Alopecia areata Areas of hair loss on the head due to alopecia areata. (more) alopecia areata autoimmune disease Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/alopecia-areata Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Karen Sottosanti Karen Sottosanti is a writer and editor who works in educational publishing. Karen Sottosanti Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jan 15, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is alopecia areata? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by hair loss on the face, scalp, and sometimes other parts of the body. It can be chronic and varies from mild to severe." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are the types of alopecia areata? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "There are several types of alopecia areata. These include patchy alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, diffuse alopecia areata, and ophiasis alopecia." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are common symptoms of alopecia areata? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Common symptoms of alopecia areata include sudden hair loss, often in round or oval patches on the scalp. Persons with severe cases may also develop brittle, pitted nails. Some individuals experience itching or tingling in affected areas prior to hair loss." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How is alopecia areata treated? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Treatment for alopecia areata may include the use of injected corticosteroids, oral or topical minoxidil, topical immunotherapy, or the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. Some individuals do not take medication, choosing instead to use wigs or other hairpieces and makeup or tattoos to disguise hair loss." } } ] } Top Questions What is alopecia areata? Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by hair loss on the face, scalp, and sometimes other parts of the body. It can be chronic and varies from mild to severe.

　　What are the types of alopecia areata? There are several types of alopecia areata. These include patchy alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, diffuse alopecia areata, and ophiasis alopecia.

　　What are common symptoms of alopecia areata? Common symptoms of alopecia areata include sudden hair loss, often in round or oval patches on the scalp. Persons with severe cases may also develop brittle, pitted nails. Some individuals experience itching or tingling in affected areas prior to hair loss.

　　How is alopecia areata treated? Treatment for alopecia areata may include the use of injected corticosteroids, oral or topical minoxidil, topical immunotherapy, or the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. Some individuals do not take medication, choosing instead to use wigs or other hairpieces and makeup or tattoos to disguise hair loss.

　　alopecia areata, autoimmune disease characterized primarily by hair loss on the face and scalp and often also on other parts of the body. Alopecia areata usually is chronic and ranges from mild to severe, with some individuals experiencing only one episode of hair loss and others having episodes throughout their lives. Full hair regrowth occurs in some persons, but others experience only partial or no regrowth. Although there is no cure, treatments that can stimulate hair regrowth are available. There are several types of alopecia areata. Patchy alopecia areata, which is the most common form, is characterized by small round ...(100 of 757 words)

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