Alopecia
by jmmillerAlopecia is an autoimmune disease. It occurs when the immune system, which is designed to protect the body, mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. This can lead to hair loss on the scalp, and other parts of the body and face.
In most cases the hair falls out in small round patches around the size of a quarter. The disease doesn’t usually exceed beyond a few hair patches. In some cases, hair loss is more extensive. Rarely, this disease can progress into total hair loss of hair on the head and in extreme cases, total loss of hair on the head, face and body.
Alopecia affects an estimated four million people of both sexes and of all ethnic origins. It often begins in childhood. If a close family member has this disease, the risk of getting it is slightly higher. If the family member had the disease before the age of thirty, the risk to family members is greater.
Alopecia is not a life threatening disease. It doesn’t cause any physical pain, and people with this disease are generally healthy. But for most patients, losing their hair affects their appearance and is a serious matter. The effects of alopecia can be socially and emotionally disturbing.
Alopecia Universalis occurs when the patient loses their eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair in the ears and nose. This makes the patient vulnerable to foreign particles, germs and dust entering the nose, ears and eyes. It is possible to pass on this gene to you children, but highly unlikely. Most children with this disease do not have a parent that has it. There is a great chance that the hair will grow back, but it could also fall out again. It cannot be predicted when it may re-grow or fall out again. This disease varies from person to person.
Some patients continue to lose and re-grow their hair for years. Sometimes the initial hair re-growth comes in white, but it will normally grow back in your natural hair color. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alopecia.
Related: