1. Alopecia Areata
By Sami and Kyle

2. What is it?
Alopecia Areata is a condition that causes round patches of hair loss.
About the size of a quarter
In some cases people can lose more hair…

3. Total Hair Loss

4. Why is it Autoimmune?
White blood cells gather around the affected hair root or hair follicle and are mistaken by the body as foreign.
This will cause mild inflammation which leads to the hair becoming weak and falling out resulting in bald patches on the head or on the body.
Scientists believe there are certain genes that cause Alopecia Areata.

5. Symptoms Patchy hair loss “Exclamation mark” hairs
1 or more coin-sized, round, smooth, bare patches
“Exclamation mark” hairs
Hairs that get narrower at the bottom

6. Symptoms Widespread hair loss Nail problems This is uncommon
Tiny pinpoint dents (pitting), white spots or lines, be rough, loss of shine, or become thin and split. Rarely nails change shape or fall off

7. Treatment: Mild Cases This is cases with less than 50% hair loss
Cortisone injections
Topical Minoxidil
Anthralin cream or ointment

8. Treatment: Severe Cases
This is cases with more than 50% hair loss
Cortisone Pills
Topical Immunotherapy
Wigs

9. Other Info
To test for alopecia areata a scalp biopsy will be done, blood tests may be done to check for autoimmune conditions and thyroid problems.
Full recovery is common unless they got it when they were young, have had it for a long time, have widespread or complete hair loss or have eczema.

10. Works Cited http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002421/
symptoms