Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic autoimmune disease which destroys the growth of hair follicles in the body (Hunt & McHale, 2005a). Individuals who develop the disease are generally in good health. However, some may have been diagnosed with other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease. It is believed by some scientists that the disease could be predisposed and elements such as a virus or environmental conditions may have caused the condition to form (Gilhar & Kalish, 2006). The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (2011) reported individuals with alopecia areata usually develop circular patches in the scalp at the start of hair loss and eventually may lose hair entirely over the scalp and body. Some individuals may recover or re-grow their hair and others may not recover hair on the scalp or body. The autoimmune disease may destroy hair follicles in patches or could affect the total growth of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) and body (alopecia universalis) of men, women, and children of all ages (Colon, Popkin, Callies, Dessert, & Hordinsky, 1991; Tucker, 2009). .
Kalabokes (2001) postulates alopecia areata does not discriminate and any age group, ethnicity, or gender could unfortunately acquire the disease. Alopecia areata affects approximately two percent of the global population, which includes more than 4.7 million people in the United States alone (Colon, et al., 1991). Price (1991) reported the onset of alopecia areata generally occurs before the age of 20, which a higher percentage of those diagnosed are female. Hunt and McHale (2005a) report men with alopecia may have different experiences with the loss of their hair as compared to women. Men's experiences may differ due to societal acceptance of male baldness, causing many men to adapt to the hair loss differently than that of women. Many women, however, have discussed adapting to society has been traumatic experience because there is a drastic change in their personal appearance (Hunt & McHale, 2005).
