National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Alopecia areata

Not a rare disease Not a rare disease
Other Names:
AA; Diffuse alopecia; Patchy alopecia; AA; Diffuse alopecia; Patchy alopecia; Marginal alopecia; Alopecia Celsi; Alopecia Cicatrisata; Alopecia Circumscripta; Cazenave's Vitiligo; Celsus' Vitiligo; Jonston's Alopecia See More
Categories:
Subtypes:
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches on the scalp. Although uncommon, hair loss can be more extensive in some people and affect other parts of the body. This condition can progress to complete loss of scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or total loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis).[1] Although the exact cause of AA is unknown, roughly 20% of affected people have a family member with alopecia, suggesting that genetic factors may contribute to the development of the condition.[2] There is no cure or approved therapy for AA; however, some people find that medications approved for other purposes can help regrow hair.[1]
Last updated: 11/23/2014

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Alopecia totalis 0007418
Alopecia universalis 0002289
Autoimmunity
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disorder
[ more ] 		0002960
Multifactorial inheritance 0001426
Nail pits
Nail pitting
Pitted nails
[ more ] 		0001803
Patchy alopecia
Patchy baldness
0002232
Trachyonychia 0030804
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Last updated: 7/1/2020
There are several estimates in the literature of the prevalence of alopecia areata. However, it appears that estimates slightly differ depending on the source. For example, according to older sources used by Medscape Reference, the prevalence in the general population was estimated at 0.1-0.2%, (a range of 1 to 2 per thousand people).[3] According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) in 2004, alopecia areata affected approximately 2.5 million individuals in the United States (close to 1% of the population at that time).[4] Authors of an article published in 2017 estimated that about 2% of people (1 in 50) develop alopecia areata at some point in their lifetime.[5]
Last updated: 10/3/2017

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • The Centers for Mendelian Genomics program is working to discover the causes of rare genetic disorders. For more information about applying to the research study, please visit their website.
  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Alopecia areata. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • The Autoimmune Registry supports research for Alopecia areata by collecting information about patients with this and other autoimmune diseases. You can join the registry to share your information with researchers and receive updates about participating in new research studies. Learn more about registries.
  • A registry supports research by collecting of information about patients that share something in common, such as being diagnosed with Alopecia areata. The type of data collected can vary from registry to registry and is based on the goals and purpose of that registry. Some registries collect contact information while others collect more detailed medical information. Learn more about registries.

    Registries for Alopecia areata:
    Alopecia Areata Registry
     

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • DermNet NZ is an online resource about skin diseases developed by the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated. DermNet NZ provides information about this condition.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Alopecia areata. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Resources for Kids

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Alopecia Areata: Questions and Answers About Alopecia Areata. National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders (NIAMS). April 2015; http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Alopecia_Areata/.
  2. Alopecia areata. MedlinePlus. 11/20/2012; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001450.htm.
  3. Bolduc C. Alopecia Areata. Medscape Reference. May 8, 2017; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1069931-overview.
  4. Alopecia Areata. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). 2004; https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/alopecia-areata/#affected-populations.
  5. Renert-Yuval Y, Guttman-Yassky E. The Changing Landscape of Alopecia Areata: The Therapeutic Paradigm. Adv Ther. 2017; 34(7):1594-1609. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5504208/.