Alopecia Areata: How It Works, Explained Simply

Video Transcript

Alopecia areata is hair loss that happens when the immune system attacks the hair follicles. It typically appears as smooth, round or oval patches of hair loss that develop over a few weeks. The skin within a patch usually looks normal. It is not scarred, scaly or inflamed. Underneath, the follicles are not destroyed. The immune activity switches them off, but they survive. Because the follicles survive, hair can regrow, sometimes on its own. New growth often comes in fine or pale at first. The course is unpredictable. Hair may regrow and then be lost again, and the pattern varies widely from person to person. In some people it spreads to involve all of the scalp hair, or hair across the whole body. These forms are less common. Treatments aim to calm the immune attack so the follicles can switch back on. Because this is an immune condition rather than a shortage of follicles, a hair transplant is not a treatment for active alopecia areata. This video is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Ask your doctor what's right for you.