Alopecia Areata: Understanding and Coping With Hair Loss

by Thompson, Wendy J. A.

• ISBN13: 9780801864728
• ISBN10: 0801864720
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-03-01
• Publisher: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV PRESS

Summary

Alopecia areata is an unpredictable disorder that affects more than two and a half million men, women, and children in the United States and Canada. Causing patchy hair loss on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body, this mysterious, noncontagious condition can be treated but it cannot yet be cured. Alopecia Areata: Understanding and Coping with Hair Loss is a sensitive yet straightforward guide to the diagnosis and treatment of this poorly understood disease. With great compassion, the authors explain how hair loss can profoundly affect a person's quality of life. They discuss what it means to be diagnosed with alopecia areata, and provide medically reliable information on the latest research, diagnosis, and treatment options. Thompson and Shapiro also offer practical strategies for living with alopecia areata, which can go in and out of remission without any apparent reason. They discuss the physical and psychological adjustments to wearing a hairpiece and give pointers on selecting, securing, and maintaining a wig, whether human hair or synthetic, custom or ready-made. Alopecia Areata includes a chapter devoted to the special needs of children with this condition and concludes with an epilogue that tells the story of a day in the life of a woman with alopecia areata, illustrating the various challenges she faces and the strategies she uses to cope with these challenges. "The book is an excellent source of information about the disease and the roller coaster emotional ride that usually accompanies it... A pleasure to read because of its intimate style and humor. It will go a long way in helping those with alopecia areata." -- Vera H. Price, M.D., professor of dermatology, University of California, San Francisco

Author Biography

Wendy Thompson, M.A., is an educational gerontologist and professional writer who has had alopecia areata since she was a child. Jerry Shapiro, M.D., is director of the Adult Hair Clinic at the Vancouver General Hospital at the University of British Columbia, and Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Dermatology, University of British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Vera H. Price
Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xvii
Understanding Alopecia Areata	1	(15)
Coping with Hair Loss	16	(28)
Diagnosis, Treatment, and the Latest Research	44	(40)
Hairpieces and Headcovers	84	(36)
Special Considerations for Children	120	(22)
Epilogue: A Day in the Life of a Person with Alopecia Areata	142	(9)
Appendix: Sample Letters to an Insurance Company	151	(4)
Resources	155	(4)
References	159	(18)
Index	177