Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by JeffreySF on July 24, 2009 at 11:34pm

Hey Christine,

I use 5% Minoxodil twice daily. Morning and evening. I also spread it across my brows. I believe it to be of some help and no side effects.

Jeffrey

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Permalink Reply by Carol Yuen on July 24, 2009 at 11:35pm

Hi dear~
I started to lose hair in Feb. I have been using minoxdil 5% for 2 months. It really slow down my hair lost. From losing like 400 or 500 hairs a day. I am seeing about 20 hair lost a day. I am also seeing some thin hair regrowth. Although they seem like they are not going to grow too long, but I am not complaining. However, one serious side effect of minoxdil is facial hair growth, I am seeing some serious hair growth on my face and even ears, but that is ok, because hair removal is very easy. Sometimes minoxdil gives me headache, that is why I use it once a day too. The recommend is twice a day. I researched online and seem like there is not much side effect to minoxdil and is relatively safe to use. Minoxdil takes 3 months I heard to see significant difference. I hope this helps you~

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Permalink Reply by Christine on July 25, 2009 at 4:30am

Dear Carol, and Jeffrey,
Thank you so much for the input, it really helps to hear from someone else who is using this also, I also felt that after some research that it was really relatively safe for use. I have not had any headaches Carol, I'm sorry that you have experienced this, I was a bit concerned about the facial hair growth, I guess that's why in general use (not AA) I read they don't product the 5% for women, but I would rather remove hair I don't want than try to cover the places I do want it. lol, I will continue to use it, funny thing Carol, when I first tried it I thought it actually increased my losing, so I stopped, tried it again, and the shed picked up so I panicked and stopped again, but I'm definitely having regrowth. How much hair have you lost, I'm not sure how bad mine will get this time...Thanks again it really helped me feel good about continuing with this. Christine

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Permalink Reply by JeffreySF on July 26, 2009 at 1:32am

I would continue using the minoxidil. It takes 3 months to see effect and must be continued for results....That being said it's not a cure....Grrrrrr

Jeffrey

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Permalink Reply by Sergio on July 26, 2009 at 1:53am

I been using this and cant say i notice any difference,but people get different results

good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Christine on July 26, 2009 at 4:08am

Sergio,
How much loss have you had? I'm AA but I do notice regrowth, and my AA is active right now, I've been using the Minoxidil for several weeks now, and I would like to believe its helping, My AA is still active but may be slowing down some from last week, if my understanding is correct, it doesn't stop the shedding, but helps with the regrowth, I'm very happy to see the growth I'm having right now, even tho more is leaving, one thing Jeffrey said it takes 3 months to see results, could that mean I'm not seeing results of the minoxidil?? I will continue to use it as long as I feel its doing some good. Best of luck to you, sorry you haven't noticed a difference, how long have you been using it? maybe it just needs more time?? Thank you for the reply.
Christine

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ferrie on July 26, 2009 at 6:44pm

Hi Christine,
I added you as my friend, because after reading your post you seem to be experiencing the same frustration as I am and I also noticed that you have used Clobetasol and I saw a specailist for the first time last week and got the confirmation that I have Alopecia Areata and had lost all of my scalp hair, but haven't lost any anywhere else.He told me that I have a 90% chance of getting all my hair back, I asked him how long it would take and he said 4 mths or so. He then prescribed the Clobetasol and told me to rub it in my scalp twice a day, so I started it last Thursday night.I had a little regrowth before I got to see him, black and white hair growing slowly.It took 4 mths to get an appointment to see the specailist, which was very frustrating at the start.Ok, I started using the Clobetasol on Thurday night as I said earlier BUT what frustrating to me is that when I rub this ointment in my head, I lose some of the new hair that is growing back, I'm wondering is this what is suppose to happen or what.Did they tell you anything like that was going to happen when you used it? Just trying to get some answers from other ppl that have been using treatment and what happens when they do.I feel like its a losing battle unless this is normal for this to happen while your hair is growing back.Like you , I am feeling helpless again now, and I agree , the worst part is the not knowing what to do part.Hopefully someone else has experienced the same and we get some answers from them.Thanks.Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Permalink Reply by Christine on July 27, 2009 at 5:04am

