How it first happened

 A few years ago I went through some extremely stressful times at workplace I was at the time. So much so that the bullying and harassment I was faced with for over 3 years lead to massive disciplinary actions and contract termination of a few coworkers.

Once the "gates" were open, and I went through the whole process with HR, Lawyers, Unions etc.. I suddenly started to loose huge portions of hair on a daily basis - I was 30 years old at the time and no one in my family had ever suffered from alopecia, which made it even harder in the beginning since I had no idea of what the heck was going on (I thought I had something deadly..) - however both my grandmother and father have a history of stress/anxiety issues.

Trying to find out what was going on was not easy - the internet is a terrible mess when looking for what is wrong with you medically - must be great(or terrible!) for hypochondriacs! Either way after just a few days I knew I had to see a doctor and luckily met and AMAZING doctor in Bristol, UK. Upon entry she immediately asked me "are you under a lot of stress?", it was incredible how she immediately knew what was up and what was the cause.

The doctor (a Spanish Dermatologist) prescribed my first with Prednisolone, which did not work at all, and after she prescribed me with Protopic cream.

Taking Prednisolone/Healing/Living with(through) it

I was now with awful tiny patches of leftover hair all over my head, I was using a beanie or cap every day to work suddenly, which, when leaving in the UK is not very common, and since I had never done it before even stranger to colleagues and friends.

Psychologically it was awful. To find out what was going on, to understand, to accept that my beautiful hair was all gone and now my head looked like what you see in horror movies. The shame, the hiding of it, the waiting for the hair to grow back fast and the frustration of it all.

Every night I would apply the cream, I knew something was happening since after awhile I felt itchy and almost kind of a tiny burn/hot sensation in the applied areas. The cream is "strong stuff" since it really stains EVERYTHING, so after a few pillowcases I started to have a sleeping beanie - a few of the actually since the thing destroys the fabric(!)

Eventually, I left that job and even left the country and the continent(!), a new start. I shaved my hair, and I was really comfortable with it. I got married and was living a great life. Unlike the Dr's indications, I continued to use the cream long after the 4 month period. I saw the results, the patches of baby skin were starting to close down and after 2 years I finally had all my hair back - why? NO stress, learned how to RELAX and find myself and the bigger picture of life and what is REALLY and TRULY important (not work crap!) - I got all my hair back and eventually stopped shaving during holidays and grew my hair back.

S$&t happens & Life as well / Getting Alopecia back

After some amazing times I am now going through some REALLY rough times. My wife as been unfaithful and I am now going through a divorce process. This is causing a lot of stress again, the kind that I cannot control and I have now a large patch without hair on my head and for the past 2 weeks I again have to witness all the hair that falls down during and after shower.

I am now about to start to apply Prednisolone, again, however, if anything was learned from last time, is that I need to find my balance again so hair stops falling and only then the treatment starts to have some effect.

Studies, Politics and why is this NOT a "known" medical issue yet for mental illness I don't know!

After these events I now know that when I go through certain, VERY, extreme stressful events I will have alopecia. Also the fact that my father and grandmother have anxiety medical issues made me understand better and how to deal better with stressful events, to understand when I go through them and have "heart/chest pain" and how to relax and go to some kind of zen place.

During my case in the UK, the Doctor, the Union officer and Lawyer knew IMMEDIATELY what was it and why I was having it - they "see it all the time". However I could not use it for my claim in the mental and psychological stress claim since Alopecia is is not recognized by any mental health doctor as a direct cause of severe stress, and for what I was told, a lot of cases in Europe lose steam exactly because massive hair loss is THE ONLY proof a person has to the stress they have been put under.

If a Lawyer knows this, a Unions officer knows this and a DOCTOR (Dermatologist) knows this, WHY?? is it not yet recognised by mental health practitioners.

I ALWAYS had amazing, thick, full hair.

There is NO baldness in our family.

My father side of the family does have anxiety medical history.

I lost all my hair during this stressful event.

I regain all my hair once I was away from all the issues and in a ver stable life.

I have am now loosing my hair again, right after going through some VERY stressful events.

It is pretty evident to myself why and under what situations I will loose my hair.

Hair will grow back, I might have to shave all again and it might take a couple years, no worried about that.

The Prednisolone cream works for me, but it seems only after the stress is gone.

Is there anyone doing new studies on psychology and the causes of Alopecia?? I would love to volunteer with my story or any medical tests.

All the best to all of you new to this or not, don't worry too much about your hair, women look great without it as well, so do men!