Alopecia
| Alopecia | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Alopecia as male pattern baldness at age 40 | |
| ICD-10 | L65.9 |
| ICD-9 | 704.09 |
| DiseasesDB | 14765 |
| MedlinePlus | 003246 |
| MeSH | D000505 |
|
Alopecia Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Alopecia On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Alopecia |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Synonyms and keywords: Atrichia; hair loss
Overview
Alopecia is the resulting condition from the loss of hair, which is termed effluvium. It should be distinguished from baldness, which is the lack of hair, including contexts where that absence is intentional. (In some cases the terms are used interchangeably, and in some conditions such as trichotillomania, where the loss of the hair is due to intentional acts, but the motive for that act is defined as a medical condition, it can be difficult to determine whether the label "alopecia" is appropriate.)
Alopecia is characterized by scarring or non-scarring. Scarring alopecia is caused by numerous dermatologic factors, including glabrous skin (non-hairy), and is very difficult to diagnose and manage. Non-scarring alopecia is characterized by the absence of visible inflammation of the skin involved.
Vocabulary
Risk Factors
Pathophysiology & Etiology
Diagnosis
Complete Differential Diagnosis for Alopecia
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Appearance of the Patient
Laboratory Findings
Treatment
- Goal of treatment is to avoid future hair loss.
- Scarring hair loss prevents hair from going back.
- Wigs and hair transplants
- Anagen effluvium
- Telogen effluvium
- Stress the recovery is normal
- Treat underlying cause of alopecia
Acknowledgements
The content on this page was first contributed by: Steven Wiviott, M.D.
References
Alopecia Types - More information about alopecia and the various different types