Alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, affects millions of
people in the United States. Both men and women can develop
symptoms of alopecia, which are characterized by an increased
shedding of hairs that results in thinning and then bald patches
either in specific regions of the scalp or across the entire
surface of the skin. In some cases, alopecia may also affect the
eyebrows, eyelashes and body hair as well, though often it is
confined to just the scalp. Doctors diagnose alopecia as
specific types based upon their underlying causes. Cicatricial
alopecia is an untreatable form that develops when an
inflammatory disease like lupus erythematosus causes permanent
scarring of the hair follicles, leading to irreversible hair
loss. During times of intense emotional stress or extreme
physical fatigue, a temporary form of alopecia, telogen
effluvium, may occur. An autoimmune disorder that results in the
body mistaking the hair follicles as foreign invaders is the
underlying cause of alopecia areata. In compariso