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What are the symptoms of alopecia areata?

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Hair Disorders

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

Eye redness is a condition in which the part of the eye that is normally white appears reddish. This occurs when blood vessels on the surface of the eye widen (dilate), bringing extra blood to the eye. Which of the following is NOT a frequent cause of eye redness?

Allergies
Foreign objects in the eye
Infection
Too much sleep

Alopecia Areata

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The Manual's Editorial Staff

Last full review/revision Jan 2021| Content last modified Jan 2021

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"Alopecia" means hair loss. "Areata" means occurring in patches.

Alopecia areata is the sudden loss of patches of hair without any of the obvious causes What causes alopecia areata? "Alopecia" means hair loss. "Areata" means occurring in patches. Alopecia areata is the sudden loss of patches of hair without any of the obvious causes. Your hair falls out in patches for no... read more .

Your hair falls out in patches for no clear reason
Alopecia areata is common and happens most often in children and young adults
The hair loss is usually from the scalp or beard
Your fingernails may become rough and pitted

Doctors think alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder Autoimmune Diseases "Auto" is a medical term for "self." The immune system is your body's defense system. It helps protect you from illness and infection. The immune system usually attacks invading bacteria, viruses... read more . In an autoimmune disorder your immune system Overview of the Immune System The immune system is your body's defense system. It helps protect you from illness and infection. The immune system's job is to attack things that don’t belong in your body, including: Germs... read more mistakenly attacks part of your body. In alopecia areata, your immune system attacks your hair follicles so hair doesn't grow.

Alopecia areata causes:

Round patches of missing hair—patches can be small or you can lose all the hair on your scalp

You may notice short, broken hairs at the edges of the patches. You may have rough and pitted nails. There are no other symptoms, and you otherwise feel well.

Alopecia areata sometimes gets better without treatment. The hair usually grows back in several months. If you have widespread hair loss, it’s less likely that your hair will regrow.

Doctors treat alopecia areata with:

Corticosteroids injected at the bald spots
Medicine (minoxidil) applied to the bald spots
Sometimes, chemicals applied to the bald spot to mildly irritate it (this can cause hair growth)

Generic Name	Select Brand Names
minoxidil	ROGAINE

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Hair Loss

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Hair Disorders

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia (Hair Loss)

Hair Loss

Eye redness is a condition in which the part of the eye that is normally white appears reddish. This occurs when blood vessels on the surface of the eye widen (dilate), bringing extra blood to the eye. Which of the following is NOT a frequent cause of eye redness?

Allergies
Foreign objects in the eye
Infection
Too much sleep

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