Alopecia Across the Spectrum of Rheumatic Disease
Hair loss in rheumatic disease is rarely just cosmetic — it can mark active inflammation, a drug effect, or an irreversible scarring process. This review walks through the mechanisms behind alopecia in lupus, RA, sarcoidosis, scleroderma and dermatomyositis, the DMARDs that cause shedding, the scarring alopecias that mimic systemic disease, and a stepwise bedside approach for the non-dermatologist.