Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder in which T-lymphocytes attack hair follicles, causing non-scarring hair loss in well-defined patches. It affects approximately 2% of the population and can progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis). The condition involves loss of immune privilege at the hair follicle bulb, leading to inflammatory infiltration that disrupts the growth cycle. While primarily treated with immunomodulatory therapies and JAK inhibitors, some evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency and zinc deficiency are more prevalent in alopecia areata patients.