Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata - This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair follicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. The hair loss is usually limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. Alopecia areata affects both men and women equally and is often experienced first in childhood. According to a survey taken in America one person in every hundred is likely to experience Alopecia areata at sometime in their life.

Hair loss in circumscribed, noninflamed areas of the scalp, eyebrows and beard. Also called alopecia circumscripta.

Alopecia Areata Picture

Only when T-lymphocytes stop attacking the hair follicle will new hair grow. White blood cells called T-lymphocytes attack the hair follicle which causes the hair to stop growing and enter into the telogen (resting) phase, then about 3 months later, when the resting phase is over the hair will then fall out. Researchers believe that Alopecia areata is an auto-immune disease, this means that the body’s immune system acts as if the hair follicles are foreign and attacks them.

The disease commonly manifests itself between the ages of 18-35. Unfortunately, Alopecia areata is encountered also in children. The youngest child with the disease we have observed was 6 months old. The most liable to this disease are children aged 5-7 and 12-14.

The characteristic finding of alopecia areata is the exclamation point hair. These unusual hairs can be found in areas of hair loss. They are visible with a hand lens as short, broken off hairs that are narrower closer to the scalp (appearing like an exclamation point). A biopsy of the scalp is sometimes necessary for a diagnosis.