TLDR People with alopecia areata may have a higher risk of hearing loss.
This nationwide cohort study in Taiwan found that patients with alopecia areata (AA) had a significantly higher risk of developing hearing loss (HL), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 4.18 compared to 50,020 matched controls. The study included 5,002 patients with AA and suggested that the autoimmune process targeting melanocytes in both hair follicles and the cochlea might contribute to this increased risk. Despite limitations such as potential underestimation of AA incidence and lack of genetic and environmental data, the findings highlighted the need for further research to confirm the association and explore the underlying mechanisms.
191 citations
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May 2018 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” Alopecia areata is likely an autoimmune disease with unclear triggers, involving various immune cells and molecules, and currently has no cure.
11 citations
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September 2013 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” People with alopecia areata may be more likely to have a certain type of hearing loss.
148 citations
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December 2018 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
4 citations
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November 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
110 citations
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December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
