alopecia areata

Examples of alopecia areata in the following topics:

• Alopecia

  • Alopecia areata is a medical condition, possibly autoimmune, where hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, especially the scalp.
  • Alopecia areata (AA) is a medical condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body.
  • Alopecia areata is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles and suppresses or stops hair growth.
  • In cases where there is severe hair loss, there has been limited success in treating alopecia areata with oral corticosteroids, corticosteroid injections, or corticosteroid cream.
  • Photographs of men displaying the classic spot baldness of alopecia areata.

• Hair and Hormones

  • More than 95% of hair thinning in men is due to male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia .
  • Androgenic alopecia also occurs in chimpanzee and orangutans.
  • Recent research suggests that elevated levels of the enzyme prostaglandin D2 synthase and its product prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in hair follicles contribute to androgenetic alopecia.
  • Much research concerns the genetic basis of androgenic alopecia.
  • Androgenic alopecia is polygenetic and appears to have a strong interaction with age as shown by the fact that visible hair loss at a distance is apparent in approximately 80% of males by age 80.

• Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

  • Therefore, alopecia, or, hair loss, is a common, unwanted effect of chemotherapy.