Genetic Finding in Alopecia Areata Have implications for multiple Autoimmune Diseases is an article study where scientists that are supported by the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have identified the genetic variations of alopecia areata. The study compared 3,278 people who did not have alopecia areata material genetics to 1054 who did have the disease looking for genomic regions where people that had the disease differed from controls. The NIAMS- sponsored National Alopecia Areata Registry, a network of five centers that registered, identified and collected information and blood samples of the genetic material from alopecia areata patients (Petukhova,…show more content… The comparison of the people turned up that about 150 were represented differently in the people that had alopecia areata. All of the variations were clustered into eight different regions; five were involved in the immune system, two involving the hair follicle and one involved in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region associated with autoimmune diseases. The researchers suspected that certain diseases would be related to alopecia areata (Petukhova, Duvic and
Hordinsky). They were surprised that alopecia areata shared very few similarities genetically with psoriasis and vitiligo which are both autoimmune diseases of the skin. Additionally it was determined by researchers that alopecia shared certain similarities to with three autoimmune diseases that were seemingly different. These three diseases were also unrelated and had totally different target. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs genetically in predisposed people where the small intestines are damaged by the ingestion of gluten. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where a person’s pancreas produces very little to no insulin and the body’s immune system destroys its own…show more content… It also identified potential targets for alopecia areata therapy.
Alopecia areata can be sudden and develop as early as a few days. The effects of alopecia areata can be physically, emotionally or mental. Each of the effects can be dealt with in different ways.
Physically, the most obvious symptom of alopecia areata is the patchy hair loss. This hair loss can occur in the size of quarter size circles. The area of the skin where the hair loss has occurred may be irritated. When the hair loss occur the area that is affected is chronically inflamed. The hair can be regrown if the inflammations of the hair follicles subside. Although there is a strong chance that a woman’s hair will grow back, it is a great chance that her hair will fall out again. Doctors have not been able to predict when the hair will grow back or even when it will fall out again but studies have shown that the chances are highly likely. There are some people that have the condition that lose just a few patches of hair, their hair grows right back and the condition never recurs. On the other hand, there