Skin/Autoimmune

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes other areas of the body. The immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, disrupting the normal hair formation cycle. The condition can affect anyone regardless of age or gender, but often begins in childhood.

5

Symptoms

3

Causes

6

Treatments

1

Prevention

Condition Overview

Understand key symptoms, causes, diagnosis options, and treatment pathways for Alopecia Areata. This overview is intended for patient awareness and should be followed by specialist consultation.

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Symptoms

  • Patchy hair loss on scalp
  • Hair loss on face (beard, eyebrows, eyelashes)
  • Nail changes (pitting, ridging)
  • Hair loss may affect entire scalp (alopecia totalis) or entire body (alopecia universalis)
  • Tingling or itching before hair loss

Causes

  • Autoimmune attack on hair follicles
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Possible environmental triggers

Diagnosis

  • Physical examination
  • Dermoscopy
  • Scalp biopsy
  • Blood tests (to rule out thyroid or other autoimmune conditions)

Treatment

  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Topical corticosteroids
  • Topical immunotherapy (DPCP, SADBE)
  • Minoxidil
  • JAK inhibitors (baricitinib, ritlecitinib — FDA approved)
  • Anthralin

Risk Factors

  • Family history
  • Other autoimmune disease (thyroid disease, vitiligo)
  • Down syndrome

Prevention

  • No known prevention

Prevalence

About 6.8 million people in the United States have alopecia areata; lifetime risk approximately 2%.

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