A male perspective on alopecia areata: are we doing enough?

Abstract

There is a misconception that alopecia areata (AA) does not affect males to the same extent as females. A recent Alopecia UK study exploring men’s perspective on alopecia stated that men requested that the psychological impact of AA on men needs to be better recognized. Their results demonstrate that men can feel ‘isolated and self-conscious about their appearance within a society in which there exists minimal understanding of male AA’. A review from the Australia Alopecia Areata Foundation raised the concern of suicide risk in young men and boys with AA. We share a 48-year-old man's experience of AA and the risks associated with his Janus kinase inhibitor therapy.