What Does Alopecia Hide? Alopecia Universalis as an Initial Symptom in an HIV-Positive Patient

January 2022 in “ Galicia Clínica ”

Marta Nobre Pereira, Ana Pimenta de Castro

alopecia universalis alopecia areata autoimmune disease hair cycle HIV highly active antiretroviral therapy dermatologic disorders AA HAART

TLDR Alopecia universalis can be an early sign of HIV.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the life expectancy of HIV-positive patients, leading to a shift in the spectrum of associated comorbidities, including dermatologic disorders. Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that disrupts the hair cycle, and alopecia universalis is a rare variant of AA. There are very few reported cases of alopecia universalis in HIV-positive patients, and none have been documented in Portugal.

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Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

research Stem Cell Apoptosis in HIV-1 Alopecia

15 citations , August 2006 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology”

HIV-1 may cause increased stem cell death in hair follicles, leading to hair loss.

research Clinical and Histopathologic Features of Hair Loss in Patients with HIV-1 Infection

46 citations , January 1996 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

People with late-stage HIV-1 often experience a specific type of hair loss linked to multiple factors, including nutritional issues and immune responses.