Healing after food poisoning
What is tempeh? Benefits, nutrition, and how to use it
Light exposure at night may raise risk for heart disease
Whole grains may improve several heart risk factors at once
A lumbar belt may help ease low back pain
Children of centenarians may stay healthier and live longer too, study finds
Signs of pneumonia: Sometimes vague and unexpected
The surprising link between ovarian cancer and the fallopian tubes
Using a vibration plate: What it can — and can't — do for your body
People who walk more or walk faster live longer, study finds
Alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is a disease in which hair suddenly falls out, leaving round bald patches. In about half of people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back, but may fall out again. In some people, it never grows back.
What causes alopecia areata is still unknown. Scientists suspect it is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. The painless hair loss mainly affects the scalp, but eyebrows and eyelashes may fall out as well.
Several treatments exist, but with limited effectiveness. These treatments include
- applying a cream containing a corticosteroid drug or minoxidil (Rogaine)
- injecting a corticosteroid drug directly into bald patches
- exposing the bald areas to ultraviolet light
- taking antiviral drugs.
Each treatment has been effective for some people, but none is universally successful. In addition, each has its own side effects or drawbacks.
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No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Healing after food poisoning
What is tempeh? Benefits, nutrition, and how to use it
Light exposure at night may raise risk for heart disease
Whole grains may improve several heart risk factors at once
A lumbar belt may help ease low back pain
Children of centenarians may stay healthier and live longer too, study finds
Signs of pneumonia: Sometimes vague and unexpected
The surprising link between ovarian cancer and the fallopian tubes
Using a vibration plate: What it can — and can't — do for your body
People who walk more or walk faster live longer, study finds
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