What is Alopecia areata?



Alopecia areata causes hair loss from areas of the body, usually the scalp. It causes bald spots on the head especially in the first stage. And thus it has the nickname ?spot baldness?. In 1-2 % of cases the condition is found to be spreading to the entire scalp or epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin).

Alopecia crop up particularly on the area of the head and the total hair of this part is almost defected by the disease. Alopecia is the disease of human where man and women both suffers from baldness, it causes lot of stress and mental presure in patients suffering from this disorder.

Alopecia areata is a form of hair loss from areas of the body, usually from the scalp . Because it causes bald spots on the head, especially in the first stages, it is sometimes called spot baldness. In about 6 in 10 cases the first patch of hair loss develops before the age of 20 years. Alopecia areata is an unpredictable disease. In some people, hair grows back but falls out again later. In others, hair grows back and remains. Each case is unique. Even if someone loses all of his or her hair, there is a chance that it will grow back.

Causes of Alopecia:

The specific cause of alopecia areata is unknown. A family history of alopecia is present in about a fifth of all cases. Alopecia areata is occasionally associated with autoimmune diseases . --Normally the immune system protects the body against infection and disease. In an autoimmune disease, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In alopecia areata, the immune system attacks the hair follicles. For people whose genes put them at risk for the disease, some type of trigger starts the attack on the hair follicles. The triggers may be a virus or something in the person's environment.

Treatment of Alopecia:

1. Certain medications to promote hair growth (such as minoxidil and finasteride).

2. Treating any underlying condition or disease.

3. Corticosteroid injections (when treating alopecia areata).

4. Scalp reduction.

Outcome of Alopecia Areata

The progress of alopecia areata is unpredictable. Some patients lose hair in only a limited patch of the skin, while others may present with more extensive involvement. Alopecia totalis is the loss of 100% of scalp hair. Alopecia universalis is the loss of 100% of body hair. These last two conditions are extremely rare following alopecia areata. In the majority of patients, the hair will re-grow completely within 1 year without any treatment.

Treatment of this generally benign condition has to do mostly with patient goals and self consciousness of the disorder. Many patients can hide the patches of alopecia artistically with cosmetics or with restyling the hair to cover the bald area in scalp involvement.