DEAR DR. GOTT: I don’t think I have ever seen my problem addressed in your articles before, so here goes. My granddaughter has alopecia. All her hair fell out when she was seven. She has no eyelashes or eyebrows either. What causes this and what can be done about it?
DEAR READER: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes a person’s body and or scalp hair to fall out. The extent of the condition varies from person to person. Some people lose clumps the size of a quarter and maintain the balance of their hair, while others can experience total loss. When alopecia occurs on the head, it is referred to as alopecia areata totalis. When the entire body is involved, the condition becomes alopecia areata universalis.
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