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How Much Would You Subject Your Body To to Have Your Hair Grow Back Again?
Hello my fellow Alopecians!
I wanted to share a pivotal moment in my life with you guys, and specifically wanted to hear your thoughts. I recently went to see a brand new dermatologist, who shocked my by saying: "You know, your hair can grow back. There was a study done in Turkey recently where the women took three months of prednisone, along with anti-inflammatory drugs and Tums each day to counteract the calcium loss from the prednisone, and they experienced COMPLETE regrowth!"
Sitting on the examining table...my clinic standard-issue paper gown scrunching slightly beneath my hands in my lap, my eyes widened in surprise. And then my mouth pursed, waiting for the punchline. "Okkk..." I said, reeling from this news, trying to assimilate this information after three years of being an Alopecian.
And then the punchline came. My eyebrows raised, mouth slightly ajar, as I listened to the new (and very smart, perky and energetic) dermatologist try to sell me on this new course of therapy.
"Now, there are some very serious side effects to taking prednisone...we normally only prescribe prednisone for no more than two weeks at a time, but those with alopecia who had complete regrowth took it for three months, and then took more drugs for another six months in some cases." Me, thinking to myself "NO KIDDING, serious side effects! Mega-steroids for three months???" And then she rattled off the list of side effects...
"Osteoporosis...you'd have to take Tums three times a day to counteract the calcium loss to your bones...and you'd gain 10 pounds...you should watch your diet...and you' develop a small hump at the center of your back, and you'd have to take an anti-inflammatory drug in conjunction with the prednisone...and it would affect your energy level - it's like taking adrenaline..."
As she rattled off the list, my eyes grew wider and wider, and then my mind faded out of reality and I thought "But I like myself bald! Wait, wait - but being bald, this is ME now. You want to change ME? And I'd have to subject my body to this?" And then the kicker, the shocker, the idea that I had only prayed for in my most quiet of moments...somewhere along the way I had finally accepted that I had alopecia, and more shockingly, that my hair might NEVER grow back. Effectively, being bald and having alopecia had at some point fused itself into me, my self-concept. It's ME, a part of ME. I am no longer two people dueling in the mirror, pain and happiness. And so, when she told me that I could subject my body to these terrors and rigors, I reacted akin to someone suggesting I cut off my nose - "What!!!?" And then indignation, "Why should I do THAT?"
By the time my mind faded back into reality, she was finishing her spiel..."But it would only be for three months!!" Nice - I'd only have a hump in my back for three months, and coming down off my crack high and losing that extra 10 pounds or so would be a BREEZE. ONLY THREE MONTHS. Yaayyy crack!!
So, my fellow family: Does anyone else see the irony in this? I had once prayed that I'd always be able to see my own beauty, because at first I had been terrified, paralyzed by the idea that my body would be ugly forever without hair. Now, after several years of a gut-twisting, painful and rewarding psychological journey, I feel beautiful...and in a caustic twist of fate, a doctor is telling me that if I do some really ugly things to my body, I'll grow my hair back! Ironic!? I think so.
So tell me fellow Alopecians: What do you think? How far would you go, what would you subject your body to, to have your hair grow back? Has anyone tried this course of therapy? Just so you know, I told the doctor I'd do some more research on it, but I declined treatment. But, I'm more interested in the philosophical aspects of this question. I am asking because if a doctor had told me this a year ago, when I was in a different place in my psychological journey, I would be nursing the hump in my back and running around like a crack baby at this very moment. But, what would you do?
I wanted to share a pivotal moment in my life with you guys, and specifically wanted to hear your thoughts. I recently went to see a brand new dermatologist, who shocked my by saying: "You know, your hair can grow back. There was a study done in Turkey recently where the women took three months of prednisone, along with anti-inflammatory drugs and Tums each day to counteract the calcium loss from the prednisone, and they experienced COMPLETE regrowth!"
Sitting on the examining table...my clinic standard-issue paper gown scrunching slightly beneath my hands in my lap, my eyes widened in surprise. And then my mouth pursed, waiting for the punchline. "Okkk..." I said, reeling from this news, trying to assimilate this information after three years of being an Alopecian.
And then the punchline came. My eyebrows raised, mouth slightly ajar, as I listened to the new (and very smart, perky and energetic) dermatologist try to sell me on this new course of therapy.
"Now, there are some very serious side effects to taking prednisone...we normally only prescribe prednisone for no more than two weeks at a time, but those with alopecia who had complete regrowth took it for three months, and then took more drugs for another six months in some cases." Me, thinking to myself "NO KIDDING, serious side effects! Mega-steroids for three months???" And then she rattled off the list of side effects...
"Osteoporosis...you'd have to take Tums three times a day to counteract the calcium loss to your bones...and you'd gain 10 pounds...you should watch your diet...and you' develop a small hump at the center of your back, and you'd have to take an anti-inflammatory drug in conjunction with the prednisone...and it would affect your energy level - it's like taking adrenaline..."
As she rattled off the list, my eyes grew wider and wider, and then my mind faded out of reality and I thought "But I like myself bald! Wait, wait - but being bald, this is ME now. You want to change ME? And I'd have to subject my body to this?" And then the kicker, the shocker, the idea that I had only prayed for in my most quiet of moments...somewhere along the way I had finally accepted that I had alopecia, and more shockingly, that my hair might NEVER grow back. Effectively, being bald and having alopecia had at some point fused itself into me, my self-concept. It's ME, a part of ME. I am no longer two people dueling in the mirror, pain and happiness. And so, when she told me that I could subject my body to these terrors and rigors, I reacted akin to someone suggesting I cut off my nose - "What!!!?" And then indignation, "Why should I do THAT?"
