Alopecia areata (AA) is an auto-immune medical condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, usually from the scalp.
In 1–2% of cases, the condition can spread to the entire scalp (Alopecia totalis) or to the entire epidermis (Alopecia universalis).
Classification
Commonly, alopecia areata involves hair loss in one or more usually round shaped spots on the scalp.
Signs and symptoms
Typical first symptoms of alopecia areata are small bald patches. The underlying skin is unscarred and looks superficially normal. These patches can take many shapes, but are most usually round or oval. Alopecia areata most often affects the scalp and beard, but may occur on any hair-bearing part of the body. Different skin areas can exhibit hair loss and regrowth at the same time. The disease can be unstable and may also go into remission for a time, or permanently.
The hair tends to fall out over a short period of time, with the loss commonly occurring more on one side of the scalp than the other.
Causes
Alopecia areata is not contagious. It occurs more frequently in people who have affected family members, suggesting that heredity may be a factor. Strong evidence that genes may increase risk for alopecia areata was found by studying families with two or more affected members.
The condition is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles and suppresses or stops hair growth
An unknown environmental trigger or a major life event such as trauma, illness, pregnancy or emotional stress is thought to combine with hereditary factors to cause the condition to manifest.
Treatment
Anyone concerned with, or managing, adverse hair loss needs clarification and options to address their condition. Advanced Hair Studio offers a free, no obligation consultation at every one of our 70 plus studios around the world. Rely on the 35 years experience that AHS offers, free of charge to help you understand what options are available to manage your hair loss at this time.
Please note that any sudden or abnormal hair loss maybe a side effect of a medical condition because hair is often a barometer of individuals health and should also be referred to a medical specialist.