Alopecia Areata

What is it?

Points To Remember About Alopecia Areata

• Alopecia areata causes hair to fall out. Most people only lose hair in small, round patches. Some people may lose more or all their hair.
• Your hair may grow back, even if you lose all of it. But it may fall out again. 
• Alopecia areata does not make you feel pain and does not make you sick. You can’t give it to others.
• Genes and environment work together to determine whether you get alopecia areata.
• There is no cure. Medicines approved for other diseases can help hair grow back. Talk to your doctor about which medicines are best for you.
• Protect bare skin from sun, dirt, and germs. Use cosmetics to cover small amounts of hair loss. Hats, wigs, and scarves can cover more hair loss.

Normal hair follicle and surrounding structures.

Alopecia areata is a disease that attacks your hair follicles (the part of your skin that makes hair). In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. This causes only a few bare patches. Some people may lose more hair. In only a few people, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head or loss of all body hair.

Your hair may grow back, even if you lose all of it. But it may fall out again. No one can tell you when it might fall out or grow back. You may lose more hair, or your hair loss may stop. The hardest part of the disease is not having these answers.