A 25-year-old African-American medical student comes to see you in the office. His girlfriend noticed an area of circular hair loss over the back of his head. He is concerned that he is losing his hair and will be bald soon. He is otherwise in good health and denies any history of smoking, alcohol, or illicit drug use. He has had a monogamous relationship with his girlfriend for the past three years. On examination, there is a 1 cm area of complete, smooth and circular hair loss with distinct margins. There is no scaling or inflammation present in or around the area of hair loss.
Which of the following statements is true regarding the above condition?

Question

A 25-year-old African-American medical student comes to see you in the office.  His girlfriend noticed an area of circular hair loss over the back of his head.  He is concerned that he is losing his hair and will be bald soon.  He is otherwise in good health and denies any history of smoking, alcohol, or illicit drug use.  He has had a monogamous relationship with his girlfriend for the past three years.  On examination, there is a 1 cm area of complete, smooth and circular hair loss with distinct margins.  There is no scaling or inflammation present in or around the area of hair loss.
Which of the following statements is true regarding the above condition?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Explanation: The exact etiology of alopecia areata is unknown. An autoimmune process is thought to play at least a partial role in its pathogenesis. This is supported by the finding of T-cell infiltration around the hair follicles and the association of other autoimmune conditions (i.e., pernicious anemia, vitiligo, and thyroid diseases) with alopecia areata. The disease can recur in up to one-third of these patients. Some factors associated with the higher chance of relapse include a longer duration of the disease, a more extensive disease, involvement of peripheral areas, and onset prior to puberty. (Choice A)Alopecia areata is not a contagious disease. It does not get transmitted by direct person-to-person contact. (Choice B)The incidence of lymphoma is not higher in these patients. (Choice C)Drug treatment can promote hair growth, but does not cure the disease. Patients can still have recurrence of the disease after successful treatment. Educational Objective: Alopecia areata can commonly recur in patients even after successful treatment and normal hair growth.

A 25-Year-Old African-American Medical Student Comes to See You in the Office