alopecia areata - did your hair ever grow back?

[Anonymous]

I am very troubled by a small bald spot on my head. It's in a visible location (above my forehead); I can hide it somewhat by parting my hair a certain way, but a lot of scalp is still visible.

I went to a dermatologist for cortisone shots every 4-6 weeks for about a year, with no improvement. Additionally, the cortisone left a dent in my head at the site of injection, and I am not sure if/when that will go away.

If you've had alopecia areata, did it ever go away? I am sad because I feel like my hair is never going to grow back.

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

I had this starting about a year after my first child was born. I went to the dermatologist who diagnosed it and started giving cortisone shots, which I also had every month or so for about a year.

BUT, I also went to an endocrinologist because the dermatologist told me to have my thyroid checked. I was very hyperthyroid, got that under control and with that and the cortisone shots, my hair grew back.

It sucked, though. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PP. How long did it take for your hair to grow back?

I had a thyroidectomy some years ago, so my thyroid hormone levels are pretty well controlled now...even still, I wonder if my history of thyroid issues could be a factor.

[Anonymous]

It was about a year. I had a spot right by my forehead which I could cover if I parted my hair differently, a spot right on the crown (sucked!) and a spot at the hairline at the back of my neck.

[Anonymous]

My sister had this.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder and it may kick in when the immune system is overwhelmed by something.

My sister had alopecia areata, and did an elimination diet based on ALCAT food sensitivity/allergy test results over a period of about five months. During that time, her hair came back (after not having grown back for about a year). She saw a naturopath for her condition.

Some links:

http://www.steinorthopedic.com/pdf/alopecia-areata.pdf

http://www.keratin.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8495

http://heralopecia.com/interact/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6889

http://www.mold-survivor.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.html

http://www.medical-library.net/content/view/261/41/

http://www.ehow.com/about_5499626_alopecia-areata-diet.html

http://www.dxal.net/can-alopecia-areata-be-caused-by-food-allergies/

http://fedup.com.au/factsheets/symptom-factsheets/...a-areata-patchy-baldness#foods



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[Anonymous]

My mom had alopecia. Her hair grew back. She hasn't had any problems in years.

[Anonymous]

I had alopecia starting as a teen. Lost almost all my hair though it started in patches. Grew back. Since then (more than 20 years) I always have some patches- at times more severe but I luckily have very thick curly hair and the patches are not noticeable (though I can't wear a ponytail or where it up in any way).

[Anonymous]

I have gone thru periods when I got Alopecia regularly. Each and every time it has grown back. Always very fine and white, eventually it gets darker. Only once did I get the steriod shots on the scalp - it was just too painful. After that a new dermotologicist told me you can wait, you can try "distrupting" the area with Retin- A cream - when I used the retin-a cream the hair grew back, as did the times I didn't do that. It was never related to thyroid issues - always during times of extreme stress and when I was dieting.

[Anonymous]

PP Here: Most of the time it happened while I was in my 20's. Now I'm in the 40s under more stress than I ever was in my 20's and I haven't had any epoisodes in almost 20 years. So not sure what was really causing it - except I did see a correlation when I went on strict diets or was under stress. Thankfully I have think hair and could always hide it unless I wanted to wear apony tail.

[Anonymous]

Sides. Is this happening to anyone else?

[Anonymous]

This happened to me in my early 20s, I'm 30 now. I also had a spot right at the front of my hairline (in addition to 2 less obvious spots). I did steroid shots twice but also had a steroid cream that I used daily -- can't remember the name but it helped a lot. The hair did grow back w/in 6 months but lost all pigmentation. It's now a solid white patch that I color regularly. I have a history of graves' disease but wasn't on medication at the time bc my thyroid levels were within normal. I was under a ton of stress when this happened and lost 3 patches over a year.. Although my levels were w/in normal, endo suspected my system was working extra hard to keep it that way (my anti-thyroid antibody levels were through the roof) so she prescribed synthroid. Haven't had a problem since and hope it's gone for good. I vividly remember how awful the wait was wondering if it would grow back and my pure elation when I saw fuzzy hair finally start to grow in. I didn't even care that it was white! I hope some of this info helps -- Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

My brother had this for about five years and then it grew back. So random. He had several large bald patches on the side of his head--it wasn't insignificant.

[Anonymous]

hi i am a 19 female i already went to my dermatologist gave me pills a cream and told me to buy rogaine for men. idk why . i only have one bald patch in the back of my head, no one can see it but im scared to get more . i cry all the time im so scared to loose all of my hair . someone please help me .

thanks .

[Anonymous]

we have two nephews one 12 and 7, the older boy was diagnosed with alopecia totalis (total body hair loss ) at age of 4 and the little one was just found to have small patches of hair loss on his scalp. It’s been really devastating for the family and we are trying to help. In US they say there is no cure, basically since it an autoimmune disease, only treatment option is topical or injectable steroids , which I don’t like because they are very young.Anyone has done genetic testing?

[Anonymous]

Mine started in october of last year. Its at the bottom of my head but a large amount. I have long fine hair and so far have been able to hide it! Part of it has started to grow back. I have had severe allergies my whole life. Wish i knew the cause. I was really stressed with school when it started. I am using a steroid lotion to treat it but it still has areas that have not grown back in.