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Alopecia triggered by Stress or Trauma- any personal stories like my own??
About a year and a half ago, I was being forced out of a company that I had been with for 4 years due to the boss relentlessly trying to coerce me to have an affair with him. I finally quit but my life was in shambles having to leave all my friends, my boyfriend- essentially the life I spent 4 years building around that job. In any case, being only 24 at the time that all happened, i was young, naive, and distraught. so VERY distraught. A few months before I actually quit, when the harassment was becoming worse and worse, the little patches of hair i had started to lose were falling out at an alarming rate and the steroid shots would not keep up with them. Today I have Alopecia Universalis. It was a very gradual loss that took about a year to go from a head full of hair, to small patches to huge chunks, to a stunt in body hair growth, to loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.
I know it's easy to go looking for a cause/blame for Alopecia. But the last time I had a spell was 13 years ago when i was 13. Totally aware that it is a monster that can come and go as it pleases, but I am no stranger to the stress related patches as they came and went quite often without the help of steroid shots which I didn't start until the loss was already pretty severe.
Really curious to know if anyone has had a similar experience in regards to sudden stress or trauma that may have triggered your Alopecia?
I know it's easy to go looking for a cause/blame for Alopecia. But the last time I had a spell was 13 years ago when i was 13. Totally aware that it is a monster that can come and go as it pleases, but I am no stranger to the stress related patches as they came and went quite often without the help of steroid shots which I didn't start until the loss was already pretty severe.
Really curious to know if anyone has had a similar experience in regards to sudden stress or trauma that may have triggered your Alopecia?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Angie on
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Hi Nancy and thank you from sharing your story with us. Yes Nancy I think my Alopecia Areta started from stress I lost my mother in 2006, that was very hard for me. In 2007, I was a juvenille probation officer, the worst job I could think of. I was going though peri menapause, not knowing I was. I was a reck. I quite my job and became a security offcer for a hospial to stand for 12 hrs a day, which developed into Tarsal tunnel syndrome, and need foot surgery. The job lied so I would not get unemployment, but they forgot I was a retired, NYC correctional officer for 20yrs, and I had lot of fight in me. I won, but who needed that stress? Well then 2010, spinal sugery, so ya I think stress started this hair problem. April 2011 will be a year, when I saw my first spot, so I'm hope things will get better. I wilsh I knew about alopecia, cause girl every thing would have been rolling off my shoulder;people would have asked " Do that women care about anything? " lol. Stay stong and keep your head up and know we are here for each other. I have a bad days, but I just keep trying to move on with a smile.
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Permalink Reply by Lexi on
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My dr. thought stress started my female pattern hair loss, and I really somewhat agree with that idea. I don't or should say didn't handle stress very well, and was dealing with a lot of it, when I started to lose my hair, shedding more and more each day. Stress is a killer so for sure it can cause hair loss as well. If it can kill, it can cause any number of things. I try now not to let things stress me out, not to let life stress me out. What will be will be, and nothing is gonna change that. Just keep your head up, and pray to whomever you believe in for strength and guidance.
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Permalink Reply by Eve on
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Hey Nancy, I have had a lot of stress over the past 7 or 8 years. I've gone through two child births, my fathers death, as well as being a single mother. Right before I noticed hair loss I was doing a three month crash diet. I wasn't taking care of myself pretty much. I'm going on almost two years with alopecia. I finally got a biopsy and will find out exactly what i have by next week. My derm says he doesn't believe hairloss is stress related, but I do disagree.
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Cox on
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Hi Nancy, I also think stress triggered my alopecia three years ago. I was very stressed out and didn't eat like I should have due to some certain personal issues I would rather not bring up, some things I just don't like to talk about its brings back some bad memories. anyhow my derm says stress affects a lot in a persons life and losing your hair just makes you stress out even more. Im in the process of regrowth its doing very well and I think its because I am happy now. My derm is very impressed with the regrowth as I have not had any injections or medications other than over the counter vitamins and nioxin shampoo. I hope you find this helpfull.
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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Stress does make my hair loss worse. I have Ophiasis pattern Alopecia which first showed it's ugly head during my divorce
In the form of a half dollar sized smooth bald patch on the side of my head. I thought, "as if I need anything else".. Which just contributed to the stress and made it worse. I don't have near the stress I used to and that has since grown back. Now, stress or no stress, it is falling out. Mostly at the base of the back of my head and my eyebrows, mustache and goatee itch along with my nose hairs, all if which are slowly falling out. I am fortunate to be near 50 and male, so I am
beyond sweating looks. I do care, but I accept my Alopecia for what it is. It sure could be worse.
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I, too, consider it fortunate that I am beyond sweating looks anymore, to the greater extent....I couldn't imagine being in my 20-30-s like so many on this site, or even younger....and have to deal with it. Life is hard enough not to have it made harder.
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Permalink Reply by Eva on
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Hi Nancy. I've thought about this so much over the years and definitely think my AU was triggered by stress although I think I'm obviously genetically pre-disposed in some way. I think that it's better, however, to NOT think it's caused by stress when you first have hair loss since you end up blaming yourself for causing the hair loss; that can just lead to a viscious cycle of feeling bad for feeling bad. Better to concentrate on the things you think you did well in life and not on blaming yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Luka Plourde on
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When I was 18 my friend stabbed a cab driver to death in my driveway, yes I was there, the next week I split with my boyfriend who then tried to commit suicide, was committed, and then misdiagnosed with HIV. Yup, little stressful and the hair started to fall out then and there. Doctors told me the hair loss was due to a traumatic experience and it would grow back in within the year. Wwweelll 16 years later and it still falls out, off and on, sometimes a little, sometimes alot, maybe the "trauma" did it but I figure if it wasn't that then it would have been something else down the road, life happens and I am just glad I am still here to enjoy it!
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Hello Rebecca!
I believe that stress triggered my AA (now AT) as well. I was undergoing a major exam and I started to worry and stress myself alot. I was really really upset when I lost my hair though. But today I'm learning to cope with it.
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I agree that stress can trigger hair loss. And other things too. In 1999 my Mom who had had Alzheimer's for several years got worse very quickly. My Dad would bring her to work with him on our family business. I ran the office part and "watched" her too. For 3 years until her death. And during that 3 years mine kick started into full gear. My Dr. told me the stress triggered the hair loss and other health issues. (My husband of 22 years tells me I worry problems like a dog with a bone! ) Now I wear wigs 18 hrs a day and have had for several years.
On a personal note to you, what you went through is a horrific experience for any woman to go through. No one deserves to be treated so disrespectfully. Take care of and remember to be kind to ...yourself.
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