Studies show that people with alopecia areata can have other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease. However, the fact that you have alopecia areata doesn't mean you will automatically develop another autoimmune disease.
People with alopecia areata have an increased risk of developing other autoimmune disorders, including vitiligo, systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and autoimmune thyroid diseases (such as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves disease).
Alopecia is, simply put, hair loss. If you have alopecia, you might see extra hair on pillows or in shower drains, or you might notice bald patches on your scalp. Over time hair loss can grow back or fall out permanently, depending on the cause. Alopecia is not curable, but it's treatable and not life-threatening.
Many of the genes they have found are important for the functioning of the immune system. People with certain autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis, thyroid disease, or vitiligo, are more likely to get alopecia areata, as are those with allergic conditions such as hay fever.
“Alopecia Areata itself does not compromise the immune system or cause immune deficiency and there is no reason to think that people with Alopecia Areata are more at risk from COVID-19 than the general population, either in terms of catching the virus or being more severely affected by it.
The disease is associated with increased risk of other autoimmune disorders (Table 2). Approximately, 12-16% of individuals with alopecia areata develop an autoimmune disease [29, 30].
Answer: Alopecia areata and fatigue and cold intolerance
Suppression of adrenal gland function can lead to both fatigue and cold intolerance for example.
Alopecia universalis
This is the most advanced (and rarest) form of alopecia areata. Alopecia universalis causes all of the hair on your body to fall out—including your eyebrows and eyelashes.
Alopecia areata is an inflammatory, non-scarring hair loss associated with autoimmune conditions. It is more commonly seen with thyroid disorders and vitiligo, but alopecia areata has also been linked to diabetes, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Often, hair grows back within several months, even without treatment. It may grow in fine or white at first, but usually returns to its original texture and color with time. People with alopecia areata may lose and grow back their hair more than once, either in the same patches as before or in different patches.
Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is associated with significant cardiovascular risk factors that also have a negative impact on brain aging.
Alopecia areata is not life-threatening and does not cause physical pain. However, the psychosocial effects of hair loss can be devastating. In addition, patients may experience symptoms related to hair loss, such as increased eye or nasal irritation after loss of eyelash or nasal hair.
A diagnosis of MS could also be a contributing factor to stress-related hair loss. There is no direct evidence that alopecia is more common in patients with MS than in the general population.
It is more commonly seen with thyroid disorders and vitiligo, but alopecia areata has also been linked to diabetes, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Indeed, individuals with alopecia areata have an increased risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus.
What causes alopecia areata? Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks a part of your body. When you have alopecia areata, cells in your immune system surround and attack your hair follicles (the part of your body that makes hair).
Hair loss is common in people living with lupus. The autoimmune disease causes body-wide inflammation that attacks the joints and skin, including the scalp. This can result in hair loss (alopecia ). Lupus-related hair loss can occur slowly, causing hair to become noticeably thinner gradually.
Alopecia areata is not life-threatening and does not cause physical pain. However, the psychosocial effects of hair loss can be devastating. In addition, patients may experience symptoms related to hair loss, such as increased eye or nasal irritation after loss of eyelash or nasal hair.
Alopecia areata can occur at any age but about half of cases come on in childhood and 80% of cases come on before the age of 40 years. Men and women are equally affected. The condition tends to be milder if it comes on at an older age.
A variety of factors are thought to cause alopecia areata (al-o-PEE-she-uh ar-e-A-tuh), possibly including severe stress. With alopecia areata, the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles — causing hair loss.
Alopecia can have serious psychosocial consequences, causing intense emotional suffering, and personal, social and work-related problems. Surveys have shown that around 40 per cent of women with alopecia have had marital problems, and around 63 per cent claimed to have career-related problems (Hunt & McHale, 2004).
Sleep deprivation is a form of stress and stress is known to affect hair loss. It can cause temporary hair loss conditions such as telogen effluvium, and can also exacerbate hereditary hair loss in both men and women with a genetic predisposition to androgenic alopecia.
Sleep exerts a strong regulatory influence on immune functions. To date, the association between sleep and alopecia areata has rarely been reported. Here, we demonstrated that sleep disorders are independent risk factors for alopecia areata, especially in individuals under the age of 45 years old.
Alopecia areata is sometimes triggered by viral infections such as influenza that causes excess production of interferons (IFN). IFN- γ is one of the key factors that lead to the collapse of immune privilege.
Although, so far there is no evidence to suggest those with alopecia areata are at a higher risk of contracting the virus, if you are on medication that affects your immune system, you may want to be particularly cautious because of the potential for greater risk of complications if infected.
Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body. In fact, it affects as many as 6.8 million people in the U.S. with a lifetime risk of 2.1%. People of all ages, both sexes and all ethnic groups can develop alopecia areata.