Alopecia areata (AA), the second most common form of hair loss in humans, is characterized by waxing and waning focal hair loss. Alopecic foci can expand to encompass the entire head (alopecia totalis) or body (alopecia universalis, AU). This cell mediated autoimmune disease is characterized histologically by the “swarm of bees”, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, NK cells, and fewer numbers of other types...

Background: Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is a common side effect of cancer treatment with profound psychosocial repercussions. Several young (before day 14) and adult (after 3 weeks) murine models for CIA have been developed, yet no study thus far has compared these models. Young models are naturally synchronized in anagen while adult models require synchronization into anagen. Here, we ...

OBJECTIVES To assess the significance of thyroid autoimmune screening in alopecia areata (AA) patients in Saudi population, and to determine whether there is a difference in thyroid autoimmune susceptibility between mild and severe AA. METHODS In a prospective case-control study, we included 50 alopecia totalis (AT) and alopecia universalis (AU) patients, 50 age- and gender-matched patients w...

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that has underlying immuno-inflammatory pathogenesis and characterized by nonscarring hair loss ranging from small patches to complete scalp (alopecia totalis [AT]), face, body universalis [AU]). Studies describing the epidemiology of AA, especially measuring occurrence AA within general population, are scarce. This was a historical population-based...

OBJECTIVE To correlate the histopathological features of alopecia areata with clinical stage by means of transverse sectioned scalp biopsy specimens, in terms of extent and duration of disease. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Kharian Cantonment, Pakistan, from January 2002 to December 2004. PATIENTS AND METHO...

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common hair disorder observed in dermatological practice; however, the exact mechanisms that lead to the hair loss are still unknown. Disturbances in the blood supply of hair follicles may be one of the elements in the complex pathogenesis of AA. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is a noninvasive technique that allows analysis of skin microcirculation in vivo. The aim of th...

Background: Localized and extensive clinical subtypes of alopecia areata (AA) including alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis differ in genetic and immunologic aspects. Objective: Comparison of epidemiologic aspects of localized and extensive subtypes of AA. Patients and Methods: In a prospective descriptive study, 180 patients suffering from AA attending the skin clinics of Razi Hosp...