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Is cortison a solution for alopecia areata?
I remember perfectly the first time I went to the doctor because I was loosing a lot of hair and I had a bald spot.
In this day I got injected cortisone on my scalp. His words were, “those injections work for almost everyone. They are very painful and you must come 5 times more to get them”.
If this is that my doctor says… this is what I have to do, right? This is what I thought… with the time I discovered that cortisone injected can trigger cataracts and it may leave some scars on your scalp.
When this didn’t work I went to visit the doctor again. This time I got straight away 60 mg cortisone per day in pills, Lorazepan to sleep (one in the morning and another before to sleep) and of course, antidepressants.
The first month I believe I was the whole day sleeping but in two months I was laughing again and everything seemed to be a nightmare from the past.
I didn’t need antidepressants, or pills to sleep, neither cortisone any longer!! Although the question is… did I need it before?? The reality is that when I quit all, I got bald again and of course I cried again, but in this time I knew I could handle it and I decided not to take more antidepressants.
Back to the doctor and back to cortisone of course, back to my beautiful hair but in this time something new. Side effects: too much hair on my face, blurry sight, swollen face, dramatic lost of weight, tiredness, muscular and joints pain, spots, infections …
As I consider myself a rational person, I admitted that I was going to be bald, but I was not taking drugs anymore. Those treatments don’t fix the root problem, they just cover it, the problem remains.
Why I tell you this? Because my eyebrow is getting less and less and I live again the same story… I look to myself in the mirror many times to check if I lost hair, or check the sheets to make sure that are free of hair and ask to my boyfriend if he will love me when I loose my eyebrows and my eyelash in the same way he does nowadays.
For a few seconds I thought… If it happens, I will take cortisone!!
But this morning when I woke up I just realized that the only thing I am afraid of is to not to accept myself and when I do it, everyone will.
What do you think? Find more in my blog
http://alopeciaareataishere.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/is-cortison-a-...
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nuni Ta on
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I would definitely love him and he will be ok whatever happens, but as a woman you always hesitate... You feel less female maybe?
Thanks for your comment!
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Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on
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Hi
Cortisone shots and cortisone taken orally will work....but you can't take this drug forever, so unless you are in a natural remission, once you stop taking them your hair will fall out again. There are also some quite horrible side effects that are long reaching into people's lifes.
Nuri, you're beautiful (actually very beautiful), but I know what I think and what your boyfriend thinks means naught, what really matters is what you think. My daughter is also loosing her eyebrows once again (I think this is the fourth time). It always feels like a bit of a sucker punch when it happens, it's upsetting.
Libby really likes to have her brows and lashes (more even than her hair), so we have always worked with alternatives to give her the opportunity to present herself with them when she wants to. Having an alternative that works for her has always made the world of difference.
Libby said to me that when her eyelashes and brows disappear she feels like she becomes expressionless...and she really hates that.
Let's face it this condition is so hard sometimes :(
I know you will be ok Nuri, just keep doing what you are doing.
Rosy
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I have suffered from this alopecia nightmare since I was 15. Mine started with patches that always grew back until my second pregnancy when I was 27. I lost 40 percent of my hair and wore a wig - it was so hot and itchy - I wore it for 6 months. I used the cortisone lotion - when I remembered to smear it on. My hair grew back...and the patches came and went again. When I was 34 I had a complete hysterectomy....a year later all my hair was gone....everywhere....eyebrows, lashes, body hair. This time it lasted for over a year. It took that long to master the lash application and I just used shadow to brush in eyebrows.....went through my insurance this time to get my wig....it cost $2500 and worth every penny! Since wearing my first hideous wig....wigs had come a LONG way. I had real human hair...the nicest hair I had had since being pregnant the first time around. A year and a half later....my lashes were back and my eyebrows - Miracle! Last August my hair was growing back and Instead of shaving off the patches I let them grow and within a month I had a fully covered head - another miracle! I took the wig off and went to the hair salon for the first time in a long time to have what hair I had colored - it was a pixie but it was all mine :) shocked a lot of people at work when I returned to work with a pixie after having shoulder length hair and a lot of it! It took everything I had to leave my wig at home that day - my anxiety was crazy walking into work that morning - I almost turned around 3 times to go home and get my wig....but I didn't. I never went anywhere or saw anyone (other then my immediate family) without my wig on. I felt ugly and embarrassed without it. It doesn't bother me to see other people with bald heads, I am envious of women who can feel confident while going without a wig. I just can't do it. It is now June and my hair didn't last long...it's starting to fall out again and the spots are joining together to make larger spots - no new hair growth...heartbreaking once again. I was looking forward to swimming and feeling the wind blow my hair - people take for granted how good it feels to feel wind blow through their hair. Wearing the wig builds confidence in some ways and takes away some in another. I am always worried about the way the wind is going to blow it...will someone notice it's a wig and it's so hot on your head ...it put's me in such a bad mood being that hot all the time....taking my dogs for a walk becomes a chore because my entire body gets so hot it's just not enjoyable. I did go back to see the dermatologist, a different one this time and again was sent home with the cortisone - a greasy messy Vaseline like cream. I am supposed to use it night and morning. I use it at night....can't in the morning, my hair would look like a grease slick. Every year my insurance allows me a wig. This year, since I still have a lot of hair on my head I opted for a piece that clips onto my hair and adds a layer of hair over mine. Not very comfortable the clips pull the hair I do have - not going to wear until I absolutely have to...which unfortunately will be soon - just in time for summer :( It's a horrible disease, but it could be worse - that's what I tell myself when I am feeling angry or sad. I have a great, healthy, supportive family - it sounds like you do too. Now back to the question at hand - does cortisone work...no. I don't think it does...not orally, in shots or the lotions...it may delay the inevitable that in my opinion is it.
