What is Alopecia?
Alopecia sounds like this - "al-o-pee-sha"
Everyone loses a little hair every day. But when you have alopecia, more hair than usual falls out and
the hair becomes thin.
Patches sometimes appear where the hair has fallen out. Some children lose more hair than others.
Boys and girls of all ages and races can get alopecia.
No one knows why this happens yet.
The good news is that alopecia just makes hair fall out - that's all.
It doesn't hurt or make you tired, like a cold or chicken pox. So there's no need to go to boring old bed!
You can carry on playing, going to parties and having fun.
Do I have alopecia?
Have you got spaces where you used to have hair?
Are your eyebrows or eyelashes patchy or thin?
If some hair on your face, body or head has fallen out, you may have alopecia.
The best thing to do is to make an appointment to see your doctor who can give you more information
Will Alopecia go away?
It's hard to know what will happen when someone has alopecia.
Your hair might grow back soon, in a long while or, it might not grow back at all.
In most cases the best thing to do is to wait and see.
Am I ill?
No! Having alopecia doesn't make you feel ill and you can carry on going to school, playing with your
friends and having fun!
Eyebrows and eyelashes
Alopecia can make your eyebrows and eyelashes become thinner and fall out. This doesn't happen to
everyone.
Doctors call this type of alopecia Alopecia Totalis. It sounds like this "al-o-pee-sha toe-tar-lis".
If you have no hair on your head or face, you have Alopecia Totalis.
Body Hair
Some people with alopecia lose the hair on their bodies, as well as the hair on their face and head.
Doctors call this type of alopecia Alopecia Universalis. It sounds like this "al-o-pee-sha yoo-ni-ver-sar-
lis".
Alopecia and nails
Some people with alopecia find that their nails look as if a pin has made fine dents in them.
