Spotty or Patchy Hair Loss

If you notice patches of hair missing from your head, it may be a sign of ALOPECIA  AREATA. This is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's white blood cells attack the hair follicles, causing them to stop growing hair. But it is not just scalp hair that can be affected.

Some people lose hair all over their bodies, a condition medically known as Alopecia Universalis. Some mild forms of the different types of alopecia are amenable to treatment. And sometimes the hair even regrows without any outside help. The bad news is that people with alopecia often have or may develop other autoimmune diseases, especially thyroid disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Patches of missing hair can also signal Trichotillomania, in which people compulsively pull out their hair or even their eyelashes. This behavioral condition, which is found in 3 to 5% of the U.S. population, is more likely to affect children than adults, but it can occur at any age. It is occasionally mistaken for alopecia areata, but the distinguishing sign of trichotillomania is broken hairs, often of differing lengths. Some hairs also remain in the bald spots. People with this condition often display signs of psychologiccal problems, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder that usually starts in childhood and has the hallmark signs of motor and vocal tics. Trichotillomania occasionally runs in families. Indeed, researchers recently found two mutated genes that may be responsible in some cases

If you have spotty hair loss, your body may also be sending you a strong message that you are overtreating, overbrushing, or overdyeing your hair. Loss of hair because of this is medically known as Traumatic Alopecia. This is a good example of why you should not listen to old wives' tale about brushing your hair 100 strokes a day. Although your hair may shine more, it may also fall out! Sporting tight ponytail, corn-rows, or braids can cause hair breakage and loss as well.

Spotty hair loss may signal a condition called Cicatricial or Scarring Alopecia, in which the follicles are destroyed and replaced by scar tissue. Unfortunately, hair won't grow back with this type of hair loss. Scarring Alopecia can be the result of a burn, a physical injury, or anything that can cause a scar elsewhere on the body. It can also be a sign of bacterial and fungal infections, including the dreaded Ringworm, and various other skin diseases, such as Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, an autoimmune disorder primarily affecting young women. Unlike the more common (systemic) form of Lupus, which involves many parts of the body, discoid Lupus affects only the skin, resulting in scarring and hair loss.