* Not a rare disease
Other Names for this Disease
- Alopecia Celsi
- Alopecia Cicatrisata
- Alopecia Circumscripta
- Cazenave's Vitiligo
immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches on the scalp. Although uncommon, hair loss can be more extensive in some people and affect other parts of the body. This condition can progress to complete loss of scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or total loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis). Although the exact cause of AA is unknown, roughly 20% of affected people have a family member with alopecia, suggesting that genetic factors may contribute to the development of the condition. There is no cure or approved therapy for AA; however, some people find that medications approved for other purposes can help regrow hair.Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease in which the
Last updated: 11/23/2014
- Alopecia Areata: Questions and Answers About Alopecia Areata. National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders (NIAMS). January 2012; http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Alopecia_Areata/. Accessed 10/30/2014.
- Alopecia areata. MedlinePlus. 11/20/2012; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001450.htm.
- DermNet NZ is an online resource about skin diseases developed by the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated. DermNet NZ provides information about this condition.
- MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
- The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
- Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Alopecia areata. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
- The American Hair Loss Association Web site lists resources for kids with alopecia. Click on American Hair Loss Association to view the page.