Please help! Is alopecia contagious?

Hi all,

Quick back story, I am 28 with AU, it started when I was 14 and had progressed to AT at 21. I have been away from this forum for around 2 years now after finally excepting my alopecia was here for good.

Over the last 3 months I have been in a relationship, my longest ever relationship since battling alopecia. The girl I am dating is 25 and has never had any kind of hair loss issues ever, however over the last 3-4 weeks now we have been noticing the horrible early signs of alopecia in her. We wake up with the pillow covered in her long brown hair, the bathroom is covered with her hair, every time she brushes her hair an excessive amount are hairs are left in the brush, something she doesn't recall ever happening, every time i run my hands through her hair an alarming amount falls out into my hands. Last night after coming out of the shower she noticed a considerable thin spot at the side of her hairline, not a bald patch but just very thin. I was very worried so began to examen the rest of her scalp for any bald spots, she has very long thick hair so I couldn't target any bald spots but thats not to say they don't exhist. She has told me that she feels like hair her has been shedding more then usual over the last 4-6 months but never anything that had concerned her until these last couple of weeks.

My question is does anyone have any experience of having a partner developing alopecia in the following months after they have began a relationship?? I have researched extensively and by all accounts alopecia IS NOT contagious! But I find all of this to be too much of a coincidence. I pray to god that this is just excessive shedding and everything will turn out to be fine but the signs remind me soooo much of how my alopecia began. I feel absolutely terrible and it is almost as if I am reliving the onset of alopecia all over again.  

I am writing this post at 5:30 am whilst the girl in question is asleep next to me. This has taken over my life for the last week or so now and I just need some kind of reassurance that everything will be ok. I am not letting her know how worriedI am as I do not want her to worry or stress out. I have reassured her that everything will be fine and it is just regular shedding. Truth is I am worried beyond belief.

Any input will be appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Carl on July 18, 2014 at 8:00am

No way Danny.  It just doesent work like that. There is absolutely no chance that you have passed on alopecia...  If your girlfriends hair is falling out there is another reason for it entirely.

Permalink Reply by amym on July 18, 2014 at 8:05am

From all I know alopecia is not contagioius. But, if she is developing more than normal hair loss she should probably go to the Dr. and get some blood tests done to make sure there isn't something else going on. Many women do shed hair quite a bit during various times of their life due to hormone changes, but have the Dr. check it out to make sure there isn't some underlying thyroid or other issue. Good luck, and try to not stress about it.

Permalink Reply by Shasha on July 18, 2014 at 9:30am

Have you considered the possibility of environmental factors in the area or home where you are living? Various toxins can cause hair loss as well as nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, and other thyroid issues.

Permalink Reply by Jessie on July 18, 2014 at 12:02pm

HI Danny, no I a almost positive it is not contagious. I have had all strands of Alopecia since I was 5. I am now 45, I have been married for 21 years I have two grown children all of them have beautiful hair. I would however recommend your girlfriend get her thyroid tested..this too is an issue I have but truly has nothing to do with Alopecia..but LOTS to do with hair loss. her regular doctor can do blood work..easily treatable..but go soon. :) You did NOT give her alopecia..:)

Permalink Reply by Jean on July 18, 2014 at 12:12pm
I had never even heard of alopecia. I was about 32 years old and my daughter got a new friend at school who had alopecia. Poor little girl was completely bald. She spent the night at our house one night and used my pillow. About 3 weeks later my hair started to fall out. Within a few months the back of my head was totally bald and I had bald spots everywhere. I had never had a problem with hair loss of any kind before. Was very strange. My hair started to grow Back about 6 months later and have not had any loss since. Coincidence? I don't know. Just thought I'd share. Good luck.:-)
Permalink Reply by KFlame on July 18, 2014 at 12:15pm
It is not contagious I've had it all my life but no one I know has it. Family friends etc
I always worry about it being genetic though :( actually puts me off children as I wouldn't want my child to have this.
Permalink Reply by Mark S. Hansen on July 18, 2014 at 4:13pm

Hi. My name is Mark & I live on th east side of MIlw. Your answer, as far as I'm and any doctor I have ever talked to is concerned, the answer is no no no. I'm S, nv Mar, I have never had a girl friend or rel in my whole life & I have had alopecia universalis (no body hair from head to toe) for over 45 yrs. And there is no one in my family history or anyone I have ever known who has gotten it because of me or anyone else. Now, I also have hypothroidism, an under active thyroid gland that I had discovered in 1991 with a simple blood test. And has many many symptoms that mimic or mask normal human problems. One such symtom is thinning hair or hair loss. I have often said that there are probably more pep in the US alone that have this condition, hypo or hyper thyroidsim, and dont know it, than have it and know it and take a medication for it. I have been taking a generic product called Levoxathyrine for about 25 yrs now. Many of my problems assocaited with hypothyriodsim have gone away except my hair loss. That is because my hair loss is from Alopecia not hypothryidism. All you kneed is some simple blood tests. The reason I am telling you this is because one can have thinning hair or hair loss and have hypothroidsim, and not have alopecia, and one can have alopecia and lose hair some or all, and not have hypo or hyper thyroidsim. Your friend or girl friend should go to an Endrocronologist, an internal medicine specialist, and have this checked out. He or she will tell you what the cause and or problem really is. There is no cure for either or these cond's and the only predictability is that its comp unpredictable. But even though I am not a doctor or any kind I am sure that it is not contagious. I know that Hypothryoidsim may be inherited. My mom found she had it years afrer I found I had it. But as far as Alopecia goes I dont bel its inherited or contagious. If you happen to find out anything different please mail me back and let me know. Mark S Hansen Milwaukee WI. (1-414-962-3916)

Permalink Reply by David S on July 18, 2014 at 7:47pm

Not contagious one little bit.  My parents have been around me for over 40 years, and I have been married for 17.  Not a problem.

She is doing the right thing by going to the Doctor to see what is going on.  If it turns out to be alopecia (a big if), then that is one weird coincidence and nothing more.

Permalink Reply by Abby Spoelstra on July 18, 2014 at 8:59pm
It isn't contagious but maybe there is someone in her blood line that had it
Permalink Reply by CandiiP0w3r5 on July 19, 2014 at 8:46am

It's not contagious. My AA was not brought on by stress, but hair loss in general can be. Don't feel guilty, you're not doing this to her. She should go to a dermatologist and get some tests done. It's possible she's had it all along and you were brought together to help her through a hard time.

It's hard for so many people with hair loss because our society has pinpointed beautiful hair and a sleek physic as a must-have. It's important to be healthy of course, so she should go to the doctor. Just reassure her that she's beautiful from her head to her toes. Best wishes.

Permalink Reply by lojeffe on July 19, 2014 at 9:57am

Hi,

 

No alopecia is not contagious. It may run in some families, such as my own for example. Anyone around you that suffers any hair loss or shed has nothing to do with your alopecia. Just as a joke sometimes I make my loved one loose hair by driving him crazy ! Other stressors cause occassional hair loss. I have had alopecia for 30 years. 

Permalink Reply by Rijo Xavier on July 20, 2014 at 12:39am

 Hi Danny,

              Alopecia is not contagious .I have had Alopecia for 12 years now . I live with my family .We even share the same soap and towel .None o them have infected.Good luck and may God bless you.

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