Well, I am a 46 year old guy and was just diagnosed with AA. I am still pretty stunned. I have about 30% loss of my hair with more on the way out. I feel like I look like I have "the mange"! Wondering if there is any advise for adjusting to the "new way of life"

Thanks

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Hi Tim,

Welcome to Alopecia World.

Reaching out to others is a good place to start to help you adjust to whats happening to you.

My alopecia started in 2007 so I have several years under my belt.

Feel free to ask me about treatment options, support groups, general coping, or whatever.

If you haven't done so check out www.naaf.org 

Hang in there.

Jeff

Hi Jeffery. Thanks for the encouragement and the link. Research seems therapeutic for me right now.

You're welcome!

Hi Tim,

I believe that there is still a lot you can do and you can be fortunate that you managed to keep your hair so well for the last 46 years. There are many guys I know that are almost bald in their early 30s and that struggle with male pattern hair loss since their teen ages.

So, no need to "adjust". It is healthy for your psychic to to accept it but there is a lot you can do against it so I would recommend you inform yourself a bit.

Hi Aimee,

Thanks for the encouragement. Yeah, I have found that my family (wife and two teenagers) have been very sympathetic. i find they are worried about me being traumatized by it all. Which I am not sure if I am or not, to be honest. At this point I'm wondering if it is going to be total or just patchy hair loss. I feel like I look like I have the mange or something. What is the extent of your hair loss? and have you found any progress in restoring the loss?

Tim

Sorry to hear about the Crohn's. I understand that that can be an awful condition that can flare horribly at times. I have read that once there is one auto immune issue that others can occur shortly after. That worries me a bit. I hope your Crohn's is in check.

I agree that age and "maturity" helps me deal. I think it is also easier for men, somewhat. Dudes can rock the bald thing easier than women. Although, I have  seen some beautiful women the past few days that don't have hair. 

My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36 and went thru chemo at that time. She of course lost all her hair for the 6 months she was in treatment. So, now its my turn i guess.  She has been wonderfully supportive. 

Hi Aimee,

Right now my hair and brow is thinning but  still unnoticeable to common eye. 

I have been doing acupuncture and cooking/drinking herbal concoction for a little over a month.  

I notice it helps tremendously in alleviating the tingly feeling on my head, my malaise and promotes hair growth.

However, it causes my skin/eyes to be drier, body to be hotter, and difficulty sleeping. While on it, I notice hair loss progressing toward my body: lash/brows, ear hair, anal hair :/.  I know because I can see and feel it.

I just stopped taking it last week and I've been able to sleep better but that tingly sensation on my scalp is coming back.  My guess is that the herbal acts just like an oral steroid, and most of us know how bad/useless those are in the long run, which is why I'm stopping. 

Did you notice the same symptoms while doing acu/taking herbal?  Why didn't you go back to taking it when you saw that hair was falling out again?

I have no idea what herbs. Has like barks, and dried fruits/roots. It's a mixture of stuff that I had to cook for an hour. Didn't you take any herbs? I feel acupuncture alone is kind of useless. If you did take herbs, Ddid you have any side effects?

I can understand how you feel. Not many can understand how difficult this can be and that is why I joined this forum as well. There just not many who I can talk about this. My Alopecia really a effects my self confidence on an every day basis and I had trouble with accepting this for months and months.

I wish you the best support and understanding from those around you can get.

Hi Tim,

First you don't know yet what kind of alopecia you have.  If it is just patchy and remains that way, it could be much better in one year or so.  Mine was mostly better after the first year, with just a few bad patches throughout the rest of my life.  I can hide my alopecia pretty well, most of the time.  The best thing to cover in between, I've found, is stuff called Dermmatch (it's like 30 bucks) -- they sell it at walmart and other places on line.  You can camoflauge your "mange" pretty well by filling in the spots in between.  It's not a spray (I used those for years -- hair-in-a-can, I don't like spraying), it goes on with a big padded applicator, you brush it through and it really helps hide spots. 

Wishing you the best -- hope your hair comes back soon :)

Thanks for the advise and the the encouragement. Yeah, I am about 4 months in so Im still not sure how bald I'm going to be. Glad to hear your hair has come back. I am a bit worried that  other auto immune issues will develop. Have you had any others?

Hi there.  I'm new to this as well.  I'm a 47 year old female.  I'm still trying to adjust myself; my loss is caused by meds, but I have to keep taking them.  I also have an autoimmune disease.  Doc figures meds started hairloss and now due to my health etc., it's just continuing on full force.  Anyway, no advice but I sure feel your pain.

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