By the time my mind faded back into reality, she was finishing her spiel..."But it would only be for three months!!" Nice - I'd only have a hump in my back for three months, and coming down off my crack high and losing that extra 10 pounds or so would be a BREEZE. ONLY THREE MONTHS. Yaayyy crack!!
So, my fellow family: Does anyone else see the irony in this? I had once prayed that I'd always be able to see my own beauty, because at first I had been terrified, paralyzed by the idea that my body would be ugly forever without hair. Now, after several years of a gut-twisting, painful and rewarding psychological journey, I feel beautiful...and in a caustic twist of fate, a doctor is telling me that if I do some really ugly things to my body, I'll grow my hair back! Ironic!? I think so.
So tell me fellow Alopecians: What do you think? How far would you go, what would you subject your body to, to have your hair grow back? Has anyone tried this course of therapy? Just so you know, I told the doctor I'd do some more research on it, but I declined treatment. But, I'm more interested in the philosophical aspects of this question. I am asking because if a doctor had told me this a year ago, when I was in a different place in my psychological journey, I would be nursing the hump in my back and running around like a crack baby at this very moment. But, what would you do?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skin on
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I wouldn't want my hair back, & if it did grow back, I'd set fire to it. Alopecia is great!!!!!!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Diana on
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This has to be the best website, don't go to the doctors just read these awesome posts by the people who actually have the same disorder - I agree with all the do not take prednisone - with all the side effects as soon as you are finished with it your hair will fall out again...apparently Alopecia will not kill you like cancers but if you take the drugs to try and stop what it is doing they will - and apparently our immune systems are in overdrive - I have not gotten sick in a couple of years, - and what if one day we actually need drugs like Prednisone to help with and killer disease and it does not do the proper job because your body has already sucked up the use for the steroid.... I don't know I wish there was a cure and I would love my hair back, but not until there is something sensible out there..... have a great day!
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Permalink Reply by Sally Wilson on
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Just saw your post, I agree.
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Permalink Reply by kastababy on
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I tried the prednisone many years ago, having it injected into my scalp and taking it twice a week in combination with applying topical Rogaine to my head (bear in mind, this was during the days when Rogaine was prescription only.) Not only were the effects temporary, but the side effects lasted a whole lot longer than the treatment itself.
I would gladly give up future bone necrosis, osteoporosis, swelling, fluid buildup, and irritated skin and scalp to be my beautiful self!!!
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Permalink Reply by Bobby on
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hehe I developed Ulcerative colilius and it required the same treatment to force me into remission from the Ulcer. Oddly enough I didn't know it was a treatment that could be used for AU. Surprizely while I was on the meds I got everysingle side affect including the blob that formed on my back I liked to call my "Little Bob" he was bald just like me. But after 2 months of taking all those meds to treat my uclers, something interesting happened, I grew back all my facial hair, and lower parts developed hair where I never had it before. After I went off the meds about 1 month and a few weeks all that hair fell out. steriods do produce hair.
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A study...inTurkey...? This sounds like a get rich quack (sorry, "quick") scheme for dermatologists and pharmaceutical companies. There was a commercial a number of years ago "Don't mess with Mother Nature!" I'm on medications for life threatening conditions, alopecia is not one of them.
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Permalink Reply by SportyAusGirl on
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Gosh, with my state of mind today, i'm considering going on the prednisone stuff. I just look at my Birth Control Pill, and the side affects on that sheet of paper are meant to be bad too, but at this stage, i'm willing to give it a go.
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It's funny all the medication that is involved with treating AA AU etc. When I developed Ulcers Sulfasalazine was the drug they gave to reduce inflammation. The thing that made it hard to take Sulfasalazine was that amount of times I had to take it 4 times.
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I think i might try prednisone. I want my hair back.
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Permalink Reply by 5DH on
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I am totally in your boat. My AA started 4 years ago. I experienced regrowth 6 months after losing about 20% of my hair. The next year a similar situation - 6 months loss, 6 months of remission. What scares me now, is my current episode has been going on for 9 months and is worse than previous (about 40% hair loss, I've noticed recently increased eyebrow shedding though no naked-eye visible receding YET, and I have no arm and almost no leg hair).
My dad doesn't have AA but he has some immune system problems (severe eczema) and has been put on prednisone before for 4 weeks. He told me his only side effect was a feeling of slight euphoria, so I'm hoping if he didn't have anything terrible happen to him, I won't either. My dermatologist said that this is just an attempt to jump-start the remission process, since I have historically had my hair come back. I'm on day 5 of a 6 week taper (60mg first week, 50 second, 40 third, etc). If I feel any side effect coming on I'm definitely going to consider stopping under Dr supervision, but I need to at least try or else I'll always wonder "what if." I went to a university teaching hospital as well in the hopes they'd be up to date on the latest and greatest, so my fingers are crossed - but he did seem concerned about making sure I wasn't at-risk and told me more than 6 weeks is out of the question. From what I have read, 5% minoxidil (Rogaine) coupled with a prednisone regimine can improve results. We'll see....!
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I've done the prednisone oral and the shots, and I just don't like the fluid retention that comes with it. I blew up to twice my size each time I had to do that, and for what? 6 months worth of peach fuzz and even worse hair loss when my body finally developed an immunity to it (just like it has with everything else?) I'm at the age now where I'm just tired -- and I don't want to go on that particular rollercoaster ride anymore.
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