Hair Loss Caused By Infections
Folliculitis
Caused by local inflammation of the hair follicles, this infection looks similar to acne or pimples with inflammation around the opening of the hair follicle. At the early onset of folliculitis, the hair may still be visible, but as the condition worsens, the hair will fall out. In severe cases, the folliculitis can cause so much inflammation that it will not only kill the hair strand, but will also kill the hair follicle itself. This condition is also terrible in the case of a hair transplant, because it will kill the transplanted hairs and follicles as well. Although some forms of this condition can be caused by oils and greases that are applied to the scalp and eventually plug up the follicle leading to a non-infectious type, the majority of cases are caused by bacterial infections. The most common of these infections is the staph infection, or “hot tub folliculitis”, which is caused by swimming in an inadequately chlorinated pool or hot tub. For this reason, swimming of any kind in any type of water is strongly discouraged for the first 2 weeks after a hair transplant.
Ringworm
This is an infectious skin disease that actually has nothing to do with worms at all. It is a fungal infection that will cause hair loss if it develops on the scalp. Athlete’s foot and ringworm are the same type of fungal infection. When found in the scalp, it typically starts off looking like a small pimple that continues to grow in size. This will leave scaly patches of baldness in the areas that it affects. Most of the time the hair loss is only temporary though. The areas that are affected will become very itchy, red, and inflamed. The fungus that gets into the hair fibres will make the hair brittle, and the hairs will break off easily, leaving bald spots. The affected areas may also have scaly-looking skin with blisters. The name ringworm comes from the fact that the areas are commonly redder around the outside with a normal skin tone in the center, creating the appearance of a ring.
Piedra
Also known as trichomycosis nodularis, this infection of hair fibres is caused by a fungus. In Spanish, piedra means “stone”. That name is used because the visible indication of this type of infection is the hard concretion of the fungus, ascostroma, that causes this type of hair loss. There are 2 kinds of piedra, either black or white. This refers to the colour of the hardened nodules that are formed on the hair fibre. This infection can affect hairs on the scalp, body, and even genital areas. When this infection is severe, the hair fibres weaken and eventually break off, leaving behind areas of diffuse hair loss. Treatment for this type of infection is pretty easy though, and it is not that common. In some parts of Malaysia, it is even considered attractive, and women are encouraged to sleep with their hair in soil!