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I do agree, cortisone delays but it doesn't fix. I am a very sportive woman, I run, rock climb, tramping... and I will never wear my wig for this activities. Do you know how to wear a turbant? It is really nice and you don't have to show your bald head to anyone, it is less itchy and less hot.
I am in the process of getting a new wig which I can go swimming and it is meant to be amazing. It is a vacuum sealed and the hair moves the way you want.
I will post in my blog the results. If science is not fixing our problem, maybe technologies can do!!this is my blog https://alopeciaareataishere.wordpress.com/
and this is my gmail nurium@gmail.comThank you for answering!!
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HI Nuni-
I have a vacuum wig....let me know how you make out...I jumped off the boat and didn't even fully go under and the pressure from the water took the wig right off ;(
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Hi Mary
That is so unusual. Have you talked to your IA about this, as it sounds like there could be an issue with fitting.
I'll friend you and see if I can help.
Rosy
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Ey Mary,
I guess this had to be a bad moment for you. Wigs are not our real hair and we can struggle sometimes with this kind of situations.
I Think Rose Marie said something very important. You don't have to tell everyone that you wear a wig, because it is your choice to keep it to yourself but sometimes can be harmful. In my case, I feel much better when my friends or people around me know my condition. People are really supportive and once you explain about Alopecia, they accept it, and that's it. We all have something.. We are bald, another wear glasses, another person is short... or too tall...
It is all in us. Once we accept ourselves everything is easier.And remember, you are not alone!!
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Hello Mary
Your journey with alopecia sounds challenging (as it just about always is). My daughter has alopecia and I understand the feelings that come with hair coming and going. The hope that this summer you may be able to be just you (no extra's required because of your alopecia), is an exciting prospect. But when it goes the other way it is heartbreaking. My daughters hair comes and goes (She has regrown her hair 5 times in the last 10 years and at the moment heading towards AU once again).
I also understand how difficult it is to be open about this condition as for most it is very private and you may feel that puts you in a very vulnerable position. As you can imagine I've had many conversations with my daughter about her alopecia, her choices around it and the consequences of alopecia and the choices she makes.
When you wear a good wig to tell 'the secret' ( of alopecia) is a choice you make. I feel this is an empowering choice and one that can help people deal very positively with their alopecia. I don't feel you have to tell everyone but to feel confident that you have the ability to pass on why you wear a wig is both educational and helpful for you and those that you come into contact with. To not tell often causes people to become stuck and frustrated with their condition and anything that they do to make it better for themselves, to be reasonably open often helps people to become comfortable with this condition. My heart understands why people keep the secret of their alopecia but my head knows this choice can become more of a burden than the original condition.
While discussing this with my daughter I asked her a couple of questions that helped her understand that 'the secret' (not telling anyone about your alopecia), is often burdensome. I asked her if she met someone and they said they had alopecia would she think less of them...of course the answer was NO! Then I asked if she had a daughter would she encourage her daughter to never talk about her alopecia as it may cause her embarrassment...again she said she wouldn't choose to do that. She began to understand that she had to treat herself with as much kindness and care as she would others. Maybe this will help you. If someone was to notice your hair was a wig, you need to have the words to help yourself feel confident with your answer. Being prepared may help.
During all of my daughters hairloss and regrowth we have never used treatments or medications...alopecia often comes and goes with little input from the medical fraternity.
Good luck with everything.
Rosy
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That is some excellent advice - I have let my alopecia get the better of me. We are up at a campground and have made friends there. We go out on our boat alot while there and I have actually been mad at my husband for inviting people because I have just wanted to relax and not worry about which way the wind was blowing my hair....stupid I know. I would never think less of anyone who had this condition, I would welcome their friendship and encourage them the way you have with your daughter. At the end of the summer last year I did tell some people - that is when I decided to take the wig off and let the hair that was growing grow - the ones I told were very supportive and one of them actually shared a story about someone she works with that has the condition as well. I hope to some day not care so much about what others think...I am slowly starting to be more open about it - it is freeing once I have told another person and another and another. Someone once told me "get over yourself" no one cares and she was right...it's my own lack of confidence that burdens me. Your daughter is lucky to have you, not that my mother is not supportive...she just feels bad that I am constantly going through it...she never really had the encouraging words that you have given in just a short paragraph. Thank you for posting your thoughts...it has giving me a boost to look at this in a new light and to remind me that by sharing my story it may help another. :)
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Gosh, lovely to know I helped a little.
You sound like you are making headway with this. Hang in there.
Rosy
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I too when started with a small bald spot and use topical solutions and recieved the cortisone injections, that was about 5 years ago. I will be 50 this year. It went on for a year or so. then I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to get chemo and radiation, funny I thought that maybe My hair would grow back thicker after it all fell out. today I am totally bald, my hair never did grow back,I have some peach fuzz. I have had my eyebrows tatooed on,I where false eye lashes and a wig (sometimes)but never went back for more shots. I am quite comfortable at work and home with out the wig. I will where it out in public to make other people feel more comfortable. People often think I am still getting the chemo/have cancer.. but I am well. I have no problem talking about it and tell them its not cancer its just alopecia no big deal. I dont have to shave anymore and have a varity of hair styles to choose from that dont need to be washed everyday. Hang in there :)
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