Louis Theroux: Does beloved journalist have alopecia? Symptoms and treatments explained

British-American journalist and broadcaster Louis Theroux has shared he is losing more facial hair, including his eyebrows.

Due to what he thinks is “probably” alopecia, the 53-year-old documentarian shared a post detailing his experience on Instagram. Under a video he posted on Instagram on Monday, Theroux wrote: “I’d like to know how I’m supposed to continue a career based largely on raising and lowering different eyebrows without any eyebrows!! #alopecia. I’m seriously thinking of getting them tattooed back on but it feels like a big step! Thoughts?”

He previously shared an update about his experience in August, when he said there were “new bald patches appearing in my ‘top hair'”. Writing a caption that said: “Alopecia update (try to remain calm!): new bald patches are appearing in my “top hair” (the hair on top of my head) but I can now grow a weird straggly and rather sparse white beard. So that’s something.

“And there are some tiny patches of regrowth on my eyebrow. FWIW [for what it's worth] I’ve been taking vitamin D, iron, and something called biotin. Is it helping? Who knows?”

And again, in June and July, when he admitted that he knows people are not waiting for regular updates, but “I want people to acclimatise to the new partially depilated me”.

Symptoms of alopecia

Alopecia is a medical condition characterised by hair loss, and symptoms can vary depending on the type of alopecia a person is diagnosed with. The most common form is alopecia areata, which appears as small, round patches of hair loss on the scalp, but it can affect other areas of the body as well. In some cases, individuals may notice tingling or itching in the affected areas before hair loss occurs.

A more severe form, alopecia totalis, results in the total loss of hair on the scalp, while alopecia universalis leads to hair loss across the entire body. Scarring alopecia, on the other hand, is marked by permanent destruction of hair follicles, often resulting in smooth patches of skin.

What causes alopecia?

Why some people develop alopecia while others don’t isn’t always clear – but experts believe a number of factors may be involved, including an autoimmune response.

This is where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells (in this case the hair follicles) and a number of things may trigger this, including stress, trauma or illness. Hair loss may also be linked with nutritional deficiencies or certain medications.

Alopecia can affect people and children of all ages. It sometimes develops suddenly or may progress over time. Sometimes it’s a one-off, while for some people it comes and goes.

Alopecia treatments

Although there is currently no cure for alopecia, various treatment options such as corticosteroids, topical medications, and immunotherapy may help manage symptoms and promote hair regrowth in some cases. Corticosteroids are the main treatment option - usually in the form of creams or injections.