Causes of Syphilitic Alopecia: How is Syphilitic Alopecia Triggered?
Disease description:
I have been experiencing frequent hair loss since contracting syphilis. My doctor said it is syphilitic alopecia. What causes this phenomenon, and how does it occur?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Xiaoyan
The main cause of syphilitic alopecia is infection with Treponema pallidum. After invading the human body, Treponema pallidum affects the connective tissues of hair follicles and capillaries, leading to follicular malnutrition and impaired blood circulation. Specifically, Treponema pallidum disrupts the normal structure of hair follicles, preventing them from supplying adequate nutrients to the hair shafts, resulting in unhealthy hair growth that gradually becomes brittle, sparse, and eventually falls out. At the same time, Treponema pallidum can also invade capillaries, disrupting blood circulation and reducing capillary supply around the hair follicles, further impairing healthy hair growth. Syphilitic alopecia is a characteristic clinical manifestation of secondary syphilis, and hair loss can return to normal after appropriate treatment. Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment of syphilis are key to preventing and managing syphilitic alopecia.
