Hair disorders
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Follow the links below to find trusted information about hair disorders.
Last reviewed: May 2018
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Lichen planopilaris - ACD
Lichen planopilaris (LPP) is a rare inflammatory scalp disorder characterised by scarring alopecia (permanent hair loss) with several different patterns.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Hair loss overview - myDr.com.au
Hair loss (alopecia) is common and can cause significant worry and anxiety. But there are several ways of treating and managing hair loss. Treatment depends on the type of hair loss.
Read more on myDr website
Male pattern hair loss or baldness - a fact sheet | Andrology Australia
Male pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia) affects all men to some degree as they grow older.
Read more on Andrology Australia website
Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) - ACD
Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is the term used to describe genetic hair thinning in females. This condition can affect women of any age but is more common after menopause. Around 40% of women show signs of FPHL by age 50.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Hair Loss After Cancer Treatment - Information & Support - CanTeen
Some chemotherapy drugs and local radiotherapy treatments stop hair being produced across the body. Learn more about diagnosis and treatments with CanTeen.
Read more on CanTeen website
Alopecia areata - ACD
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterised by non-scarring hair loss in single or multiple areas of the scalp, face or body.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Traction Alopecia - ACD
Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss that is most commonly seen in people with skin of colour (dark skin).
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) - ACD
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a chronic, progressive, scarring alopecia (hair loss) most commonly starting at the top (crown) or back (vertex) of the scalp.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp - ACD
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp is a rare condition in which pus-filled lumps develop on the scalp, resulting in scarring and permanent hair loss over the area affected.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Follicular mucinosis - ACD
Follicular mucinosis is a rare disorder affecting hair-bearing skin, most commonly on the scalp, head and neck.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website
Top results
Drug treatments for chronic hair-pulling (trichotillomania) | Cochrane
Trichotillomania (TTM) (hair-pulling disorder) is a common and disabling condition characterised by repeated hair-pulling leading to hair loss. TTM can be associated with much distress and impairment for people with the condition. This systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) set out to review the evidence for medication in treating TTM. The findings are based on eight studies (which included a total of 204 people). Not enough evidence was found to conclude definitively that any particular medication is effective in the treatment of TTM. Furthermore, side effects related to medications were not well-documented in the majority of the studies. Because of differences in the way the included studies were carried out, we were unable to combine their results to draw more conclusive evidence. However, an early trial found some evidence for the efficacy of clomipramine, and two recent trials reported statistically significant treatment outcomes with olanzapine and N-acetylcysteine. More research is needed to find an optimal treatment for TTM.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Treatments for female pattern hair loss | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Treatments for female pattern hair loss | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Chinese herbal medicines for hypothyroidism | Cochrane
Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive or low thyroid, is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones which are important for many functions of the body (metabolism). In adults hypothyroidism may cause fatigue and sluggishness, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, pale and dry skin, brittle fingernails and hair, a puffy face, hoarse voice, unexplained weight gain, muscle aches, tenderness, stiffness and weakness, pain, stiffness or swelling in the joints, heavier than normal menstrual periods, and depression. Hypothyroidism in infants and teenagers may result in poor growth and mental development as well as delayed development of permanent teeth and puberty.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Electrostimulation for promoting recovery of movement or functional ability after stroke | Cochrane
Electrostimulation is a potential treatment to improve recovery of movement control and functional ability after stroke but the results of this review are inconclusive. After stroke many people are unable to use their affected limbs in everyday activities such as walking, ascending/descending stairs, washing hair or opening a coffee jar. One way to improve recovery might be to train affected muscles by using electrostimulation. This review examined the findings of 24 randomised controlled trials of electrostimulation provided to improve the ability to voluntarily move the affected limb and/or use the affected limb in everyday activities. The available evidence suggests that when electrostimulation is compared to no treatment then there might be a small effect on some aspects of function in favour of electrostimulation. However, the majority of findings in favour of electrostimulation were found when it was compared to a group of stroke patients who were not receiving any treatment and for all but two of the outcomes examined there were no differences between either electrostimulation and placebo or between electrostimulation and another type of physical therapy. This review also found that there were many differences between randomised controlled trials in the types of stroke patients who were included, the doses of electrostimulation and the outcome measures used. This meant that many of the comparisons made in the review related to one randomised trial rather than two or more. In addition, the numbers of participants in trials were relatively small. The results of this review therefore need to be interpreted with caution.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Insulin-sensitising drugs for women with polycystic ovary syndrome, oligo amenorrhoea and subfertility | Cochrane
Insulin-sensitising drugs for women with polycystic ovary syndrome, oligo amenorrhoea and subfertility
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Teriflunomide modifies the disease course in people with multiple sclerosis | Cochrane
Teriflunomide was first used in rheumatoid arthritis, and is known to possess both anti-proliferative (inhibiting cell growth) and anti-inflammatory (counteracting a local response to cellular injury) actions. In 2012, its use was approved for these characteristics by the US Food and Drug Administration for people with relapsing (with recurrent exacerbations of neurological symptoms) forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and in 2013 also by the European Medicines Agency.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) for primary nephrotic syndrome | Cochrane
Primary nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a relatively rare kidney disease (diagnosed in up to 7/100,000 children and 3/100,000 adults annually). However the resulting kidney damage causes loss of proteins in urine (proteinuria) leading to low level albumin in the bloodstream, which can cause raised lipids and severe, generalised swelling. Primary NS can also lead to blood clotting (thromboembolism), infection, and acute kidney injury, and may become life threatening. Treatment for primary NS aims to relieve symptoms, avoid complications, and prolong life. Immunosuppressive treatments are of importance for primary NS. In China, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) has been used for over two decades as an immunosuppressive agent to decrease proteinuria and preserve kidney function. TwHF is prescribed alone or in combination with corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agents such as cyclophosphamide (CPA).
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Unorthodox Testing and Treatment - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Unproven allergy testing provides misleading results, delays correct diagnosis and lead to unnecessarily ineffective treatment. These approaches are not regulated in Australia / New Zealand.
Read more on ASCIA – Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy website
Antihistamines and allergy | Australian Prescriber
There is now little role for sedating antihistamines in allergic conditions. Discover why they should be avoided.
Read more on Australian Prescriber website
