The word “alopecia” simply means hair loss.

Instagram: @iamgailporter / Via buzzfeed.com

For this post we spoke to people with alopecia areata to find out what it’s really like living with their condition.

Matt Lucas / Via @RealMattLucas Twitter

First things first: What is alopecia areata?

“Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition – an illness that occurs when the body tissues are attacked by its own immune system. The body’s immune system decides that hair follicles are bad and attacks them, causing the hair to fall out.

“It can occur in just one or two patches or can progress to total loss of hair from the scalp (also known as alopecia totalis) or total loss of hair from the whole body, including eyebrows and eyelashes (also known as alopecia universalis).” – Amy Johnson, Alopecia UK