What Is Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia areata is a condition that causes hair fall in small patches, which can be unnoticeable. These patches may connect, however, and then become noticeable. The condition develops when the immune system attacks the hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. No one knows why your body starts attacking its hair follicles. Scientists think that your genes may play a role. This does not mean that your child will inherit the disease. In fact, this probably won’t happen. This causes only a few bare patches. Some people may lose more hair. In only a few people, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head or loss of all body hair.

What causes alopecia areata?

The condition occurs when white blood cells attack the cells in hair follicles, causing them to shrink and dramatically slow down hair production. It is unknown precisely what causes the body’s immune system to target hair follicles in this way.

Other researchers has found that many people with a family history of alopecia areata is occasionally associated with other autoimmune conditions such as

• Thyroid disease
• Vitiligo
• Lupus

What are the signs and symptoms of the different patterns of alopecia areata?

1. The most common pattern is one or more well-defined spots of hair fall on the scalp.

2. If alopecia occurs in an ophiasis pattern (hair loss involving the temporal and posterior scalp) or if large areas of the scalp are involved for long periods of time, the prognosis is worse.

3. A more generalized form of hair loss is referred to as diffuse alopecia areata where there is widespread dramatic thinning of the scalp hair.

4. Occasionally, all of the scalp hair is entirely lost, a condition referred to as alopecia totalis.

5. Less frequently, the loss of all of the hairs on the entire body, called alopecia universalis, occurs.

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Who is affected by alopecia areata?

- Alopecia areata tends to occur most often in adults 30 to 60 years of age.

- However, it can also affect older individuals and, rarely, young children.

- Alopecia areata is not contagious.

- It should be distinguished from hair shedding that may occur following the discontinuation of hormonal estrogen and progesterone therapies for birth control or the hair shedding associated with the end of pregnancy. 

- There are a number of treatable conditions that could be confused with alopecia areata.

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