2nd Annual Alopecia Awareness Seminar

BY MARLO SCOTT, Columnist

ST. PETERSBURG — Are you or someone you know experiencing hair loss? Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that affects men, women and children. The onset is often sudden, random and frequently recurrent. There are 10 types of alopecia:

• Alopecia Areata (AA) – Used to describe hair loss occurring in patches anywhere on the body.
• Alopecia Totalis (AT) – Total loss of the hair on the scalp.
• Alopecia Universalis (AU) – Total loss of all hair on the body.
• Alopecia Barbae – Loss of facial hair (for a man) especially in the beard area.
• Alopecia Mucinosa – A type of alopecia, which results in scaly patches.
• Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) – Also known as male pattern baldness. It is a thinning of the hair to an almost transparent state, in both men and women. It is thought to be a hereditary form of hair loss.
• Traction Alopecia – Traction alopecia is usually due to excessive pulling or tension on hair shafts as a result of certain hairstyles
• Anagen Effluvium – This hair loss is generally caused by chemicals such as those used to treat cancer.
• Scarring Alopecia – A form of alopecia, which leaves scarring on the area of hair loss.
• Telogen Effluvium – A form of hair loss where more than normal amounts of hair fall out. There is a general “thinning” of the hair. Unlike some other hair and scalp conditions, it is temporary and the hair growth usually recovers.

Although not damaging to physical health, alopecia can have severe effects on quality of life and emotional health through its impact on confidence and self-esteem.

September is National Hair Loss Month and the Tampa Bay area is lucky enough to have the Alopecia Awareness Tampa Bay Association Inc., (ATBA), which is a nonprofit association and a branch of Hair It Iz Natural and Chemical Salon LLC and Kinkycaps Alopecia Care.

ATBA’s mission is to provide information, education and encouragement to adults and children suffering with temporary or permanent forms of alopecia, and offers alternatives while supporting research such as raising funds to provide wigs, cranial prosthesis (custom hair pieces) and consultations for hair restoration, which helps bridge the gap if there is no insurance involved.

Although there is no medical cure for Alopecia, diet plays such an important role in the maintenance of healthy hair. Foods high in protein are excellent choices, such as green vegetables, salmon, eggs, beans, nuts and dairy. Also a good diet produces a good mood, great skin and a healthy immune system.

Hair is a living organism, and like skin, teeth and nails the hair extracts it’s nourishment from the blood stream. It is made up of about five percent water and 95 percent protein. Vitamins such as A, B, E, D and Biotin are good for healthy hair.

And let’s not underestimate the power of drinking water. It contains oxygen, helps to absorb nutrients from all the foods we eat, it circulate throughout your blood and lymphatic system to carry oxygen to your blood cells. And water flushes out toxins and waste through urine and sweat. The lack of water causes dehydration, constipation, allergies, asthma, headaches and hypertension.

ATBA will be hosting its 2nd Annual Alopecia Awareness Seminar Sat., Sept. 6 from 1-3 p.m. at the South Branch Library, located at 2300 Roy Hanna Drive S., St. Petersburg. This year the seminar boasts of two exciting speakers: Angelia Fletcher of Angelia’s Hair Alterations who has over 20 years of experience with hair loss and Raquel Hills who is a Hairstylist/Trichologist.

Sponsors this year include The Weekly Challenger newspaper, Silverlining Beauty Center, All Kidney Patients Support Group, the Pinellas Technical Education Center’s Cosmetology program under the direction of April Barron, Sports Cuts Barbershop, Colors Salon WeeRead Literacy Program, Sistahs Of Compassion cancer survivors group and Earl of Sandwich have all join forces to make this event possible for a second year.

For more information on ATBA email Alopeciaawarenesstampaassoc@gmail.com or ATBAlivebluelovepink@blogspot.com. Also lookup The National Alopecia Areata Foundation, which is the largest provider of services and programs at www.naaf.org.