The genetics of alopecia areata: New approaches, new findings, new treatments

• Alopecia areata (AA) is a hair loss disorder with a strong genetic background.
• Recent genetic studies have identified numerous susceptibility genes for AA.
• Susceptibility genes include immune- and hair follicle-related genes.
• Some of the regions identified are also associated with other autoimmune diseases.
• This information can help in finding new targeted therapies for AA.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common immune-mediated hair loss disorder. Despite its high prevalence, its etiology is still largely unknown, but it is hypothesized to have a strong genetic basis. In the last decade, there has been a major progress in the field of genetic research, leading to novel findings regarding the genetic component of AA. The aim of this review is to summarize the information collected so far in this field, the basic principles of the genetic methods used in previous studies, and new therapeutic strategies that might become available in light of the new findings.