It is not pattern baldness, and the difference is everything
Androgenetic alopecia — common baldness — is progressive, follows a pattern (temples, crown), takes years, and the follicle miniaturises. That is the one treated, where appropriate, with a hair transplant.
Alopecia areata is something else entirely: it appears suddenly, in well-defined round patches, the skin beneath looks smooth and normal, and the follicle is NOT dead — it is dormant, because the immune system is attacking it. It can affect scalp, beard, brows, lashes or any hair-bearing area.
Confusing the two is what sends a patient with alopecia areata to the wrong clinic.
⚠️ Why a hair transplant is not performed over ACTIVE alopecia areata
This is the most important section on this page, and it is the one no clinic that only sells transplants will write for you.
In alopecia areata the follicle is not destroyed: it is inhibited by the immune attack. And that attack does not discriminate: it would attack transplanted follicles just the same. Grafting hair into an area of active alopecia areata is planting in hostile ground — the graft is lost, the donor area has been harvested for nothing, and the patient has paid for a procedure that was doomed from the start.
The good news is the other side of the same coin: because the follicle is still alive, alopecia areata can regrow on its own. In a substantial proportion of cases the hair returns — sometimes white or very fine at first, then recovering colour and thickness. That is the real reason not to graft: there is no need to harvest the donor area to solve something that may resolve by itself or with medical treatment.
That this is said by a clinic that does perform hair transplants — and owns an ARTAS iX robot — should count for something. Advising against grafting costs nothing when transplants are all you sell; it costs a sale when you actually perform them.
What to expect
The course is unpredictable, and that must be said frankly: it may regrow on its own within months, it may respond to treatment, it may relapse years later, and in a minority it can extend to the whole scalp (alopecia totalis) or the whole body (alopecia universalis).
The factors that worsen prognosis are known: childhood onset, very extensive disease, involvement of the scalp margin (ophiasis) and nail involvement.
Like any autoimmune disease it can be associated with others — thyroid, vitiligo — which is why the initial work-up usually looks for them.
How it is treated
Prescribed and supervised in the dermatology consultation. No drug names here:
- Topical or intralesional therapy under prescription, according to extent and age.
- Systemic therapy in extensive or rapidly progressive disease, under specialist supervision.
- Thyroid and autoimmune screening where appropriate.
- Psychological support: losing hair suddenly and unpredictably is a genuine blow. It is not vanity. It is addressed.
- Never: a hair transplant over active disease. Not here, and not anywhere serious. But once the disease stabilises and an area has not regrown, transplantation is back on the table — and this practice performs it. See hair transplant.
Who handles it here
Diagnosis and treatment of alopecia areata belong to the clinic’s dermatology consultation — the same one with which Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo founded the house in 1971. Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon, not a dermatologist: his contribution here is surgical and reconstructive, and the disease itself is managed in the consultation. Book at dermatology consultation.
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Risks and expectations
Every medical treatment —topicals, peels and energy-based devices included— carries risk and requires a prior assessment. In darker skin (Fitzpatrick IV–VI, the most common phototypes in Mexico) a poorly indicated procedure can darken the patch instead of lightening it. Results may vary according to each patient, their phototype and their individual triggers.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Control plan
- DiagnosisDermatology consultation. Distinguished from pattern baldness and tinea.
- The keyThe follicle is DORMANT, not dead. That is why it can regrow.
- NEVERA hair transplant over active disease. The graft would be lost.
- TreatmentTopical or intralesional; systemic if extensive. Under prescription.
- Work-upThyroid and other autoimmunity where appropriate.
- PrognosisUnpredictable. It can regrow on its own. It can relapse.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a hair transplant for alopecia areata?
No, and it matters to understand why. In alopecia areata the follicle is not dead: it is dormant because the immune system is attacking it. That attack would hit transplanted follicles just the same, so the graft would be lost — and the donor area would have been harvested for nothing. Moreover, because the follicle is still alive, hair can regrow on its own or with medical treatment. We say this as a clinic that does perform hair transplants.
Is it the same as pattern baldness?
No. Pattern baldness is progressive, follows a temple-and-crown pattern, takes years, and the follicle miniaturises. Alopecia areata appears suddenly in well-defined round patches with smooth skin beneath, and it is autoimmune. Treatment is completely different, and confusing the two sends the patient to the wrong clinic.
Will the hair grow back?
In a substantial proportion of cases, yes: the follicle is still alive. Hair may return on its own within months, sometimes white or very fine at first, then recovering colour and thickness. But the course is unpredictable: it can relapse years later, and in a minority it can extend. Nobody serious can guarantee the outcome.
Is it contagious?
No. It is an autoimmune disease, not an infection or a fungus. It is not contagious in any way. It is worth ruling out scalp tinea, which is infectious and looks similar, and that is done in the consultation.
Is it associated with other diseases?
It can be associated with other autoimmune conditions, particularly thyroid disease and vitiligo. That is why the initial work-up usually includes them. The emotional impact also deserves attention: losing hair suddenly and unpredictably is a genuine blow, and treating it is part of treating the patient.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.