Will my hair grow back?

Nobody knows for certain what course alopecia areata will take or how severe it might become - because it is unpredictable.

If you have lost a few 50p-sized patches you have a good chance of the hair here completely regrowing and no further patchy loss. 

Lots of people with the condition experience a pattern of hair falling out and re-growing over a period of time. The growing cells in the hair follicles (where the roots of the hair start) remain active and healthy so the hair can re-grow normally at any time, even after long periods of not doing so!

Re-growth hair can be any texture or colour, from downy white to thick and dark, or just like it was before it fell out.

A very small number of people experience all their hair falling out. Even then, it is possible to have complete re-growth.

Date: 21 June 2007