Alopecia Awareness Pin

Though the symptoms of alopecia areata typically do not cause physical pain, many people with the condition say that it causes emotional, or psychological, pain. This type of pain is as serious (and can feel the same) as physical pain and can lead to feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety.

Depression, sadness, and anxiety, as well as other psychological conditions, are common in people with chronic diseases. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with chronic medical conditions, such as alopecia areata, are at higher risk of developing depression than people who don’t experience serious health issues. Researchers have found connections between how we feel and how our immune system functions. In short, while emotional pain doesn’t cause alopecia; it is clear there are links to how our bodies respond.

Alopecia is a chronic dermatological disorder in which people lose some or all of the hair on their head and sometimes on their body as well.
Around 6.8 million Americans, and approximately 147 million people worldwide, suffer from this autoimmune disorder. This means that the body attacks the hair follicles, resulting in more hair fall than usual. The onset is often sudden, with clumps of hair being shed and circular bald spots forming. And it’s not just your head that can be affected, but eyebrows, eyelashes, and other bodily hair as well. (NAAG.org)