Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy hair follicles. This autoimmune condition affects men and women of all ages. While not physically harmful or painful, it can lead to significant emotional distress. Below, we outline the three primary types based on established dermatological insights.
The most common form, often called spot or patchy baldness, presents as circular bald patches on the scalp. These can appear suddenly.
This results in complete hair loss on the scalp, leading to total baldness. In some cases, it also affects eyelashes and eyebrows. It typically develops before age 40.
The rarest type, causing extensive hair loss across the entire body, including the scalp, beard, eyebrows, and pubic hair.
The precise cause is not fully understood, but certain factors increase risk, such as other autoimmune diseases, allergies like asthma or hay fever, childhood eczema, or a family history of bald patches.
