Hair Loss Symptoms
Symptom Checker: Symptoms & Signs Index
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
There are many types of
alopecia (baldness or hair loss), each with a
different cause. Alopecia may be localized to the front and top of
the head as in common male pattern baldness. It may be patchy as in a
condition called alopecia areata. Or it can involve the entire head
as in alopecia capitis totalis. The word "alopecia" comes from the
Greek "alopex" for "fox." Foxes are less furry when afflicted with a
skin disease (the "mange") which causes them to lose their hair.
When a fancier word for "baldness" was sought, the mangy fox supplied
it -- "alopecia" or, if you wish, "fox-mange" -- not a very positive
image to associate with baldness!
REFERENCE:
Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.
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