Hi Carolyn,
You said that your noticing hair loss when you apply the clobetasol, this is the first time I used it during an active shedding, and when I was using it my hair was still coming out, I stopped using it because it caused my head to break out in pimple kind-of sores and stopped last time because of it. When I first started shedding this time I started the Clobetasol, but I've also begun using minoxidil for the first time. so now I'm using the Minoxidil only, for the first time I'm growing back even while I'm losing, which I've never done before, and they are dark hairs I'm not seeing a lot of the white hairs this time, I wish my hair would knock it off, but I think its slowing down a bit now. I'm so sorry that your having trouble seeing the Derm. I actually haven't been to a Derm. My reg Dr just researched and perscribed the Clobetasol for me, she even offered to do the injections for me if I wanted (I don't) She ran blood work to check for Thyroid problems and such, which were all normal, I think the Dx was pretty straight forward, I knew what I had before I went in. I have lost some eyebrows and lower lashes on one eye, which are coming back now. How are you doing. write back, let me know. ((HUGS)) Christine

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ferrie on July 27, 2009 at 8:14pm

Hi Christine,
Ty so much for your reply, I am not doing very well since yesterday and today I got a big let down again.It wasn't fair, my dermotologist gave me all the hope in the world when I saw him last Thursday, and as I told you I started using the ointment and found that I was shedding the new hair that had started to grow back when I rubbed the Clobetasol in my head.Well , I called the secretary at the Derms office today to see if it was normal for this to happen and I got the shock of my life.When I was there on Thursday he told me that I had a 90% chance of getting all my hair back , I was so excited , he failed to tell me anything else about my condition.But today when I talked to his secretary , he told her to tell me that it was normal to lose some hair and she said that I would always have AA , it will never go away, I was astonished, because he led me to believe that I would get my hair back in 4 mths so I asked her if there was anyway I could get to see him again, she must have asked him and he came on the phone, told me that he didn't know if I would get all my hair back or not and that I would always have this condition and he didn't know whether or not I would totally lose all my body hair as well, he said that there is no test to tell whether or not I would regain my hair for good or even if I would get it all back, and he also said that there is an 80% chance maybe i would today instead of what he said when I saw him last week,I feel so sick about this again,If he had been upfront with me and told me the whole truth about it in the first place I wouldn't be feeling like this today.I feel like I was lifted up and let down again and I feel so lost , I just feel like running away and never coming back.He also told me that he has about 50 patients with no hair at all, and its weird here because there is no support group here and if theres that may ppl here, where are they all, I don't hear of any at all.Must be all in hiding, I would love to have other ppl to talk to in person about this , I'm sure it would help me a lot.I saw that there's a camp in Guelph in a week or so, but I can't make it to this one, but I will surely make it to the next one.Thank you for your reply again and HUGs to you.
Carolyn

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Permalink Reply by JeffreySF on July 27, 2009 at 8:36pm

Hi Carolyn,

I'm sorry you are going through this. Your Derm shoudnt have given you such high hopes as there are no guarantees with alopecia.
Why dont you go to your Derm and tell him you would like to get a support group together. And then he or the secretary could call these 50 patients and ask if they would be interested in something like this.
I know Carol in Guelph and James is close to there too. Look them up on AW

I'm here for you too.

Hugz,

Jeffrey

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ferrie on July 27, 2009 at 9:04pm

Thank you JefferySF, no he shouldn't have given me such high hopes and right now I hate him for it.And yes, if he had that many patients , shouldn't be hard to get a group together should it. I don't believe him for a minute now, after what he did to me.I have Carol added as a friend on here but not James, there are a lot of ppl here and they are what keep me going, reading their stories and getting support from ppl like you and I find most ppl in here are really supportive, but If I only had someone close to talk to in person would be even better, hopefully will find someone soon.Thanks again.Bye for now and keep in touch.

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Permalink Reply by JeffreySF on July 27, 2009 at 10:27pm

Hi Carolyn,

You might want to let the Dr know how you feel. That way his words might be better chosen next time this comes up.
Getting involved with others going through this in person is the best thing you can do for yourself. Make an effort to make this happen. It will change your life. I know from experience. In the meantime we are so lucky to have Alopecia World. to help us through this.

I'm here for any support you need.

Jeffrey

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