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Did any treatment "work" for you?
It's my understanding that there's no "cure" for alopecia, but I'm still interested in learning about the varying degrees of success alopecians have had with the various treatments that are offered. Therefore, if you have alopecia and have had any luck whatsoever with a treatment, please share your story here. Be sure to say whether your regrowth was temporary, permanent, partial, or full, and whether you experienced any pain or other negative side effects as result of the treatment.
PLEASE NOTE: I'm only interested in hearing from people who have actually struggled with alopecia and NOT the companies, organizations, and individuals offering treatments and cures.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michelle on
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With all traditional methods of medicine a failure, we went to medical doc that also focuses on alternative. My daughter was tested extensively for issues. She is allergic and sensitive to 35 foods. She also had leaky gut and deficient in vitamin D, B, and her cortisol levels were almost non existent. After 1 1/2 years of changing her diet and specific supplements, her hair is all growing back in. No alopecia! It was frustrating in the beginning with all docs giving her prescriptions for topical steroids and other medicine. Nothing worked.
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From my experience I can't say that something worked or not with 100% success. Seems like some stuff works for a bit temporarily but not in the long run. I'll try to summarize what I used but I don't remember exactly all of the treatments or names of the products.
When I first discovered I had alopecia areata I went to my family doctor and referred me to a dermatologist. Did some cortisone shots and seemed to work for some of the spots, after a while it didn't seem to do much at all. So I figure it wasn't worth the trouble and pain (I'm scared of needles and it does hurt quite a bit) to keep doing shots. Then they told me to try some minoxidil. That made my scalp itch which is quite uncomfortable especially in hot and dry environments. Even tried the 2% version but still irritated my scalp. I do have somewhat sensitive skin. Some spots regrew hair but I was not sure if it was the minoxidil or if it regrew on its own. I tried some pills (might have been propecia) for a short time but that again didn't work for me. The next time the dermatologist told me to try was anthralin but that also did not have any effect. Oddly that stuff didn't irritate my skin which supposedly it can.
Some spots regrew back on its own however some spots never regrew. The one near the back of the neck never has. Some of the spots got smaller but later on it comes back. So its kind of hard to say which treatment really worked as I have gone thorough different ones. I don't feel that I failed but at least I tried.
In my opinion what really works is to be positive and just be happy to enjoy life. Some treatments might work for someone but its not one size fits all. The different treatments are worth a try because if you don't try them you would not know if it works for you.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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Yes to your last few sentences. What really works is the happiness. It might work on your hair as well. But/ also it works on your innerself. Yes, try some treatments, but dont overdo it. Most energy (if at all) should be on your inner happiness. Once you have it, it will be seen on your outside as well. You might have to smile a bit more than "average" people (with full hair). But it works.
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Hi
My experience with my daughter has been ongoing. She was diagnosed 10 years ago and in that time she has regrown and lost hair 6 times.
I have not used treatments or medications. Her hair regrowth and loss is totally spontaneous.
As you will see here there are many that feel treatments and medications work and some have had results with them.
My personal view in the situation I am in, is that alopecia goes into remission (often when you are a child or a teen if you have AA, less often if you have AT, and less often again if you have AU), remission can and does happen with adults as well....and nobody can tell you the why's and why not's around this. That for me is the frustrating part...if it can grow back why can't they work out how and why!
I have often thought if I had been trying medications or treatments I would have thought those rather than the natural remissions were causing the regrowth. Like I have said my daughter has never used anything.
Good luck with your investigations.
Rosy
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I have AA and the Steroid shots work for me. I have aa since the age of 8 and have been doing the injections since the age of 12. I have a pretty good amount of hair and fill in the few spots with something called x-fusion. The doctor also gives me drops to use twice a day. I did not and do not have any side effects. My hair is good for awhile and then is bad for awhile. It depends on nothing specific just random.
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I am also using biotin and on thyroid medicine. Recently I had to up my thyroid medicine dose and it helped.
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My 3 year old son has alopecia. The cortisone from the derm did not work, so we went for a more natural approach. He was tested by a homeopathic pharmacist and found that his GI tract was "off". Also, high mold level and the chemical round-up. We went more organic, he is gluten free and we limit dairy. He also takes fish oil, vitamin c, and probiotics. Lastly he visited a chiropractor starting twice a week and weaned to once a month. His neck was always out of alignment. His hair is now almost all back only one tiny bald patch that you can hardly see!
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Happy to report DPCP is working for my 12-year old daughter so far. Bringing her back from 100% hair loss down to approx. 30% left to fill in random patches, in the last 7 months. Patches are continuing to fill in, and hair regrowth appears to spread from the center out. No physical side effects to the treatment experienced but perhaps dry scalp. Very encouraging because we were headed towards giving up and total acceptance after a year and half of other aggressive treatments and continuous doctor apts and 2nd opinions. As a mother I was obsessed with finding any underlying cause... and cure. Our current Dermatologist is a leader in the field of hair loss and has our daughter on a daily regiment includes stress reduction, Zoloft 25mg, Vitamin D 5000, Biotin Forte with zinc, Allegra 180mg daily. Previously, under other dermatologists, tried very low dose of Methotrexate for 4 months, Dritho-creme(antharalin)and prednisone with no results and bad side effects. Also previously tried cortisone shots that yielded some temporary results at the injection sites, but she continued to have loss hair in other locations at the time, before losing all her hair. DPCP seems to be having slow but seemingly best and lasting results so far on the scalp, but no success regrowing her eye brow hair (still 100% loss). Only underlying medical condition determined was stress/anxiety and low vitamin D...I always found that interesting. Once stress calmed down and vitamin D levels were in normal range...her hair regrowth recovery pace quickened. This what I know today. Hope this helped you and others.
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Permalink Reply by Jean on
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A little over 1/4 of my hair was gone. the entire back of my head and spots all over. I started taking Biotin. I really didn't think it would help but it did, after about 2 months my hair started growing back and I have not had a problem since. Its been about 5 years with no hair loss now. May have been just a coincidence, but couldn't hurt to try! Good Luck!!
I think reducing stress in your life helps too ;)
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Permalink Reply by Shinyhead on
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I am 31 and have dealt with Alopecia since middle school. It use to just be spots here and there over the years. I got the steroid shots to the direct spot. I used protopic and the solution they gave. The steroid pills never worked.
As of I guess going on 2 years I lost majority of my hair do to stress and locing my hair (I suppose) N e who I was at least 85% bald. N e who I used shots protopic and that solution. benizole or something I don't know the name. N e who, my hair grew back and it is long however I still battle spots. Luckily my other hair attempts to cover majority of it. Oh and I have taken Nouritress vitamins. My Dr. told me to take grapeseed vitamins and biotin (a high dosage) Well I started taking Nouritress and that has both the vitamins and Saw Palmento I heard worked well for hair growth. I now am having hair growth and loss. My doctor told me to be patient as of yesterday because my body is trying to recognize that the hair that i'm growing is actually mine. And it may take a while to catch.
Oh and Thank you for the juicing the onion technique. I can not wait to try it. Can I put in a blender or must I juice it. Thanks in advance Kristi
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Permalink Reply by Cinder B. Rand on
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Hi Jera, when I first got the spots in the very beginning the shots worked. Then after that I just lost every thing within a few days and I mean every thing, I spoke with some people who did some treatments and through the treatments said that they developed liver problems so...I never felt that was something I wanted to risk. So to my knowledge nothing seems to work. Well nothing has ever worked for me. But I must be honest I just am not into really trying anything that could do other damage. Hugs and Peace Cinder
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