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Review
. 2018 Mar-Apr;10(2):51-60.
doi: 10.4103/ijt.ijt_99_17.

Alopecia Areata: Review of Epidemiology, Clinical Features, Pathogenesis, and New Treatment Options

Evan Darwin  1 , Penelope A Hirt  1 , Raymond Fertig  1 , Brett Doliner  1 , Gina Delcanto  2 , Joaquin J Jimenez  1
Affiliations
Review

Alopecia Areata: Review of Epidemiology, Clinical Features, Pathogenesis, and New Treatment Options

Evan Darwin et al. Int J Trichology. 2018 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is a complex autoimmune condition that causes nonscarring hair loss. It typically presents with sharply demarcated round patches of hair loss and may present at any age. In this article, we review the epidemiology, clinical features, pathogenesis, and new treatment options of AA, with a focus on the immunologic mechanism underlying the treatment. While traditional treatment options such as corticosteroids are moderately effective, a better understanding of the disease pathogenesis may lead to the development of new treatments that are more directed and effective against AA. Sources were gathered from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane database using the keywords: alopecia, alopecia areata, hair loss, trichoscopy, treatments, pathogenesis, and epidemiology.

Keywords: Alopecia; alopecia areata; alopecia totalis; alopecia universalis; hair loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patchy alopecia areata
Figure 2
Figure 2
Exclamation point hairs are thicker at the apex of the hair shaft and progressively thin toward the base of the hair shaft
Figure 3
Figure 3
Alopecia totalis
Figure 4
Figure 4
Alopecia in an ophiasis pattern
Figure 5
Figure 5
“Swarm of bees” pattern of lymphocytes surrounding the hair follicle
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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