Unpatterned Alopecia
Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA): Everything You Need to Know
Hair loss is frustrating, regardless of where, how, and when you are losing hair. Indeed, hair loss takes many shapes and forms, and the appropriate treatment can vary accordingly. What works for male pattern hair loss might not work for diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA) and vice versa.
We can help with unpatterned alopecia
If you’ve been diagnosed with DUPA, know that there are treatment options available at the Miami Hair Clinic. But first – let’s take a look at what this condition entails.
What is Alopecia?
Before diving into the specifics of DUPA, one needs to understand the meaning of a more general term – “alopecia”. Alopecia simply means “hair loss,” – in fact, any type of thinning or balding hair can be called alopecia. This hair loss can be permanent or temporary, occur on your scalp, face, or around the body, and affect men and women of any age.
What is DUPA or Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia?
DUPA is a form of hair loss that doesn’t follow any specific pattern and can spread throughout the scalp. In contrast, male pattern hair loss tends to concentrate around the temples and the top of the head or present itself as a gradually receding hairline.
Superficially, diffuse unpatterned alopecia is somewhat similar to female pattern hair loss, with all-over hair thinning. However, while the androgenetic cause of female pattern hair loss is well-studied, the causes of DUPA are somewhat unclear. Plus, DUPA affects men and women alike.
What Causes DUPA?
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information available as to what causes DUPA as opposed to patterned forms of alopecia.
In general, androgenetic hair loss in men and women is caused by genetic predisposition, which outlines how your hair follicles respond to certain hormones. With diffuse unpatterned alopecia, things are not as clear. However, we do know that it can happen suddenly and has probably something to do with a similar genetic predisposition.
What is Alopecia?
Before diving into the specifics of DUPA, one needs to understand the meaning of a more general term – “alopecia”. Alopecia simply means “hair loss,” – in fact, any type of thinning or balding hair can be called alopecia. This hair loss can be permanent or temporary, occur on your scalp, face, or around the body, and affect men and women of any age.
What is DUPA or Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia?
DUPA is a form of hair loss that doesn’t follow any specific pattern and can spread throughout the scalp. In contrast, male pattern hair loss tends to concentrate around the temples and the top of the head or present itself as a gradually receding hairline.
Superficially, diffuse unpatterned alopecia is somewhat similar to female pattern hair loss, with all-over hair thinning. However, while the androgenetic cause of female pattern hair loss is well-studied, the causes of DUPA are somewhat unclear. Plus, DUPA affects men and women alike.
What Causes DUPA?
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information available as to what causes DUPA as opposed to patterned forms of alopecia.
In general, androgenetic hair loss in men and women is caused by genetic predisposition, which outlines how your hair follicles respond to certain hormones. With diffuse unpatterned alopecia, things are not as clear. However, we do know that it can happen suddenly and has probably something to do with a similar genetic predisposition.
Miami Hair Clinic
Hair Transplants for Men and Women
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305.535.3530
hello@themiamihairclinic.com
777 Arthur Godfrey Rd Ste 301, Miami Beach, FL 33140, United States
Let's Discuss Your Options
305.535.3530
hello@themiamihairclinic.com
777 Arthur Godfrey Rd Ste 301, Miami Beach, FL 33140, United States
Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia Treatment Options
At the Miami Hair Clinic, we treat unpatterned alopecia differently from the patterned forms of hair loss. With DUPA, the hair transplant surgery performed right away won’t work: that is because the transplanted follicles may continue to shed after the surgery. Instead, our goal is to stop hair shedding before discussing future treatment options. So, if you are suffering from DUPA, you can expect the following treatment protocol:
- PRP Hair Loss Treatment to Stop the Shedding
PRP, or Platelet-Rich Plasma, is a substance produced from one’s own blood. It is made up of two components: platelets and plasma, or the liquid part of blood. Platelets are a type of blood cells that support cell reproduction and are responsible for tissue regeneration.
If Dr. Craft and his hair restoration team find that you are a good candidate for the PRP treatment, you would be asked to come into our hair transplantation clinic to get your blood drawn. The blood will then be centrifuged in order to separate platelets from its other components. Derived in this way PRP substance will then be injected all throughout your scalp.
The treatment itself won’t take longer than 30 minutes and can be repeated on a monthly basis for 4 to 6 months. Once the desired results are achieved (you stop shedding hair), we can move onto the next step of the treatment.
- FUE Hair Transplant to Restore Lost Hair
FUE, or Follicular Unit Extraction, hair transplant is a minimally-invasive plastic surgery that offers a permanent solution to bald areas and thinning hair. With this procedure, hair follicles are extracted one by one from a donor area with healthy hair growth. Then, they are implanted into the thinning areas to restore fuller, thicker hair.
Most commonly, we use the back of the patient’s scalp as the donor site for hair follicles. With male pattern hair loss, this area is not affected and can provide healthy hair follicles that have a high chance of survival after the transplantation procedure.
However, with diffuse unpatterned alopecia, the entire scalp is affected, which makes it difficult to select an appropriate donor site. However, oftentimes, healthy areas can be found to serve as a source of hair follicles to be transplanted to the most thinning or balding areas.
Put a Stop to DUPA with the Miami Hair Clinic
Losing your hair to DUPA can start suddenly and progress quickly. That is why it is crucial to contact a hair loss professional at an early onset of the condition. At the Miami Hair Clinic, we can help you to correctly diagnose the condition and find the optimal treatment option. Give us a call today to book your initial consultation.