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Alopecia areata is a disease in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles and causes hair loss. While hair can fall out on any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face. The hair usually falls out in small, round patches the size of a quarter, but in some cases the hair loss is more extensive. Most patients are healthy and have no other symptoms.
The course of alopecia areata varies from person to person. Some suffer from hair loss their entire lives, while others only experience a single episode. Recovery is also unpredictable: Some people’s hair grows back completely, while others do not.
There is no real cure for alopecia areata, but there are treatments that can accelerate and stimulate hair growth. There are also aids to help sufferers cope with hair loss. Taking high doses of vitamin D, for example, has been shown to be quite effective.
