Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata, also known as spot baldness, Often it results in a few bald spots on the scalp, each about the size of a coin. People are generally otherwise healthy.

A person's genetic makeup, combined with other factors, triggers this form of hair loss. People with alopecia areata may have a higher risk for: Another autoimmune disease such as thyroid disease or vitiligo (patches of lighter skin appear) and etc

Alopecia areata is believed to be an autoimmune disease resulting from a breach in the immune privilege The underlying mechanism involves failure by the body to recognize its own cells with subsequent immune mediated destruction of the hair follicle. In some cases the hair regrows and the condition does not reoccur. In others hair loss and regrowth occurs over years. There is no cure for the condition. Efforts may be used to try to speed hair regrowth such as cortisone injections

Intralesional corticosteroid injections
Topical minoxidil
Anthralin cream or ointment
Topical corticosteroids for extensive alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis
Topical immunotherapy(dpcp)
Immunomodulators: drugs to block the immune response and many in-house procedures like punch grafting