Alopecia areata

Some people lose hair in small spots.

These spots are often round like coins. This happens because the body gets confused. The body attacks the hair roots by mistake.

This can happen on the head or even the beard. Most people stay healthy even with these spots. The hair can grow back on its own. Sometimes, doctors use creams to help hair grow.

It is not a sickness you can catch from others.

Some people lose hair in small spots.

These spots are often round like coins. This happens because of an autoimmune disease. This is when the body's immune system attacks its own cells by mistake.

The body attacks the hair follicles. These are the tiny parts that grow hair. This can happen on the head or the beard. It can even happen on any part of the body with hair.

Sometimes, a person loses all the hair on their head. This is called alopecia totalis. If all body hair is lost, it is called alopecia universalis.

These cases are very rare. Many people see their hair grow back on its own. In over half of the patchy cases, hair grows back within a year. Doctors may use creams or shots to help hair grow faster. There is no cure yet. This condition is not something you can catch from others. It often runs in families. It is common in children and affects females more than males.

Alopecia areata is a condition where hair is lost from parts of the body.

It often shows up as small, round bald spots on the scalp. These spots are usually about the size of a coin. Sometimes, hair loss happens in just one spot or many spots. In rare cases, a person might lose all the hair on their head. This is called alopecia totalis. If a person loses all their body hair, it is called alopecia universalis.

This condition is not something you can catch from another person.

This happens because of an autoimmune disease. This means the body's immune system makes a mistake. Usually, the immune system protects us from germs. In this case, it fails to recognize its own cells. The immune system attacks the hair follicles, which are the tiny parts that grow hair.

Special cells called T-cells swarm around these follicles. This causes inflammation and makes the hair fall out. You might even see tiny hairs that look like exclamation points near the edges of a bald patch.

Scientists have studied this for a long time to find why it happens. They found that family history plays a big role. If one identical twin has it, the other has a 50% chance of having it too. Researchers have found at least four regions in our DNA that might carry these genes. In 2010, a large study identified 129 specific genetic markers linked to the condition. They also found that it can be linked to other health issues like type 1 diabetes or celiac disease. This helps doctors understand how the body's defenses work.

Many facts tell us who might be affected by this. It is a common condition in children. Females are affected at higher rates than males. About 0.15% of people have it at any one time. However, about 2% of people will experience it at some point. For many people with small patches, hair regrows on its own within one year. In fact, up to 80% of people with only one or two patches see regrowth in that time. But for those who lose all their body hair, fewer than 10% recover.

While there is no cure, there are ways to help hair grow back. Doctors sometimes use triamcinolone injections or 5% minoxidil creams. These can help speed up the regrowth process. In 2022, the FDA authorized a medicine called baricitinib for severe cases. Some people with celiac disease find that eating a gluten-free diet helps their hair grow back. It is like giving the immune system a break so it stops attacking. People can also use sunscreen or hats to protect their skin when hair is missing.

Alopecia areata, often called spot baldness, is a medical condition characterized by hair loss.

This loss can affect small areas or the entire body. It most commonly appears as smooth, round, or oval bald patches on the scalp. These patches are often about the size of a coin. While it most frequently affects the scalp and beard, it can occur anywhere hair grows. The condition is classified as a type 1 inflammatory disease. It is not contagious, meaning you cannot catch it from someone else.

The condition is believed to be a systemic autoimmune disease. In a healthy body, hair follicles enjoy something called immune privilege. This means the immune system is trained to ignore these specific cells. In alopecia areata, this privilege is breached. The body fails to recognize its own hair follicle cells as safe. Consequently, immune cells called T-lymphocytes swarm the hair roots. This process causes inflammation and destroys the anagen, or growing, hair follicles.

This immune-mediated destruction causes the hair to fall out.

There are several ways to classify the severity of the hair loss. Alopecia areata monolocularis describes hair loss in only one single spot. If there are multiple areas of loss, it is called multilocularis. Some patients experience ophiasis, which is hair loss shaped like a wave around the head's edge. If a person loses all the hair on their scalp, it is called alopecia totalis. In the rarest cases, a person loses all body hair, including pubic hair. This most severe form is known as alopecia universalis.

Research suggests that genetics play a significant role in who develops the condition. Having a family history of alopecia areata increases a person's risk. For example, if one identical twin is affected, the other has a 50% chance of being affected. Scientists have identified at least four regions in the genome linked to these risks. A large study in 2010 identified 129 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the disease. These genetic markers involve cells that control T-cell activation and various proteins like interleukin-2. The condition also shares genetic risk factors with other autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and celiac disease.

Statistics show how common the condition is across the population. At any single moment, about 0.15% of people are affected. However, about 2% of people will experience the condition at some point in their lives. Onset usually occurs during childhood, and females are affected at higher rates than males. For many, the disease is temporary. In over 50% of cases involving sudden, patchy hair loss, hair regrows within one year. For those with only one or two patches, the recovery rate within a year is as high as 80%. However, for those with alopecia universalis, fewer than 10% recover.

Doctors look for specific clinical signs to diagnose the condition. One notable sign is "exclamation point" hairs. These are very short hairs that are narrower at the base than at the top. They often surround the edges of bald patches. During a physical exam, doctors might notice that hair pulls out more easily at the edge of a patch. This happens because the immune system is actively attacking the follicles there. In some cases, a doctor might use trichoscopy to look for "yellow dots" or "black dots" in the follicles. Some patients may also experience nail changes, such as pitting or trachyonychia.

While there is currently no cure, several treatments can help manage the condition. Some treatments aim to speed up hair regrowth. For instance, a 2020 review showed that 5 mg/mL triamcinolone injections helped over 80% of patients achieve more than 50% regrowth. Topical 5% minoxidil is also used to encourage growth. In 2022, the FDA authorized baricitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, for severe cases. If the hair loss is linked to celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet can sometimes lead to permanent regrowth. This happens because removing gluten helps normalize the body's immune response.