Okay.

where do I start... I don’t want to drone on as if we I could write a book on what I went through so I’ll try to keep it quick and simple.

About 3 years ago (When I was 26 years old) I noticed a small bald patch on my chin. At first I thought nothing of it. The patch was (about 1inch in diameter) and over the next few weeks it began to grow. As never having any serious health issues or maybe ignoring any warning signs ignorance was not bliss as it turns out. Panic began to really kick in when I noticed another patch. Under my neck. Naturally I have a full beard and I had to began to move the hair in a way to cover the patches. What I didn’t realise is that this was a storm that was just brewing. In a matter of months the patches grew and it got to a point that I had to shave my beard as it was now prominent and beyond hiding. I am began like many to dive into research and seek medical attention and treatment. Over the next 2 years I can only say that things got worse and worse. At its peak I had large spots all over my face and head. Through the years I found that my digestion was directly to blame. A lot of red flags in previous years should have notified me that I need to fix something but Ofcourse I thought it would get better in time. I blame an unhealthy sleep and diet for the damage as well as an untreated bacterial infection.

TREATMENTS I TRIED.... I AM NOT A DOCTOR. But this worked for me... 

Initially I tried prednisone to slow the flare. I then tried all sorts of online cure creams and home remedies ...Yes including the onion one. I was quick to find that all were pretty much useless. I then began steroid shots in a hope to fix the issue. As many of you know dermatologists can only bandaid the problem never fix it. The shots were also barely effective and if anything just slowed the alopecia but not stop or reverse it.

From what I had begun to read I knew I had to fix my gut. I went to a gastro and was treated with heavy antibiotics for what I was told a HPylori infection. This made my gut worse... so much worse. For weeks I was in and out of doctors offices and also the bathroom. The alopecia seemed to have slowed butI was left with large bald spots including 70% of my beard all over my head and face. Because the antibiotics destroyed my gut biome.my body couldn’t begin to heal and I lost a lot of weight (25kg / 55 lbs) The “term leaky gut” became a common term I began to research. I tried all types of gut healing protocols and diets. 

Fasting wet and dry. Keto, Paelo, carnivore. You name it. 

I tried a host of probiotics and natural herbs and vitamins to try and heal my gut. I can promise you I feel I have tried them all. All in all though they were only scraping the surface. If I had known then what I know now, it would have changed everything. I knew to restore my gut I needed to get a little more drastic. 

I started to look into FMT ( Feacal microbtioa transplant) 

I found the that for CDiff (of which I had also, can thank the antibiotics for that one) it was a better treatment than more antibiotics... 

Can I add that multiple gastros at the time advised against FMT. However, in the past they had been wrong and I had given up on conventional medicine. As many of you will understand, I took the desperate plunge for help and took my chances. I found QLD FMT in Australia and booked in a 10 day FMT. I was nervous and hopeful. I was hoping for immediate results however they didn’t come for a few weeks but then after the first 8 weeks my digestion was finally improving and safe to say more and small white hair began to appear in the bald spots.

Was this is it? Had I finally worked it out. Was the battle over?! my mental clarity and energy began to recover and I realised at this point it sounds like I’m a major advocate for FMT and some people might argue with it but I don’t care, I am. Since my FMT more and more studies have proven its efficacy and for me It worked. For sooooo many things other than just hair and digestion. It worked.

A few months after I decided to speed up the process and try the steroid shots again.  With in 2 weeks of the steroid shots the hair was coming in properly, strong, thick and with colour. 

I want to add here that if you ever consider doing an FMT please find a place that has strict screening protocol! 80% of your immune system is in your gut and for this reason FMT is risky and dangerous without proper guidance from professionals. The top place in the world is the Taymount clinic. I didn’t travel to England for this I found a respected FMT clinic in Australia :)

Within 6 months of my FMT my beard was back as well as my confidence, my weight and overall health and well-being.

Its been about 18 months since my FIrst FMT. ( I have done another round of FMT since just as a precaution) and I am I would say about 95% better. I get upset stomachs and some gut issues every now and then however nothing in comparison. 

I have a new found understanding on life, health and education. 

PLEASE!!! For those of you struggling. This really helped me. I AM NOT A DOCTOR! What helped me might not help you. But if I was to tell myself 3 years ago what to do. It would have been to simply take some herbal protocol (METAGENICS AR & BR) instead of the antibiotics then consider the FMT. This would have in my opinion saved a lot of heart ache and suffering. 

please try stop only treating the surface level of the problem and dive deep into the cause. I highly recommend a full and proper blood panel. For people in The US I would look at wellnessfx and for Australians I use Planet Naturopath.

I will update this post with before and after pics when I get a hold of my old phone. Please message me if you have any questions.

Im just trying to help :)

Tom Jamieson