Rebuilding Confidence in Alopecia Areata
Multidisciplinary and Holistic Support for Patients and Families
Experts discuss emotional and holistic approaches to empower patients with alopecia areata, focusing on identity and healing beyond medicine. This final part of the video roundtable explores compassionate, whole-person care strategies.
Holistic Care Approaches
Dr. Brittany Craiglow, Dr. Maryanne Senna, and Dr. Brett King highlight multidisciplinary methods that include peer support, psychosocial care, and validating patient experiences. They emphasize how clinicians can enhance patient confidence and rebuild trust by extending care beyond medical treatments.
Resources and Support Networks
Dr. Craiglow introduces the topic of treating the whole patient during clinic visits and available resources. She asks Maryanne Senna about the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) and its impact on patients.
"NAAF has been an incredibly important resource for so many of my patients. Whether it’s their annual patient conference, usually held at the end of June or early July, or their many webinars, there’s so much support. The conference is especially moving. They offer sessions on everything from coping strategies to the latest on therapies, to makeup and wig tutorials."
Empowering First-Visit Conversations
The discussion emphasizes starting care with empowering conversations that validate the patient’s experience, fostering trust, and supporting identity restoration alongside medical therapy.
Clinicians are encouraged to adopt a holistic mindset, recognizing the importance of psychosocial care and peer connections in patient journeys.
Author’s summary: Holistic, multidisciplinary care for alopecia areata patients boosts identity, confidence, and healing by combining medical treatment with emotional support and valuable resources.