AA can cause a considerable burden that extends beyond hair
loss1-4
The physical and social impact of AA
Physical Impact of AA Beyond Hair Loss
- Complications related to hair loss on the scalp include sunburn and sensitivity to temperature2
- Patients who experience loss of eyebrows, eyelashes, or nose hair may experience eye and nasal irritation1,5,6
- AA may also be accompanied by nail changes or abnormalities, including nail pitting, splitting, and pain1,2,7
- Patients with AA have been shown to have comorbidities with other autoimmune disorders and atopic diseases4,8
Social Impact of AA
- For some patients, experience of AA hair loss has been linked to a sense of changing self-identity1,2,9
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In a US survey of 216 adult patients with AA2:
- 62% of patients reported withdrawing from activities
- 54% reported reducing interactions with friends because of their AA
- Of the employed patients (n=132), 45% reported missing time from work because of AA
- Some patients with AA have reported the loss of defining facial features, including eyebrows and eyelashes, as socially bothersome5,9
References: 1. Aldhouse NVJ, Kitchen H, Knight S, et al. J Patient Rep Outcomes. 2020;4(1):76. 2. Mesinkovska N, King B, Mirmirani P, Ko J, Cassella J. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2020;20(1):S62-S68. 3. Villasante Fricke AC, Miteva M. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015;8:397-403. 4. Huang KP, Mullangi S, Guo Y, Qureshi AA. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;149(7):789-794. 5. Wyrwich KW, Kitchen H, Knight S, et al. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2020;20(1):S71-S77. 6. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Voice of the Patient: Alopecia Areata; 2018. 7. Pratt CH, King LE Jr, Messenger AG, Christiano AM, Sundberg JP. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17011. 8. Kridin K, Renert-Yuval Y, Guttman-Yassky E, Cohen AD. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020;8(4):1323-1328.e1. 9. Hunt McHale S. J Loss Trauma. 2004;10:33-50.
