Alopecia areata is one of the more common types of hair loss issues.

This type of hair loss usually begins in children and young adults, but it can start at any age. People of all skin tones and genders get alopecia areata.

The word “areata” means patchy. Because this disease often causes patchy hair loss, it’s usually called alopecia areata. “Alopecia” means hair loss.

Sometimes, you hear a different medical name for this type of hair loss. Here’s what these terms mean:

Alopecia barbae: A person has patchy hair loss on their beard.

Alopecia ophiasis: A person has a band or strip of hair loss on their scalp.

Alopecia totalis: A person has lost all the hair on their scalp.

Alopecia universalis: A person has lost all the hair on their scalp and everywhere else on their body. This is rare.

What is central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA)? Alopecia is the medical term for “hair loss.” CCCA is a type of alopecia that can cause permanent hair loss and is more commonly seen in Black women. Treatment may prevent further permanent hair loss.

Is CCCA contagious? No

The first sign of CCCA is often noticeable hair loss in the center, or crown, of your scalp.

If you have this type of hair loss, you want to treat it early. Starting treatment early can prevent CCCA from spreading outward and causing more permanent hair loss. Some people also have hair regrowth when treatment starts early.

Early treatment is important because this disease destroys hair follicles. These are tiny pores (or openings) in your scalp from which your hair grows. Once a hair follicle has been destroyed, it is replaced by scar tissue. This is why hair loss can be permanent.

You can tell when scarring develops by looking at your scalp. After many hair follicles develop scars, you’ll have a bald area that feels smooth to the touch.

The most common cause of hair loss in men, male pattern hair loss can begin early. Sometimes, it starts in your late teens or early twenties.

Usually, it appears later. By 50 years of age, more than half of white men have a visible sign of male pattern hair loss like noticeable thinning, a receding hairline, or balding.

Male pattern baldness tends to develop slowly, beginning as a receding hairline or bald spot on the top of your head, this type of hair loss can cause thinning and hair loss for years.

While you don’t need to treat this type of hair loss, treatment options exist. Treatment can reduce further hair loss, and some men regrow a bit of their hair. The men who tend to see the best results start treatment soon after noticing hair loss.

Is your part widening? Have you noticed that your ponytail is thinner these days? You may have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), a condition that affects millions of women. FPHL is actually the most-common cause of hair loss in women.

For most women, FPHL begins in midlife, when a woman is in her 40s, 50s, or 60s. It can begin earlier for some women.

FPHL is a progressive condition. This means women tend to continue losing hair. But women do not lose all of their hair, as do some men. Instead, your part often gets wider. Hair near your temples may recede. Without treatment, some women eventually develop widespread thinning.

Treatment can prevent hair loss from worsening and help women regrow their hair. Treatment delivers the best results when started at the first sign of hair loss.

It’s easy to get a fungal nail infection. If you have a fungal infection on your foot, the fungus can spread to one or more of your nails. This is quite common.

You can also catch a fungal nail infection in a warm, moist place such as a pool deck or locker room. If someone else has a fungal infection and walked barefoot there, all you have to do is walk barefoot in the same area.

Having wet nails for a long time can also lead to nail fungus. Some people develop it when they wear the same pair of sweaty shoes or boots every day. Fingernails that are wet for hours at a time due to a job or hobby are also susceptible.

What you see on infected nails will vary with the type of fungus causing the infection.

Nail fungus causes changes to the infected nails. You may see white spots or a change in the nail’s color. Other signs include debris under the nail and thickening nails.

Most people see some nail discoloration. The nail may have a white spot. Some nails turn yellow, brown, or green. As the infection worsens, infected nails can thicken, lift up from the finger or toe, or crumble. Some nails become thinner.

Having nail fungus is usually painless. At least, it’s painless in the beginning. However, if you put off getting treatment, the fungus can grow. When the fungus worsens on toenails, wearing shoes can become painful.