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Conditions
Skin conditions
Hair diseases
Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata)

Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata)

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A disease that causes hair to fall out in small patches. It develops when the immune system attacks the hair follicles.

Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge reviewed this

39 year experience in Internal Medicine

Is a type of:

Hair diseases

How long it usually lasts:

Chronic (lasts years to lifelong)

How common it is:

Very common
Baby
0-2
Preteen
6-13
Common
Teenager
14-18
Common
Young adult
19-40
Very common
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Very common

How it can usually be treated?

Incurable but treatment can help

How is it usually diagnosed?

Requires diagnosis by a medical professional

Body locations

Head

Symptoms

Alopecia
Hair loss
Scaly lesions
Hair loss, patchy spots
Thin hair

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata)
Minoxidil
2.8
5 reviews
Topical steroid
Steroids

Other treatments

Makeup
Patient support

Risk factors

Personal

Stress

Related questions

A 18-year old female asked:

Base to my research alopecia areata has no cure. Would be possible that when my hair grows up it will loss again ?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 16-year old male asked:

What can cause facial hair loss other than alopecia areata at 15?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 60-year old female asked:

Would Alopecia Areata cause only specific section of eyelashes to fall out but no hair loss anywhere else? Most, not all, of outer section of my upper right eyelashes are gone, Does this sound like it could be from Alopecia Areata or something else?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 24-year old male asked:

I am having a bald spot on beard.. Is this mean I do have alopecia areata.. And also my hair loss have started..?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 64-year old female asked:

I was diagnose with alopecia areata. My dermatologist prescribed clobetasol.Is topical ic clobetasol .05 okay to treat hair loss in women?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old male asked:

Is hair can be regrow using homeopathy medice.I have alopecia areata problem.How long it take a time.

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

What do you advise if i suffer from a disease call alopecia areata, I have an interview can they make me take a hair drug test?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 17-year old female asked:

I have alopecia areata and im 16 years old. I be had it since I was 13. I want to dye my hair to make me feel better... Is that a bad idea ?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A female asked:

I have Alopecia Areata will it make my hair fall out more if I dye it?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 20-year old female asked:

Can alopecia areata cause severe diffuse hair fall? My biopsy says I hv no telegon effluivm.

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 30-year old female asked:

Alopecia areata- How long does it normally take to see peek of new hair growth with use of derovate ointment or any other topical corticosteroids ?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A female asked:

I have alopecia areata & am on a presc. shampoo & cream to see if it will help. I have 1 half dollar size patch and was curious if I can dye my hair?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A member asked:

What is best medication for alopecia areata to regrow hair quickly? I have patches of lost hair,

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A member asked:

Is alopecia areata linked to chantix, and can anything be done? About a year ago, i took chantix for about 4-6 weeks. 4-8 weeks after stopping the drug, i noticed a bald spot in my facial hair. Then another. Then on the back of my head (not in a normal

2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A 38-year old asked:

Could water hurt my 10 yr old daughter's hair if she has alopecia areata?

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

What should I remove and add on my diet in order to make my hair grow back faster after having bald spots from Alopecia Areata?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 25-year old female asked:

I had smooth bald spot and new hair grew back, would that be alopecia areata?Now crown and sides are really thin you can see my scalp clearly. Y?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 51-year old male asked:

14 years girl. gradual hair thinning for several years. several experts checked all. no alopecia areata. uses minoxil 5. helps but not stopping.Ideas?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 38-year old female asked:

My five year old has alopecia areata. Her hair is very thin in patches but not completely gone. She uses a steroid cream. Anything else I can do ? Tks

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 23-year old male asked:

Hey I'm a final year Med student, I just noticed a patch in my beard near the angle of mandible and there is no previous Hx of such issue family or whatsoever, and I've no patches in scalp or any other body hair, any input? Alopecia areata,barbae?..

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 28-year old male asked:

I have alopecia areata due to hyperthyroidism due to which I have bald patches on my beard. I am on neomercazole now. How can I regain my hair ??

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old female asked:

I have diffuse alopecia areata from 14 yr.fully bald.Now affecting eyebrows and lashes. Im taking olumiant 4mg tab(working for now) and avate cream for brows but it sticks to browhair and hair fall out.how to clean my brows(even dove soap dries skin?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 28-year old asked:

Hello Doctor I am Male , Facing Problem of Alopecia Areata. Lost some hair on scalp & mustache ( Beard Place ) Need Medicine to get rid off . Thanks ?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old female asked:

I stay tired, my hair falls out constantly,no sex drive.My thyroids been checked twice was normal.Ive had alopecia areata.Could it b hormone imbalance?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 26-year old female asked:

I have alopecia areata, when i first found out i had a patch on my head it was small.. But now it's huge! half of my head. What do I do?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 20-year old male asked:

Hi i have alopecia areata and i have no eyebrows and eyelahses started to fall out, also i have small bald patches behinf my head 2 of them on bottom.

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old male asked:

Trimmed my beard with clippers two weeks ago without a guard. Woke up the day after and looked in the mirror and saw a nice bald patch. I have pretty thin light colored dirty blonde hair. Still not filled in much. Potentially Alopeica arreata?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 29-year old female asked:

Dignosed of alopacia areata at age 6. It started with high fever & i lost my all hairs including body. At 30 I have few patches on scalp.Will dcp help?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

Use to take ranitidine had hair loss,no patchy baldness. hair came back but still sheds good bit dont know when nails got ridges an pits but only few nails noticed lastnight. Is that sign I have alopecia still? Or once have ridges they dont go away?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

I am experiencing hair loss (quality: rising hairline, patchy spots) .

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

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