Patchy beard hair loss (alopecia areata) – causes & treatment

Alopecia areata in the beard does not only occur in older men – it also affects many young men. It is often a heavy psychological burden and goes hand in hand with insecurity for those affected. Patchy beard hair loss can have various causes and can be treated.

Reasons and causes

Like hair loss in general, alopecia areata in the beard can be hereditary. If generations before you were affected by patchy beard hair loss, it is likely that it is in your genes. Faulty chromosomes are a common cause of patchy hair loss – and these can be inherited.

But stress – whether physical or emotional – can also lead to many different types of hair loss.

Alopecia areata in the beard can, however, just as well be the result of a lack of testosterone. So it is not necessarily due to genes; it can also be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.

How is alopecia areata in the beard treated?

For alopecia areata in the beard there are medications that are used to try to stimulate new hair growth in the bald patches. However, these medications have to be taken regularly and do not achieve equally good results in every patient.
With alopecia areata, a hair transplant is usually not the first choice; at most it can be considered if the bald patches have remained unchanged for a long time. We will clarify in the consultation whether this applies to you. If it is an option, the hair follicles are removed one by one from the fringe of hair at the back of the head using the FUE technique and prepared. Thanks to a special growth solution, the hairs then take better in the areas where they are inserted.
Because individual hair follicles are transplanted with the finest watchmaker’s tweezers, the FUE method leaves only barely visible scars. Normally 2–3 sessions are possible, in each of which up to 5,500 hairs can be transplanted. This depends on the donor hair, as the treatment can leave small micro-scars there, which remain invisible to the naked eye with this number of extractions.

Aftercare after the treatment

After an FUE transplant you should usually be presentable again after about 7–10 days. However, you should avoid sport and other strenuous physical activity for about 2–3 weeks after the treatment. Direct sunlight should also be avoided during this time so as not to damage the freshly transplanted follicles.
Anyone who has had a hair transplant should give their body plenty of rest during this time.

What does treatment for beard hair loss cost?

With a hair transplant, the costs depend on the size of the area to be treated and therefore on the effort involved.
If only a few areas are affected by alopecia areata, it is usually a small hair transplant costing around €2,400 to €3,600. For residents of Germany, financing in instalments is also possible at Hair Doctors.

If a medium-sized hair transplant is to be carried out, treating around 2–3 smaller areas of the head, the hair transplant costs are around €3,600 to €4,800.

For large areas – typically a hair transplant on the entire front of the head or on a large bald crown at the back of the head – and for a comprehensive beard reconstruction, the costs can range from €5,500 to €8,500. If you decide on financing (for residents of Germany), you can conveniently spread the costs over a longer period – more under Finance your treatment.

Can we help you?

Hair Doctors offers various hair transplant methods. These allow the bald patches to be filled with hair again.