at Yale University School of Medicine and the lead author of this study. The German "Fetbook" website that specializes in health news.
What is a vixen?
According to previous statements by German dermatologist Christoph Liebich - to the German news agency - alopecia is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks the body, causing hair loss.
Liebbich added that there is no scientific evidence that psychological stress or genetics play a role in alopecia areata, noting that it may affect anyone regardless of age or gender.
He added that the alopecia initially appears in the form of a bald spot the size of a coin on the head, and this spot may also appear in other places of the body such as the chin.
In addition, hair loss may extend to the whole body, which means eyebrows and eyelashes also fall out.
Dermatologist Professor Hans Wolf said that zinc tablets are one of the treatments for alopecia, and they are given to the patient for a period of 3 to 6 months, but there is no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of this treatment.
sudden hair fall
In the event of sudden hair loss, cortisone treatment can be resorted to, which may result in some side effects such as weight gain, in addition to that it often does not lead to permanent hair growth.
In addition, some doctors resort to immunosuppressive therapy, as occurs in the treatment of psoriasis or rheumatism, where the immune system is suppressed with drugs to prevent hair loss;
However, this treatment makes patients more susceptible to infection.
Alopecia does not pose a threat to life and does not cause pain or itching, but it represents a great psychological burden on the patient, especially among women who are terrified of hair loss, which is a symbol of femininity and beauty, so it is useful to consult a psychiatrist in addition to treatment. pharmacological.