When you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks your own body. With alopecia areata, it’s the hair follicles that are attacked. This causes the hair to come out, often in clumps the size and shape of a quarter. The amount of hair loss is different in everyone. Some people lose it only in a few spots. Others lose a lot. It’s rare, but you can lose all the hair on your head (alopecia areata totalis) or entire body (alopecia areata universalis). Each case of alopecia areata is different. Sometimes, hair grows back but falls out again later. In others, hair grows back for good. Alopecia areata can’t be cured. But it can be treated and hair can grow back. These are anti-inflammatory drugs that are prescribed for autoimmune diseases. They can be given as an injection into the scalp or other areas. They can also be given in pill form or rubbed on the skin as an ointment, cream, or foam. The downside is that it may take a long time to work.