- Alopecia is the medical description of the loss of hair from the head or body, sometimes to the extent of baldness.
- Hair loss is seen in more than 50% men above the age of 50.
- Around 40% of middle age women suffer from female pattern hair loss.
- Alopecia areata is a kind of hair loss that is caused by the person’s own immune system. The scalp gets bald in round patches, but grows back naturally within a year.
- Alopecia areata is a common ailment. One person in 1,000 will have the disease at any given time. The main cause of hair loss is stress, which can result from excessive work, family problems, major illness or surgeries.
- It’s hard to predict the course of alopecia areata (rate of hair loss, extent, and hair regrowth). To date, there has been no treatment found that works in all patients.
- Hair loss can be seen 3 months after giving birth, which again is considered a hormone disorder problem.
- In May 2009, researchers in Japan identified a gene, SOX21, that appears to be responsible for hair loss in humans.
- Another major cause of hair loss is chemotherapy.
- In some cases, alopecia is an indication of an underlying medical concern, such as iron deficiency.
Fast facts about Alopecia
