5 Things to Avoid When You Have Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the hair follicles. If you’re one of the 6.8 million people in the U.S. with this condition, what should you avoid with alopecia areata? We’re here to help you figure that out.

While there are treatment options for alopecia areata, avoiding some common triggers and risks might help keep your condition under control and improve hair health.

Read on for five things to avoid when you have alopecia areata, plus what to do a little more of (spoiler alert: vitamin D and anti-inflammatory food for the win).

Dealing with a skin condition like alopecia areata can be frustrating. But before getting into what to avoid when you have alopecia areata, it will help to know a little more about this type of alopecia — which is the medical term for baldness.

Alopecia areata happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and stops hair growth. Potential triggers include stress, a family history of the disorder, or other autoimmune disorders, such as psoriasis or thyroid diseases.

The condition results in patchy hair loss — typically small, round patches about the size of a quarter — on the scalp or other parts of the body. That’s one thing that differentiates it from other types of male pattern baldness, which usually cause receding hairlines, thinning hair, or excessive shedding.

Symptoms can vary depending on the type of alopecia areata you have. Different types include:

• Patchy alopecia areata. This is a common type of alopecia areata, also characterized by round patches of hair loss.

• Alopecia totalis. This type of alopecia areata causes hair loss on all or nearly the entire scalp.

• Alopecia universalis. In this rare type of alopecia areata, hair on the scalp, face and the rest of the body is entirely or nearly completely lost.

When you have alopecia areata, your immune system attacks your hair follicles but doesn’t destroy them — meaning new hair growth is possible through various treatment methods.

However, finding a successful treatment could take some trial and error. So, in the meantime, here are five things to avoid when you have alopecia areata.

While there’s no cure for alopecia areata, there are ways you might be able to manage your condition. Still, it should be noted that alopecia areata is unpredictable, and the exact cause can vary by person.

Here are some things to avoid when you have alopecia areata.

1. Certain Foods

Alopecia areata is an immune response, meaning it’s caused by how your body defends itself against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign substances. Immune responses can be inflammatory, and some of the worst foods for alopecia areata are those that trigger an inflammatory response. Other foods may affect hormone levels, so diet matters when you’re living with alopecia.

Try to avoid or limit these foods, which can encourage an inflammatory reaction and exacerbate autoimmune symptoms:

• Refined carbohydrates and sugary foods. Your body quickly converts refined carbohydrates like white bread, pastries, or pasta into glucose (sugar). Research shows that excessive sugar intake increases inflammation.

• Gluten (in some cases). For individuals with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, gluten can trigger an immune response, leading to more inflammation and potentially worsening autoimmune conditions like alopecia areata.

• Fried and highly processed foods. These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, artificial additives, and preservatives, which can promote inflammation and stress the immune system.

• Processed meat, snacks, and other high-sodium food. Excessive salt intake can cause fluid retention and inflammation, which can negatively impact autoimmune conditions.

• Red meat. Research suggests that a diet low in red meat may help protect against chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Margarine, shortening, and lard. These are often high in saturated and trans fat, which can worsen inflammation.

While avoiding inflammatory foods may lessen some of the symptoms of alopecia areata, you might also consider eating more anti-inflammatory foods.

There’s some anecdotal evidence that changing your diet to eat more of these foods may have a positive effect on alopecia areata. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean meats like wild-caught salmon have all been found to be beneficial for hair loss. Some research has also found that inflammatory scores are lower in people who eat dairy.

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is important, as there is a known link between the microbiome and alopecia. Try incorporating fermented foods — like yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, or sauerkraut — into your diet or taking a daily probiotic.

2. Excessive Stress

Stress is a natural, normal part of the human experience, and your body knows how to handle it.

When you’re under stress, your body releases stress hormones that activate your fight-or-flight response and help you survive.

However, long-term stress can cause or worsen several health problems — including inflammation.

Understandably, alopecia areata may also cause emotional distress and negatively impact your self-esteem. You may be more at risk for anxiety and depression if you experience this type of hair loss.

While there isn’t a direct connection between stress and alopecia areata, managing stress certainly can’t hurt.

If you’re dealing with psychological distress, it’s important to talk to a mental health professional. You can connect with a mental health provider from your home using our online mental health services, allowing you to access support and ongoing care easily.

3. Too Much Sun Exposure

We know that getting too much sun isn’t good for your skin. So, if you have bald patches, use sunscreen or a hat to protect areas of your skin with noticeable hair loss from UV-related damage.

4. Not Enough Vitamin D

You shouldn’t get too much sun, but some vitamin D exposure is essential. A review of studies found that people with certain autoimmune diseases may have a vitamin D deficiency.

Multiple studies have also found a link between vitamin D levels and hair growth. However, since alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, this type of hair loss isn’t actually related to nutritional deficiencies.

More research is needed before we know whether low vitamin D levels could be a factor in alopecia-related hair loss.

5. Hair Products With Harsh Chemicals

Hair products with harsh chemicals like parabens or phthalates may strip the scalp of necessary bacteria, altering your skin’s microbiome. As we mentioned, research shows that alterations in the gut, skin, and hair follicle microbiomes are linked to alopecia.

While there’s not much evidence supporting things to avoid when you have alopecia areata, there are ways to treat your condition.

One recommended treatment for alopecia areata is corticosteroids, which can be injected directly into the bald spot or used topically. You can also use minoxidil (brand name Rogaine®), a topical cream used to encourage hair regrowth in locations where hair loss has occurred.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also recently approved Olumiant, a new treatment for severe alopecia areata. This medication is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that works by blocking the activity of specific enzymes and reducing inflammation.

Your healthcare provider or a dermatologist can determine the best course of treatment based on the severity of your alopecia areata, where you’re losing hair, your age, your health, and other factors.

For more, read our blog on how to stop alopecia areata from spreading.

Alopecia areata and the patchy hair loss it causes can be distressing. Plus, because this type of hair loss is caused by inflammation that attacks your hair follicles, it’s unpredictable.

However, there are things you can do to take care of yourself when you have alopecia areata:

• Foods that cause inflammation might aggravate your hair loss. Instead, eat an anti-inflammatory diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean meats.

• Stress and inflammation are connected, so avoiding chronic stress could help alleviate alopecia areata symptoms. If you’re struggling with high levels of stress or emotional distress as a result of your condition, talk to a mental health professional.

• Try adding foods rich in vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement. Although more evidence is needed, some early research indicates low levels of this nutrient in those with alopecia areata.

Dealing with this hair loss can be frustrating. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about what you should avoid and what treatment options are available for alopecia areata.

You can also learn more in our complete guide to alopecia areata, find tips on covering up bald spots for a short-term solution, and learn how to prevent hair loss.