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Alopecia universalis
Alopecia universalis, also known as alopecia areata universalis, is a medical condition involving the loss of all body hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes, chest hair, armpit hair, and pubic hair
Prevalence
1-5 / 1,000,000
Age of Onset
ICD-10
L63.1
Inheritance
This condition does not appear to have a clear pattern of inheritance.
Rare View
Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder of non-scarring hair loss mediated by T-lymphocytes against the hair follicular unit. Alopecia totalis (AT) is a condition characterized by the complete loss of hair on the scalp. It is an advanced form of alopecia areata a condition that causes round patches of hair loss.
5 Facts you should know
FACT
It is the most severe form of alopecia areata
FACT
A large proportion of patients will obtain at least transient recovery periods of partial or total hair regrowth
FACT
It is characterized by the involvement of multiple inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and multiple interferons
FACT
AU has been observed to cause a significant impact on patients’ confidence, self-esteem, and socialization
FACT
People with AU are usually healthy - and have no other symptoms and a normal life expectancy
Interest over time
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Common signs & symptoms
Absent eyebrow
Absent eyelashes
Patchy alopecia
Alopecia totalis
Autoimmunity
Multifactorial inheritance
Nail pits
Trachyonychia
Current treatments
No therapy has been found to work for everyone who has alopecia universalis (AU) which makes managing AU challenging. Although multiple treatments have been explored, no therapy is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some promising therapies include: