Doing a research project on trying to find what triggers alopecia... some help?

So, I'm doing a research project where we are trying to figure out what caused or triggered the alopecia in patients. For example, what I think may have triggered mine was when I was a around 1-2 my mother took me to Europe... Albania specifically. I obtained some sort of virus and or allergy not sure what it was and became sick. I was sick for about a month my mom told me. After I recovered about 2 months later my mom noticed a small patch of hair loss in my eyebrows, but disregarded it since it was so small and it grew back in. After a couple of years when I was around 7, the alopecia came back but alot. I had to wear a wig from 4-7th grade. 8th grade up untill my junior year in highschool I still had alopecia but was able to control it and it wasnt as severe. This year it was just overwhelming i had hair untill May, I saw very rapid hair loss, June -July i lost almost all of my scalp hair... I have only about 30% of hair which is now shaved and barely growing...I also lost almost all of my body hair, eyebrows and eyelashes are also falling out. This has NEVER happened before where I lost body hair as well... Now, that im older.. researching alot more... and going to study alopecia and auto-immune disorders in college....Im starting to think the virus or the drastic change in environment at such a young age caused this. Maybe my body produced too many white blood cells and started attacking my hair. So I'm asking anyone if they remember getting sick or chicken pox or allergies, or even traveling outside the country anywhere before having alopecia? Because in third world countries... like Albania there aren't really many people ... hardly .. if there are any that have alopecia...Whether because the environment or the organic food, or because they haven't exposed themselves to another environment...I don't know but I really am determined to find out especially since this has just affected me recently very much. So if anyone remembers anything or has anything they would like to add I would appreciate it. Thanks

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Hi Sara,
I've had Alopecia since I was 4. My parents and I were involved in a motor-vehical accident and although none of us were injured severely the shock of it all brought on my alopecia. I'm 29 now and over the years my hair has grown back and fallen out inconsistently. My research of AA has led me to believe that we inherit a dormant Alopecia gene from our parents (as the disorder is hereditary) and external environmental factors that surpass our tolerance threshold, triggers the onset of Alopecia. There's no going back after that I'm afraid. In my case it was the accident and in yours, the illness. I've heard of stories where the gene can stay dormant throughout the majority of the carrier's life and then a stressful situation just sets it off.
Hope this helps.

Hi, a couple of years late to reply, but thank you. 

By the way, this is a very interesting topic for research, since this problem has been spreading very strongly lately. Just a year ago, I also wrote about this thesis together with https://phdify.com/. And the most common causes of alopecia are just the same stressful situations + lack of vitamins

Hi Sara, my AA started at 25 after a stressful break up. My hair grew back quickly and I didn't have any problems for 12 years. 

 In 2014 - new episode of AA after changing jobs. Quickly grew back. In 2016 - diffused alopecia due to anemia and extremely low feretin level. Resolved within 2 months.

In 2018 one spot that progressed to AU within 6 months. I don't know what was the cause of progressing to AU. I didn't have much stress. The one thing I was trying - AIP diet. Maybe some nutritional deficiency was the reason.

Good luck in your research! 

Hi thanks for the reply!

I developed alopecia when I was two after being sick with a ear infection. Few weeks after my mom noticed small patches in my scalp which later turn into alopecia universalis 

Hi, thanks for the reply!

Researchers found the drug had a dramatic effect on hair follicles in the lab, stimulating them to grow.

It contains a compound which targets a protein that acts as a brake on hair growth and plays a role in baldness.
More info here: https://phdessay.com/category/research/

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