Alopecia Areata

Medical Author: Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, PA
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is alopecia areata?
• What causes alopecia areata?
• What are the different patterns of alopecia areata?
• Who is affected by alopecia areata?
• How is alopecia areata diagnosed?
• How is alopecia areata treated?
• Alopecia Areata At A Glance
• Related alopecia articles:
  Alopecia - on WebMD

What is alopecia areata?

Alopecia areata is a hair-loss condition which usually affects the scalp. It can, however, sometimes affect other areas of the body. Hair loss tends to be rather rapid and often involves one side of the head more than the other.

Alopecia areata affects both males and females. This type of hair loss is different than male-pattern baldness, an inherited condition.

What causes alopecia areata?

Current evidence suggests that alopecia areata is caused by an abnormality in the immune system. This particular abnormality leads to autoimmunity. As a result, the immune system attacks particular tissues of the body. In alopecia areata, for unknown reasons, the body's own immune system attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation. Biopsies of affected skin show immune cells inside of the hair follicles where they are not normally present. What causes this is unknown. Alopecia areata is sometimes associated with other autoimmune conditions such as allergic disorders, thyroid disease, vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Sometimes, alopecia areata occurs within family members, suggesting a role of genes and heredity.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

Vitiligo - Learn about the symptoms and treatments of vitiligo, an incurable disorder that destroys melanocytes and causes white patches (pigmentation loss) on the skin. Source:Government Hair Loss - Learn about the causes of hair loss (female- and male-pattern baldness, thyroid disease, alopecia) and treatments for thinning hair (Rogaine, transplant, medications). Source:MedicineNet Read 25 more Alopecia Areata related articles ... Health Tip: Women Have Pattern Baldness, Too Health Tip: Understanding Male Pattern Baldness