Alopecia in general medicine

Clin Med (Lond). 2016 Feb;16(1):74-8. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.16-1-74.

Abstract

Appreciation of different types of hair loss (alopecia) that may be encountered in hospital medicine is important to ensure accurate diagnosis and management, identify underlying medical conditions or treatments that may present with increased hair loss, recognise autoimmune alopecias and their associations, and understand the significant psychological impact of hair loss on an individual. This article discusses common causes of hair loss, as well as those conditions that may be associated with systemic disease, relevant to a general physician.

Keywords: Alopecia; JAK inhibitors; autoimmune; chemotherapy; hair loss.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alopecia* / etiology
  • Alopecia* / pathology
  • Alopecia* / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Scalp / pathology