Alopecia Areata

One or more discrete patches of total baldness surrounded by normal hair
  • May involve eyebrows

No skin disease of scalp noted

May advance to Alopecia Totalis (total baldness)
  • Alopecia Universalis (loss of all body hair) very rare
Auto-Immune Disease
  • Alopecia Areata all by itself, or as a manifestation of SLE
Dx is clinical
  • Draw ANA and RPR
  • If RPR pos., distinguish between syphilis & biologic false-pos (see posting Syphilis)

Tx:  Refer to Derm to inject steroids