Understanding alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is one of the more common autoimmune skin diseases that you probably haven’t heard of. It’s a disorder affecting almost half a million Australians, where patches of hair from anywhere on your body can suddenly be lost. Alopecia can start at any age, however it usually starts in childhood, and currently there is no cure for it.
Carlo Napolitano is the former head coach of the Italian Rugby League and he lives with alopecia. He wasn’t diagnosed with alopecia areata until later on in life, but he began losing his hair at around the age of four or five. He said that getting stares from the public is an all too common experience held by people who suffer from alopecia, but it’s something he has gotten used to over time.
You can find more information about alopecia areata over at the Australia Alopecia Areata Foundation website.
