What is "madarosis"

"loss of the eyelashes," 1690s, medical Latin, from Greek madarosis "baldness." Related: Madarotic.

n. (context medicine English) The loss of eyebrows or eyelashes.

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.