This is an updated guideline prepared for the British Association of Dermatologists’ (BAD) Clinical Standards Unit, made up of the Therapy & Guidelines (T&G) subcommittee. Members of the Clinical Standards Unit are: J. Hughes (Chairman T&G), J. McLelland, S. Punjabi, D.A. Buckley, I. Nasr, V.J. Swale, C.E. Duarte Williamson, P.M. McHenry, S. Wagle (British National Formulary), S. Amin (British ...

There is neither a cure for alopecia areata (AA) nor any universally proven therapy that induces and sustains remission in patients afflicted with this autoimmune disease. AA is characterized as a nonscarring alopecia which affects children and adults. It can be relatively easy to treat when the disease is patchy and limited; but when children and adults present with long standing extensive sca...

OBJECTIVE Whether or not psychological factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) is a controversial issue. AA has had a tendency to be associated with high avoidance in attachment relationships, high alexithymic characteristics, and poor social support. Some studies have suggested that personality characteristics might modulate individual susceptibility to AA. T...

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of non-scarring hair loss of scalp and/or body. Genetic predisposition, autoimmunity, and environmental factors play a major role in the etiopathogenesis of AA. Patchy AA is the most common form. Atopy and autoimmune thyroiditis are most common associated conditions. Peribulbar and intrabulbar lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate resembling "swarm of bees" i...