Alopecia Areata: A Review

    June 2013 in “ Journal of the Saudi Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery ”
    Syed Suhail Amin, Sandeep Sachdeva
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    TLDR Alopecia areata is an autoimmune hair loss condition treated with corticosteroids, and histologic confirmation is the best diagnosis method.
    This document is a review of alopecia areata, a non-scarring autoimmune hair loss condition that affects the scalp and/or body. The cause of the condition is unknown, but it is associated with autoimmunity and other autoimmune disorders. Corticosteroids are the most popular drugs for the treatment of this disease. The article outlines the etiologic and pathogenic mechanisms, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of alopecia areata. The document also discusses various diagnostic tests, including the pull test, pluck test, scalp biopsy, daily hair counts, and trichoscopy. The severity of the disease is assessed using a clinical scale and the Severity of Alopecia Tool score. The document concludes that histologic confirmation is the best method to confirm the presence of a fibrosing/scarring process with loss of hair follicles.
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