Alopecia Areata
#70
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing hair loss. Alopecia areata usually first appears during childhood, and it can affect people of any age, race, or gender.
Symptoms
sudden loss of hair in round patches (scalp, beard area)
burning/itching in areas of hair loss or right before hair falls out
hairs that started regrowing but broke off after just a few millimeters of growth
Types
Patchy: hair loss that occurs in patches across the scalp (but not complete baldness)
Totalis: hair loss across the entire scalp
Universalis: hair loss across the entire body (scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes)
Treatment
There is no cure for alopecia, but in milder cases, hair can grow back without treatment. If necessary, some treatments include medications such as corticosteroids.
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