Alopecia
areata is considered as an autoimmune disease, in which the immune
system, which is there to protect the body from foreign invaders such
as viruses and bacteria, attacks the hair follicles mistakenly, this
can lead to hair
loss or baldness on the scalp and elsewhere.
In
medical language Alopecia areata is a prevalent autoimmune skin
disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on
the body.
TYPES OF ALOPECIA AREATA
The
symptoms and effects of alopecia are different in every patient
because it occurs due to several reasons, in broad way we can
categorize it in two types:
- Alopecia areata totalis: In this the total hair losses occur in the scalp.
- Alopecia areata universalis: when complete body hair loss occurs.
How it begins?
Alopecia
areata occurs in both males and females and can occur at any age,
usually begins with falling out of hair from particular area may be
small or big which results in totally smooth, round hairless patches
on the scalp just like the normal skin without hair a bit more
reddish and pinkish. In some cases the hair may become thinner
without noticeable patches of baldness. In some other cases hair fall
out and grow again .When alopecia areata results in patches, the hair
usually grows back in a few months. Although the new hair is usually
of the same color and texture as the rest of the hair, it sometimes
is fine and white. But it might happen that they will never grow back
leaving you complete bald.
Every
case of alopecia is different and different findings were found from
each case. Over 6.6 million people in the United States and 147
million worldwide have had or will develop alopecia areata at some
point in their lives.
Alopecia
areata is a highly unpredictable and cyclical condition. Hair can
grow back in or fall out again at any time, and the disease off
course is different for each person. No matter how widespread the
hair loss, most hair follicles remain alive and there is chance that
hair can produce at any time. Sometimes hair grows back without any
treatment too.
CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS
It
occurs when WBC attack the cells in hair follicles, causing them to
slow down hair production. It is still unknown that what causes the
body's immune system to target hair follicles in this way.
Scientists
do not know exactly why the hair follicles undergo these changes, but
they suspect that a combination of genes may predispose some people
to the disease. In those who are genetically predisposed, some type
of trigger perhaps a virus or something in the person’s environment
brings on the attack against the hair follicles.
