Alopecia Areata ('baldness in spots') is a form of hair loss, usually from the scalp, although it can affect other areas of the body. The hair loss mostly remains limited to the scalp but in certain cases, it can extend to eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair (beard, mustache), nasal hair and give rise to bald spots anywhere in the body.

Alopecia Areata is considered to be an auto-immune condition in which the immune system of the body (which protects the body from bacteria and viruses) mistakenly attacks the hair follicles and destroys them. This leads to hair loss in the affected area.

Types of Alopecia Areata:

• Alopecia Areata monolocularis: In this condition, there is a single bald spot on the scalp.
• Alopecia Areata multilocularis: In this condition, there are multiple bald spots on the scalp.
• Alopecia Areata totalis: In this condition, the patient loses all the hair on the scalp.
• Alopecia Areata universalis: In this condition, all body hair, including pubic hair, is lost.
• Alopecia Areata barbae: In this condition, the disease is limited only to the beard region.
• Ophiasis: Bandlike pattern of hair loss over periphery of scalp

Traction alopecia:In this condition, alopecia develops along the frontal margins and temporal margins of the scalp due to constant tension on the hair from being tied very tightly.

Cicatricial alopecia:also known as Scarring alopecia, is the loss of hair which is accompanied with scarring, where diverse group of rare disorders are seen which destroy hair follicle and replace that with scar tissue. Symptoms such as itching, pain, tenderness can be experienced by the patient.

Homoeopathy for Alopecia: Homoeopathy addresses the defective immune response, family history or genetic predisposition, nature and intensity of the disease as well as systemic, emotional and numerous other factors commonly affecting this condition. It does not consider Alopecia as an external disorder. On reasoning you will appreciate that this condition is an outward manifestation of internal disarray. Treating it locally will usually prove futile and temporary.