alopec- +
(Greek > Latin: fox; baldness; derived from "mange in foxes"; bald patches on the head)
Alopecia is one characteristic of mange. It affects both men and women of all ages.
Mange is defined as a contagious scabies-like dermatitis occurring in various animals, including cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, foxes, rabbits, rats, and gallinaceous birds (domestic fowls); caused by any of several of the mange mites.
A patch baldness that typically begins with rapid hair loss on certain areas of the scalp and sometimes it progresses to complete baldness and even loss of body hair.
Alopecia areata affects both males and females and, most often, children and young adults. It seems to be caused by the body's own immune system which attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation.
The hair can sometimes regrow within a year without treatment; however, the longer the period of hair loss, the less chance that it will regrow.
2. A practitioner who tries to prevent or cure baldness.
Links to other hair-related units: barba-; Beards; capillaro-; chaeto-; cirro-; coife; crino-; Hair & Beard Styles; hirsute; pilo-; pogo-; tricho-; villi-.