Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss anywhere on your body, but it most commonly affects the hair on the skin that covers your head (scalp). “Alopecia” is a medical term for hair loss or baldness, and “areata” means that it occurs in small, random areas.
Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face.
In most people, new hair eventually grows back in the affected areas, although this process can take months. Approximately 50 percent of people with mild alopecia areata recover within a year; however, most people will experience more than one episode during their lifetime.
Most people with alopecia areata have hair loss on their head and face. You may have it in just one spot, like your beard area or just one side of your scalp. It may also affect your eyebrows, eyelashes, and nose hairs.
Alopecia areata causes your hair to fall out in patches. The patches are usually small and round — about the size of a quarter — but the shape and amount of hair you lose may be bigger or smaller. Your nails may also develop dents or pits (cupuliform depressions).
You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
Hair loss is not usually anything to be worried about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a medical condition. Some types of hair loss are permanent, like male and female pattern baldness. This type of hair loss usually runs in the family. Other types of hair loss may be temporary.
A variety of factors are thought to cause alopecia areata (al-o-PEE-she-uh ar-e-A-tuh), possibly including severe stress.
Although alopecia areata can begin at any age, most individuals develop the disease early in life. More than 80% show signs of the disease before age 40, and 40% experience symptoms by age 20.
While it is not uncommon for males to begin experiencing hair loss in their 20s, it is not considered normal for hair loss to occur at such a young age. If you are experiencing hair loss at age 25, you must speak with a healthcare professional to determine the cause and discuss treatment options.
Yes, hair can grow back. Some people who lose their hair, regrow it, and never have another episode. This is more common when someone has a few patches of hair loss. More often, people lose their hair, only to see it regrow and fall out again.
It's perfectly normal to lose a few stray strands when running your fingers, or a comb, through your hair. But if you notice increased hair being pulled out when you are being gentle, this can be a cause of concern that you should get checked over.
For many causes of bald spots, a topical treatment called minoxidil may reduce progressive hair loss and promote regrowth in the affected area. You can purchase over-the-counter minoxidil in liquid solution and foam forms, which are available for men and women in different concentrations.
The most common cause of female hair loss worldwide is female pattern baldness, which is also called androgenetic alopecia . This type of hair loss has a strong genetic component and can be inherited from either your mother or father. It affects about 30 million American women.
No Visible Pattern. With stress-related shedding, hair falls out evenly all over your scalp instead of in a defined pattern. You'll likely notice more hairs than usual coming out while shampooing, combing, or on your pillow, clothing, and bathroom floor.
Hair loss (alopecia) can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent. It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men.
Quality sleep is as vital for healthy hair as it is for overall health. When we don't sleep enough, it can throw off the levels of certain hormones that help our hair grow, such as oestrogen and melatonin. People experiencing regular poor sleep tend to notice more hair shedding and thinning.
Alopecia areata is a common disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. While hair loss can occur anywhere on the body, it tends to affect the face and scalp. The hair falls out in small coin-sized patches, but in some cases, the hair loss is more extensive.
The answer is 'Yes' in most cases, but it all depends on the actual cause of bald spots. For instance, if the cause is alopecia areata, then restoring hair becomes very difficult. Even if it is possible, you need to come for multiple sessions to ensure that you maintain the same volume of hair.
Diagnosis of Alopecia Areata
Doctors usually diagnose alopecia areata by: Examining the areas where the hair has been lost and looking at your nails. Examining your hair and hair follicle openings using a handheld magnifying device. Asking about your medical and family history.
What are the signs and symptoms of alopecia areata? This disease causes sudden hair loss, which often begins as a round or oval, smooth balding patch that develops on the scalp or beard. However, hair loss can begin on any area of the body. Some people lose eyebrows, eyelashes, nostril hairs, or hair on their legs.
Usually, the bald patches appear suddenly and affect only a limited area. The hair grows back within 12 months or less. For some people, however, the problem can last longer and be more severe, causing total baldness (alopecia totalis) or total loss of body hair (alopecia universalis).