Alopecia Areata, a genetic disease, can happen to anyone

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that attacks one’s hair follicles, causing patchy hair loss. The patches are generally small and round, but the shape and amount of hair loss may be bigger or smaller. What does autoimmune disease mean? The immune system is the first defence against invaders like germs from outside the body, helps to protect one from getting sick, and promotes healing when we are unwell or injured. In the case of autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks one’s body itself instead of defending it. There are over 100 autoimmune diseases that can affect almost any tissue or organ in the body, depending on where one’s immune system malfunctions, including joints, muscles, skin, blood vessels, digestive system, and nervous system.

Who are the most affected by AA?
Anyone can have this disease, both men and women of all ethnic groups. It can begin at any age, but most people get it in their teens, twenties, or thirties. About 20% of cases involve children. When it occurs amongst children of less than 10 years, it tends to be more extensive and progressive. It is related to family history, i.e., if one has a close family member with this disease, one may have a higher risk of getting it.

Symptoms of AA
AA begins with the sudden loss of round or oval patches of hair on the scalp. Any part of the body can be affected, such as the beard area of men, eyebrows, and eyelashes. There may not be any rash, redness, or scarring on the bare patches. Some say they felt tingling, burning, or itching on patches of skin right before the hair fall. The hair regrows within a few months, and additional bare patches develop. Small patches join and form larger ones. Sometimes, there is a progression to complete loss of body hair. But it is not common.

Causes of AA
One’s immune system attacks his/her hair follicles because it thinks they are foreign invaders, bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. that cause infection, illness, and disease. One should note that AA is not a contagious disease.

Diagnostics and tests
It is diagnosed by physical examination. One has to open their family history and the time of noticing the start of the problem. The patients’ nails to be examined as they can indicate important things about the disease.

The doctor examines the scalp for signs of infection, sends a sample of hair to the lab for analysis. Even a biopsy of scalp may be required to check for skin disease. In many cases blood test is also conducted. But the problem of AA cannot be fully cured. The problem can be managed to check the spread.