Alopecia areata, a disorder that causes hair loss ranging from bald patches to total loss of head and body hair, affects more than 2.5 million people in the United States and Canada. While medically harmless, it can cause intense psychological pain and social problems. This easy-to-read, helpful, and straightforward guide provides in-depth information on the diagnosis, treatment, and cosmetic concerns of alopecia areata. Thompson, an educational gerontolgist and professional writer, has had this condition since childhood, and much of this book is quite sensitive to the distress often experienced by those with this unpredictable disorder. Coauthor Shapiro is director of the University of British Columbia Hair Clinic at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Center. Of special interest is the "Day in the Life" section at the end of the book, which gives the reader an excellent look at the pitfalls of coping with alopecia areata. There are a few assertions that could have borne more explanation, and the humor sometimes falls flat, but this does not detract from the book's usefulness. An excellent resource for all health collections.?Stacey Hathaway, Fordham Health Sciences Lib., Wright State Univ., Dayton, Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
As a person recently diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis (all body), I found this book to be very informative, as well as easy to read and understand. It helped me to understand that there are other people in the world with the same problem that I have. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about alopecia. I understand through my dermatologist that Jerry Shapiro is THE person for North America when it comes to knowing about alopecia. I hope it helps other people the way it has helped me.
