All about Alopecia Totalis

Alopecia Totalis is an auto-immune disorder which results in the total loss of all head hair, including the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes and other facial hair. It is somewhat of an intermediary condition between Alopecia Areata which is patchy scalp hair loss, and Alopecia Universalis which extends to total body hair loss.

Alopecia Totalis usually appears in two types: One being a fairly sudden and complete loss of all head hair. The other being a slower form which originates as Alopecia Areata (patchy loss) and advances to complete head hair loss. In this sense it is sometimes tied to Alopecia Areata (patchy loss), but not all the time.

Most sufferers are children and young adults under the age of 40, though it can affect people of all ages. It can also affect the the nails, giving them a ridged, pitted or brittle appearance.

According to statistics, 2% of men and 1% of women in western society suffer from some form of Alopecia Areata. About 2% of those have Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis. This means that about 1 in every 125,000 men and 1 in every 250,000 women have Alopecia Totalis or Universalis.

What causes Alopecia Totalis?

This condition comes about as a result of an autoimmune disorder which causes your immune system to attack your hair follicles. In most cases there is small chance of hair recovery, however there have been cases of complete restoration as well. Consider it a genetic auto immune condition that has an unknown trigger, and which can sometimes be “un-triggered” for unknown reasons. They are still researching why hair follicles are the target of the autoimmune activities.

Can Alopecia Totalis be treated?

Yes. For more information, please see our Alopecia Treatment page, our case studies and our gallery.