What are the initiating factors for alopecia areata?
We do not know what activates and promotes the onset of alopecia areata hair loss. There are several suggested factors that may influence the course of alopecia areata. • 1) Psychologic long term chronic stress • 2) Shock and sudden extreme stress • 3) Physical trauma • 4) Local skin injury • 5) Genetic predisposition • 6) Viral/bacterial infection • 7) Pregnancy/hormones • 8) Allergies • 9) Chemicals • 10) Seasonal changes 1) Psychologic long term chronic stress. A wealth of case-lore suggests that stress is an important precipitating factor in alopecia areata. Various reports tentatively support the stress hypothesis but so far it has only been shown by statistical correlation (Muller 1963, De Weert 1984, Perini 1984, De Waard Van der Spek 1989) – no direct physical link has been demonstrated. Indeed, some investigators refute stress being significant in alopecia areata (MacAlpine 1958). One of the problems with defining the significance of some journal reports on stress and alopecia
