Alopecia areata is a sudden onset hair loss that usually presents as one or more circular bald patches with normal looking skin over scalp or other hairy areas of body. It is an auto immune disease which means that our immune system mistakenly attacks a part of our own body. The cells in our immune system surround and attack our hair follicles.
What are the different types of Alopecia?Patchy Alopecia areata: It is most common type of alopecia. It presents as one or more coin sized bald patches with normal underlying skin over scalp, eyebrows, moustache, beard or other hairy parts of body.
Alopecia areata totalis: This refers to complete loss of hair on the scalp.
Alopecia areata universalis: This type of hair loss is characterised by complete loss of hair on the body. It is linked to alopecia areata where the immune system fights not just the scalp hair, but body hair as well.
Diffuse Alopecia: In this variant, there is sudden thinning of hair all over the scalp instead of patchy hair loss.
Is alopecia areata permanent?No, in most of the cases, alopecia areata resolves with a few months of treatment or even without treatment, but in some patients, it can be a recurring problem. In patients with total scalp or body involvement, there can be permanent hair loss.
What are the risk factors for developing alopecia areata?