Alopecia areata (autoimmune hair loss disease)

Alopecia areata, also known as Davey Kirt's syndrome, is an autoimmune hair loss disease that causes hair loss on certain or all parts of the body. Alopecia areata occurs due to autoimmune responses in which the body's own antibodies attack and destroy its own cells. The condition can lead to "bald spots" on the head and in rare cases (1-2%) it can spread to the entire head (called total alopecia) - if the condition affects the whole body, this is called universal alopecia.

Symptoms of alopecia areata

The first symptoms are small areas of hair loss. Alopecia areata most often affects the head or beard areas, but can also affect other parts of the body. The condition can come and go - where the hair falls out and then grows back. With alopecia areata, hair falls out more easily compared to normal hair follicles. On the nails there may be so-called "sandpaper appearance" where you see that the nails are rougher in appearance and edges. It can be painful in areas that have recently lost hair. Many (especially women) can take hair loss very hard, which can lead to depression and anxiety - it is important that people who suffer get a chance to therapy if this is necessary.

Clinical signs

As mentioned above under 'symptoms'.

Photo of alopecia areata (mild edition)

Diagnosis and cause

The diagnosis is made through a series of clinical examinations and thorough history. The signs are so clear that a biopsy is rarely required to diagnose. The condition is due to one autoimmune response. It has been seen that the condition can be worsened by stress.

Who is affected by the disease?

The condition affects both women and men. It affects 0.1% -0.2% of the population. People affected by the disease have been found to have a higher incidence of asthma, allergies, skin symptoms and hypothyroidism (Hashimoto).

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no specific drug cure for alopecia areata, but it has been seen that corticosteroids and the like can have a certain, limited effect when it comes to limiting hair loss. Unfortunately, these drugs are not without side effects.

The most common form of treatment for autoimmune conditions is included immunosuppression - that is, drugs and measures that limit and cushion the body's own defense system. Gene therapy that limits inflammatory processes in immune cells has shown great progress in recent times, often in combination with increased activation of anti-inflammatory genes and processes.

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Also read: - Complete overview of autoimmune diseases

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