I was sitting at the piano on Christmas Eve when my dad came up behind me and said I had a bald patch on top of my head. I thought he was just messing with me, it's the sort of thing he'd do. But several of my cousins gathered around and confirmed, so I went to the bathroom, and sure enough I had a bald patch near the crown of my head. It is slightly larger than a quarter, maybe a little larger than a half dollar, and almost perfectly round, just over to one side. My hair has always been pretty fine, so I don't think it could have been there too long because it would have been noticed. On Christmas Day I was with my mom's side of the family and I showed my aunt. She said it looked like alopecia and that my great aunt had suffered from Alopecia as well as my grandmother. As soon as she said that, I remembered that my grandmother had worn a wig and her hair was very thin with numerous bald patches. I'm only 24, and neither of them went bald until their 50s according to my aunt, but I don't think that make a difference if it is genetic. From what I've read, what I have definitly sounds like Alopecia, but this is a new word and new experience to me and I just don't know. I don't know what to do next or where to go from here.... Does it sound like Alopecia? What should I do next? Should I go to a dermatologist? Or should I see my general practioner first? Where do I go from here?