•Alopecia areata is a recurrent, non scaring type of hair loss considered to be an autoimmune process. Though its etiopathogenesis is not fully understood, there are claims that imbalance of trace element may trigger onset of alopecia areata. Objective: To evaluate the levels of zinc, copper, magnesium and iron in serum of AA patients to gain a better understanding of the role of these elements in the disease. Method: Forty AA patients and forty age and sex matched controls were studied. Samples were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. Results: The study showed a significant decline in serum Zinc level in AA patients and increase in serum Copper and Magnesium while no significant difference was found between patient and controls in iron levels. Conclusion: Decreased serum Zn level affects the AA disease negatively, and might be considered as a potential risk factor leading to prolonged disease course with severer disease state.