Alopecia Areata
Pronunciation: al-oh-PEE-shuh air-ee-AH-tuh
An autoimmune condition causing non-scarring, patchy hair loss from the scalp or other hair-bearing areas.
Full Definition
Alopecia areata (AA) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disorder targeting hair follicles, resulting in well-demarcated patches of non-scarring hair loss. It may progress to alopecia totalis (complete scalp hair loss) or alopecia universalis (complete body hair loss). Editors must note that 'areata' is not capitalised and the condition name is not hyphenated. The abbreviation 'AA' must be expanded on first use and distinguished from other 'AA' abbreviations in multispecialty documents. Nail changes (pitting, trachyonychia) may coexist and should be accurately described.
Usage
Usage note: Do not capitalise 'areata' except at the start of a sentence. Distinguish clearly from androgenetic alopecia (hormonal/genetic) and scarring alopecias (cicatricial). Expand abbreviation 'AA' on first use.
In Context
- "Three new patches of alopecia areata had developed since the patient's last appointment eight weeks earlier." — Dermatology follow-up letter
- "The document used 'Alopecia Areata' with both words capitalised mid-sentence; the editor lowercased 'areata' per standard style." — Copy-editing correction