Alopecia areata occurring in brothers and sisters is apparently rare. Hollander reported the occurrence of this disease in a father and daughter.1 The scarcity of literature on such findings prompted us to record the cases of two sisters in one family and two brothers in another family who acquired alopecia areata.
The two sisters, Negro, were aged 7 and 11. The 11 year old first manifested alopecia areata in 1947, with several typical patches, and, two years later, alopecia totalis. After two years her hair returned while she was under therapy with ultraviolet radiation and massage. In January 1950 she acquired bald areas, and the condition is still present. Her younger sister, aged 7, manifested alopecia areata in 1948, while the disease was still present in the older child (figure). Alopecia totalis occurred, but the hair was regrowing at the time of writing. Serologic tests for syphilis in both cases gave negative reactions, and the general health was excellent.