Hair Loss

Alopecia refers to hair loss in areas of skin that normally have hair. There are two forms of alopecia:

* Scarring—This is the loss of hair follicles, causing permanent hair loss. Cutaneous lupus erythematous and fungal kerions are the most prevalent forms of scarring alopecia.
* Nonscarring—In this case, the hair shaft is gone, but the follicles are still present. Because the hair follicles still exist, it often is reversible. It can, however, develop into the scarring type. Alopecia areata is a type of non-scarring alopecia. It is an autoimmune process and the cause is not known. Hair loss lasts approximately six months.