Treatment of hair disorders has progressed considerably over time. More patients are now interested in hair care and some are bombarded by promising advertisements. In reality, hair disorders may be complex and require accurate diagnosis for suitable treatment. Hair Loss and Restoration provides an extensive look at the practical management, both medical and surgical, of all forms of hair loss. Proper examination of the patient with hair loss is discussed in depth as is androgenetic alopecia, the most common cause of hair loss. The autoimmune disease alopecia areata is examined comprehensively, including its pathogenesis, clinical features, differential diagnosis, and treatment. This edition also covers new developments on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Hair loss from drugs and radiation is reviewed along with other topics such as telogen effluvium and frontal fibrosing alopecia-an increasing concern in scarring hair loss. Hair restoration surgery is described in detail and an excellent review of what is available from a nonmedical approach to hair loss is provided. Extensively referenced and illustrated with more than 300 clinical color photographs, this compact and easy-to-read book is a valuable resource for both doctors and patients.

This issue of Dermatologic Clinics, guest edited by Jerry Shapiro, focuses on the latest updates in hair loss in both men and women. Diagnosis and treatment are covered, as well as the role of drugs and autoimmune diseases in hair loss. The issue also includes articles on hair and nutrition supplements and laser hair restoration and transplants.

Alopecia areata is an unpredictable disorder that affects more than two and a half million men, women, and children in the United States and Canada. Causing patchy hair loss on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body, this mysterious, noncontagious condition can be treated but it cannot yet be cured. Alopecia Areata: Understanding and Coping with Hair Loss is a sensitive yet straightforward guide to the diagnosis and treatment of this poorly understood disease. With great compassion, the authors explain how hair loss can profoundly affect a person's quality of life. They discuss what it means to be diagnosed with alopecia areata, and provide medically reliable information on the latest research, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Thompson and Shapiro also offer practical strategies for living with alopecia areata, which can go in and out of remission without any apparent reason. They discuss the physical and psychological adjustments to wearing a hairpiece and give pointers on selecting, securing, and maintaining a wig, whether human hair or synthetic, custom or ready-made. Alopecia Areata includes a chapter devoted to the special needs of children with this condition and concludes with an epilogue that tells the story of a day in the life of a woman with alopecia areata, illustrating the various challenges she faces and the strategies she uses to cope with these challenges.

"The book is an excellent source of information about the disease and the roller coaster emotional ride that usually accompanies it... A pleasure to read because of its intimate style and humor. It will go a long way in helping those with alopecia areata." -- Vera H. Price, M.D., professor ofdermatology, University of California, San Francisco