Alopecia Areata
What is Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata is thought to be an auto-immune disease of the hair, initially appearing as a rounded bare patch about an inch across. 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. Many people affected with Alopecia areata will only have one experience of hair loss with regrowth occurring afterwards, however it is estimated that in approximately 20 percent of cases in the UK hair loss recurs or becomes permanent.
There are three types of Alopecia areata which are named according to their severity.
- Alopecia areata is mild patchy hair loss on the scalp
- Alopecia totalis is the loss of all scalp hair
- Alopecia Universalis is the loss of scalp and all body hair
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. 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. Only when T-lymphocytes stop attacking the hair follicle will new hair grow.