What is alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.
This condition disrupts the normal hair growth cycle and can lead to sudden bald spots on the scalp or body. It affects both men and women and often emerges without warning.
Red light therapy may help reduce inflammation associated with alopecia areata and support the regeneration of affected follicles. While not a cure, light-based treatments have shown promise in improving hair density in some cases.
Related terms
Autoimmune Response
Clinical Applications
An autoimmune response is a malfunction of the immune system in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues, including hair follicles.
Cicatricial Alopecia
Clinical Applications
Cicatricial alopecia refers to a group of rare hair loss disorders that cause permanent destruction of hair follicles through inflammation and subsequent scarring.
Hair Density
Clinical Applications
Hair density refers to the number of individual hair strands per square centimeter of scalp.
Finasteride
Clinical Applications
Finasteride is an oral prescription medication that blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
