Madarosis

Madarosis is a condition that results in the loss of eyelashes, sometimes eyebrows. The term "madarosis" is Greek for the word "madao" which means "to fall off." It originally was a disease of only losing eyelashes but it currently is the loss of both eyelashes and eyebrows. Eyebrows and eyelashes are both important in the prevention of bacteria and other foreign objects from entering the eye. A majority of patients with madarosis, have leprosy, and it was reported that 76% of patients with varying types of leprosy had madarosis.

Symptoms

Madarosis is not a critical or severe condition. The main symptom and sign of madarosis is the loss of hair from the eyelids, eyebrows, or eyelashes. Many symptoms are from other diseases involved.

Causes and prevention

There are various causes of madarosis.