Except for their hair loss, many people with alopecia are healthy individuals. And, since the hair follicles are not dead, some people with alopecia can experience periods of hair growth. Ms. Martell’s hair grew during the Miss America competition. She now has what is sometimes called a buzz cut, a short crop of soft, fuzzy hair. Alopecia patients may grow and lose their hair several times during their life.
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SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Scientists are not exactly sure what causes alopecia areata. It is not clear why the body’s white blood cells begin to attack the cells in the hair follicles. There is no cure for the disease and no effective treatment that works for everyone.
In twenty ten, researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York reported findings that they hope will help lead to a cure. The researchers found eight genes they believe may be important in causing the condition. They said many of the genes are also linked to autoimmune diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, a condition that affects the digestive system.
There are already effective treatments available for many of these conditions. Other treatments are being developed. The researchers say these treatments could prove to be promising for alopecia patients.
JUNE SIMMS: Angela Christiano is a professor at Columbia University Medical Center. She also suffers from alopecia areata. She says the study gives hope that there may someday be a cure for the condition.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25