Who gets Alopecia?
Alopecia areata affects an estimated four million Americans of both sexes and of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. It often begins in childhood. If you have a close family member with the disease, your risk of developing it is slightly increased. If your family member lost his or her first patch of hair before age 30, the risk to other family members is greater. Overall, one in five people with the disease have a family member who has it as well. What Causes Alopecia? In alopecia areata, immune system cells called white blood cells attack the rapidly growing cells in the hair follicles that make the hair. The affected hair follicles become small and drastically slow down hair production. Fortunately, the follicle always has the potential to regrow hair. Scientists do not know exactly why the hair follicles undergo these changes, but they suspect that In addition to treatments to help hair grow, there are measures that can be taken to minimize the physical dangers or discomforts of lost
