ALOPECIA

Alopecia areata is a disease that develops when the body attacks its own hair follicles. This process can cause reversible hair loss anywhere on the body.

There a few main types of alopecia areata:

• Alopecia areata: Alopecia is the medical term for bald. Areata means patchy. This patchy baldness can develop anywhere on the body, including the scalp, beard area, eyebrows, eyelashes, armpits, inside your nose, or ears.

• Alopecia totalis: The person loses all hair on the scalp, so the scalp is completely bald.

• Alopecia universalis: The person loses all hair, leaving the entire body hairless. This is rare.

Alopecia Areata often presents as a round or oval bald patch on their scalp. Many people with Alopecia Areata are healthy, but having Alopecia Areata may be a way for your body to signal an ongoing autoimmune process internally. Your dermatologist may want to screen for thyroid conditions and overall blood cell count may be ordered.

Dermatologists can help treat Alopecia Areata with injections, topical prescriptions, Platlet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections, or oral agents.