Alopecia areata is a fairly common condition (ranking with vitiligo) that results in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere. It usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches. It occurs in males and females of all ages, but onset most often occurs in childhood. In alopecia areata, the affected hair follicles become very small, drastically slow down production, and grow no hair visible above the surface for months or years.

The length of time depends on the factors such as duration of alopecia areata, its extent, size and number of spots and the underlying cause. Most people with one or two spots of alopecia areata since 3-4 months may get cured within about four months. Older and more spots may take time. Every patient may have different response patter. You can check curability chances through online assessment test. http://www.alopeciaareata.us/app/curability-register.

Please check this link which explains the causes in detail: http://www.alopeciaareata.us/app/causes.asp

Yes, the treatment approach is difference and the prognosis is also difference. That is, Alopecia is treatable with great success, while Alopecia totalis is not curable using homeopathy. Steroids may help but superficially. Our experience suggests that by use of steroids, most patients get more spots elsewhere on the skin. Steroids do not address internal autoimmune disorder. Well, they are very useful during acute attacks. But, they do not cure chronic urticaria, in my experience.

Yes, stress can trigger some immunological or endocrinal changes which may in turn changes which may lead to alopecia. However, stress is not the single factor leading to alopecia.

For all practical purposes, one o a few patches of hair loss is called Alopecia areata; while total hair loss all over the body, including eyebrows, eyes lashes, all over the skin, is called Alopecia totalis.

The homeopathic treatment treats alopecia areata possibly by regulating the immune mechanism. Read more http://www.alopeciaareata.us/app/hom_treatment.asp

There have been confirmed reports of alopecia areata-like hair loss in; Rats, Mice, Dogs (Magyar Vizsla, Minature poodle, Dachshund, Bernese Mountain, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Mixed breed), Cats (Siamese), Horses (Appaloosa, Palomino), Cattle (Holstein), and Non-human primates (Stump-tailed macaques, white-fronted capuchin, Spider monkey, Chimpanzee). Most reports are just one or two isolated cases.

least two series have found a higher (6 and 8.9%) than normal prevalence of alopecia areata in patients with Down's syndrome. It is believed that this association is the result of patients with trisomy 21 being more suceptible to dysregulation of their immune system.

This is a common question, particularly for children, teens, and young adults who are beginning to form lifelong goals and who may live with the effects of alopecia areata for many years. The comforting news is that alopecia areata is not a painful disease and does not make people feel sick physically. It is not contagious, and people who have the disease are generally healthy otherwise.

Alopecia Areata is the name given to a condition where round bald spots appear on your skin and scalp. The hair loss is very sudden and quite often drastic. Alopecia is a disorder that causes a patient's immune cells to attack their own...

Skin biopsies under appropriate circumstances may provide a wealth of information. It is necessary when diagnosing tumors, vasculitides, etc. However, these conditions pose a different scenario to alopecia areata where the diagnosis is based on clinical grounds. I would entertain performing a biopsy in a patient if the clinical symptoms are not characteristic, for e.g., if hair loss occurs in a reticular or diffuse pattern. I would also consider a biopsy if faced with a therapeutical decision.

ldquo;I did have quite a bit of hair return last summer and then lost a good deal of it during the fall.” ldquo;[My 10 year old son] still experiences hair loss but it is only in the fall and to date he now only has 3 small areas of hair loss which is hidden by the hair he does have.” ldquo;In general, [my daughter's] greatest time of loss has been the Fall and her greatest time of growth has been the Spring/Summer. She's like a beautiful flower.

Epidemiological studies do show that there are certain nidus within given populations that exhibit a different prevalence for the condition. One such study, performed almost four decades ago, reported that Japanese people living in Hawaii had a higher prevalence for the condition that the indigenous population. Still, despite any differences in either incidence or prevalence, alopecia areata has been described in all races.

a group, patients with alopecia areata have a decreased number of sweat glands.- Some sweat glands are attached to the hair follicles. When the inflammatory reaction hits the base of the hair follicle it simultaneously affects the sweat glands in a case of mistaken identity.- From what I have read, the degree of sweat gland dysfuntion is not correlated to extent of hair loss, therapy or presence of concurrent diseases.

Nisim products have been very effective in stimulating hair growth in the patchy areas caused by Alopecia Areata. Nisim is not recommended as being effective for other forms of Alopecia such as Totalis and Universalis. Yes, Nisim shampoos have proven very effective in controlling and reducing minor scalp disorders such as itching, dandruff, etc.