Alopecia areata

When alopecia areata occurs, inflammatory cells infiltrate the hair follicle, which can result in hair loss. This hair loss often occurs on the scalp, but it can also affect “Alopecia areata can happen to anyone, at any age, and it doesn’t discriminate based on race or gender. Often, it presents as circular patches of complete hair loss. In more severe cases it can affect the entire scalp,” says Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, a board certified dermatologist at “It’s typically asymptomatic, meaning it’s not painful or itchy for most individuals. We aren’t sure why it happens. Some people think it may be triggered by a viral infection,” she says. People with alopecia areata can lose a significant amount of hair on their head, face, and body, according to The condition can result in total hair loss, known as The People living with alopecia areata have options when it comes to managing their condition — although there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. You might need to try a few treatments before finding one that works for you. As alopecia areata is an Other forms of treatment involve stimulating hair growth. This works best for those with less severe hair loss. “Most of the treatments involve keeping the immune system from attacking the hair follicles,” Geddes-Bruce says. “Treatments range from prescription topicals to prescriptions pills, in-office injections, and in-office topical therapies.” There are also a few over-the-counter options. It’s important to remember that not all ...

Share on Pinterest VioletaStoimenova/Getty Images What is alopecia areata? Alopecia areata is a condition that causes your hair to fall out in patches. These patches may connect and then become more noticeable. The condition develops when your immune system attacks the hair follicles causing This kind of hair loss is very common, affecting Alopecia areata may occur on your scalp and in some cases, your eyebrows, eyelashes, and face, as well as other parts of your body. It can also develop slowly and recur after years between instances. When hair loss involves all the hair on your body, the condition is called There’s currently no cure for alopecia areata, but there are positive things you can keep in mind about the condition and your outlook. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, this kind of hair loss does not always become a lifelong condition. The hair follicles themselves are alive, so hair can often be regrown. There are also treatments that may help your hair grow back more quickly and that can prevent future hair loss, as well as unique ways to cover up the hair loss. Resources are also available to help you cope with stress that can be related to hair loss. The disease burden of alopecia areata is not equal across all populations. For example, But only a few studies have examined the patterns and determinants of alopecia and pathophysiological factors are largely unexplored. Further research is required that takes into consideration environmental, b...

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder characterized by transient, non-scarring hair loss and preservation of the hair follicle. Hair loss can take many forms ranging from loss in well-defined patches to diffuse or total hair loss, which can affect all hair-bearing sites. Patchy alopecia areata affecting the scalp is the most common type. Alopecia areata affects nearly 2% of the general population at some point during their lifetime. Skin biopsies of affected skin show a lymphocytic infiltrate in and around the bulb or the lower part of the hair follicle in the anagen (hair growth) phase. A breakdown of immune privilege of the hair follicle is thought to be an important driver of alopecia areata. Genetic studies in patients and mouse models have shown that alopecia areata is a complex, polygenic disease. Several genetic susceptibility loci were identified to be associated with signalling pathways that are important to hair follicle cycling and development. Alopecia areata is usually diagnosed based on clinical manifestations, but dermoscopy and histopathology can be helpful. Alopecia areata is difficult to manage medically, but recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms have revealed new treatments and the possibility of remission in the near future. Open Access articles citing this article. • • Azza Mahfouz Abdel Meguid • , Alaa Ghazally • … Radwa M. Bakr Archives of Dermatological Research Open Access 21 February 2023 • • Margarita M. Velásquez-Lopera •...

Alopecia is an umbrella term for conditions characterized by hair loss. It is not contagious, though sometimes it can be a sign of other health problems. Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease, is one of the more common types of alopecia. Not all of them are related to an unusual immune system response, though. Some types of alopecia are related to genetic, lifestyle, or environmental factors, as well as psychological conditions that lead to hair pulling. Treatments for many types of alopecia are the same and may involve oral medications and topical therapies. For some alopecia types, behavioral changes are needed to reverse Read on to learn about various types of Anything that disrupts the natural, healthy hair growth cycle can lead to alopecia. Some types of alopecia can be avoided, but others can affect anyone at any age. Your family history, age, gender, and race all can be factors in the likelihood that you’ll develop some form of alopecia. A The following includes the causes and symptoms of the most common types of alopecia. Alopecia areata The main symptom of Alopecia areata is an Persistent patchy alopecia areata When patchy hair loss continues but does not improve or worsen over time, it’s characterized as persistent patchy alopecia areata. It’s caused by the same factors that lead to alopecia areata. Alopecia totalis When the entire scalp experiences hair loss, the condition is called Alopecia universalis As its name implies, Diffuse alopecia areata Diffuse alope...

Welcome! Diseases & conditions • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Natalie tried many acne products without success. Find out how a board-certified dermatologist helped Natalie see clear skin before her wedding. JAK inhibitors are helping patients with alopecia areata, eczema/atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Here’s what you need to know. Everyday care • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin. Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief. Darker Skin Tones • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them. If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help. Cosmetic treatments • • • • • • • Featured You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one? If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment. It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last. Public health programs • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions,...

Welcome! Diseases & conditions • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Natalie tried many acne products without success. Find out how a board-certified dermatologist helped Natalie see clear skin before her wedding. JAK inhibitors are helping patients with alopecia areata, eczema/atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Here’s what you need to know. Everyday care • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin. Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief. Darker Skin Tones • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them. If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help. Cosmetic treatments • • • • • • • Featured You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one? If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment. It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last. Public health programs • • • • • • • • • • • Featured Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions,...

• • An autoimmune disease that causes hair loss • • Hair loss usually occurs in circular patches but may be extensive, involving most or all of the hair on the scalp and body • • Treatments include steroid injections, topical and oral medications • • Involves dermatology, medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology “Alopecia” simply means hair loss, and different forms of alopecia include male- and female-pattern baldness, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, frontal fibrosing alopecia—in which the hair line recedes from ear to ear (most often in women in their 50s and older), and alopecia areata, which involves patchy—and sometimes complete—hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and body; it appears out of the blue, usually in the first 40 years of life. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that affects about two out of 100 people, causing hair loss that may wax and wane over a patient’s lifetime—or the hair loss may be persistent. In patients with alopecia areata, immune cells attack hair follicles, which results in the hairs in those follicles falling out. As long as the immune system is fighting the follicles, new hair will not grow. Most people with alopecia areata will have only one or a few circular patches of hair loss involving the scalp and/or body. Others, however, experience extensive, and sometimes total, hair loss. It is important to understand that “alopecia totalis” and “alopecia universalis” are the same diagnosis as “alopecia areata” but are simply out...