if you’ve seen a lot of extra hair on your pillow, brush, or shower drain, or you’ve noticed odd little bald spots in the mirror, you might have an autoimmune disorder called alopecia areata.
when you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks your own body. with alopecia areata, it’s the hair follicles that are attacked. this causes the hair to come out, often in clumps the size and shape of a quarter. the amount of hair loss is different in everyone. some people lose it only in a few spots. others lose a lot. alopecia areata can’t be cured. but it can be treated and hair can grow back. if you have it, there are several things to try: corticosteroids. these are anti-inflammatory drugs that are prescribed for autoimmune diseases. they can be given as an injection into the scalp or other areas. they can also be given in pill form or rubbed on the skin as an ointment, cream, or foam. the downside is that it may take a long time to work.
topical immunotherapy. this is used when there’s a lot of hair loss, or if it happens more than once. chemicals are applied to the scalp to produce an allergic reaction. if it works, this reaction is actually what makes the hair grow back. it also causes an itchy rash, and usually has to be repeated several times to keep the new hair growth.