Total regrowth :)

Alopecia World :) First I would like to say THANK YOU, to every one of you on this site that helped me during this difficult journey! I have wanted to post for awhile now, but I just couldn't find the words! It has been such an emotional journey and although I am hoping it is over, I still have all the fears that it will return :( This is very difficult for me to write because I know some of you have unfortunately lost more hair than I had, but I also want to give some hope too. I have had total regrowth! Woohoo :) For those of you that do not know, I ended up losing about 75-80% of my hair, along with a few small patches periodically of eyebrows and eyelashes :( As I was losing my hair, it was very pinkish on the scalp and extremely itchy! It was coming out in clumps and I was devastated! Luckily for me, I was able to wear baseball caps for awhile because it still looked like I had hair in a ponytail...thank you God for giving me so much hair! I had gone through every test under the sun and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Although all doctors said, it was stress for me that caused the hair loss and then causing even more stress...watching it all fall out! I then switched over to the bandanas after the ballcaps were no longer doing their job. After what seemed like forever, my hair finally slowly started growing back in, but not in the way it fell out! It starting filling in from the outside of all "my circles" in and it came back, very strange! It was very thin, like the hair on a new baby's head, with a lot of it being curly. It was almost clear in color, but then, at about an inch long...all of a sudden the pigment/color would go into the hair! Except for the ones that had become permanently grey lol, but like I would always say...I'll take it any color: brown, grey, purple, blue! I didn't care, as long as there was hair! My hairdresser said it was not a coincidence that I had started using a new shampoo...along with going to see a therapist :) That's probably the best thing I ever did! He said because the shampoo had zinc in it, that helped it jump start it's regrowth! I never did injections because the dermatologist said it was just to rapid for that procedure :( I did do one round of steroids though (early on) and I decided not to do any more after that one though. I completely made up my mind, that if this is the way I am supposed to be, then so be it! Anyways, it could be way worse! But with that being said, I never gave up hope that some day in the distant future, it may come back :) I wish each and every one of you total regrowth also :) Thank you again!!!
Judy

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Permalink Reply by Ericka on April 2, 2014 at 4:35pm

Wow, I am happy for you. I wish it was me.

Permalink Reply by Rose on April 2, 2014 at 7:58pm

lol, me too.

Permalink Reply by Laura on April 2, 2014 at 4:56pm

I am so happy for you its good to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I have been getting injections and I am starting to get a few strings of hair and I am excited about it.. its not noticeable but I can  tell..thanks for sharing your good new I appricate it.. and I will be getting the shampoo..

Permalink Reply by Candace on April 2, 2014 at 7:54pm
Happy! Happy for you! Thank you for sharing!
Permalink Reply by Gail on April 2, 2014 at 7:59pm

Congratulations!  Very happy for you and thanks for sharing your information - and great, great news!!!!

Permalink Reply by Cheri A on April 2, 2014 at 9:02pm

So happy for you Judy!  I too have had almost total hair regrowth using a controversial drug called Cyclosporine.  My hair grew back in just the same way as yours did.  It's so funny how it starts out as baby hairs and matures into grown-up hairs. I just coloured mine since there was a lot of grey!  I wake up every morning feeling like I won the lottery. I sure hope we both get to keep ours. :)

Permalink Reply by Ruthie on April 3, 2014 at 12:52pm

Hi Cheri,

 

Can you tell me how long you have been taking the Cyclosporine.  My derm recommended it, but also gave me the negatives and I am still deciding if it is for me or not.  One of my fears is he said he would only leave me on it for a year at the most and I am not sure about being on that roller coaster ride again if it grows and then falls out again, so just wondering if you're doctor has said the same with a time frame or not of how long you can be on it?

 

Permalink Reply by Cheri A on April 3, 2014 at 8:25pm

Hi Ruthie,

I've been on it for about 6 months.  I'm really happy with the results. I have 3 - 4 small bald spots left. The rest is fully grown beautiful normal hair.  I will be on the medication for a year in total.  My derm said that he's only had one patient lose their hair after going off the meds. He put them back on and they kept their hair after that.  I was really really worried about losing it again too.   I don't think my heart could take it.  My kidneys are monitored every 4 months.  No ill effects yet. No other side effects either - except some mysterious nose hairs!  lol 

Permalink Reply by Ruthie on April 3, 2014 at 9:00pm

Thank you so much for information.  I am so happy for you that it has worked.  I have tried everything else and my derm said to think this one over as it could cause kidney damage, but I would be monitored closely.  I am going on vacation this month so had cancelled my appointment to go back and give him my answer, but you have helped.  Thanks and funnily enough mysterious nose hairs would be appreciated also LOL.

Permalink Reply by Cheri A on April 3, 2014 at 9:18pm

Feel free to send me a friend invite.  I have before and after treatment pics there. :)

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on April 2, 2014 at 9:40pm

Congratulations!  I am always happy to hear when someone has regrowth.  It helps keep it all in perspective…there is always the chance.  Again…so happy for you!

Permalink Reply by Judy on April 2, 2014 at 10:00pm
Hello everyone :) I wanted to try and thank each and every one of you separately, but I ran out of time...sorry! I was shocked at how many of you commented and really appreciate all of the terrific feedback and well wishes. It was so nice of everyone to comment and I so enjoyed reading all of them! I truly hope that the shampoo will also work for you all, but even if it just helps 1-2 that would be great also! I do believe everybody's body is different and many of us have different reasons for why this has happened. I mentioned I saw a therapist and was shocked at everything I had discovered about myself! My friends, family and I always joked about me being a germaphobe. Well that's actually not the case, I actually have a fear of the unknown, yep, try and conquer that one in daily life hahaha. I had to learn and work extremely hard to overcome that issue! I also had to learn that it's ok...not to be in control, especially because life AND my hair loss...is/was SO out of my control! It's almost like this had to happen for me...as a way for me to actually deal with my own issues and really face them head on. Instead of getting all worked up now, I just say to myself: it's out of my control, it's there choice-I can't do anything about it, if this is the way it's supposed to be-then so be it, etc. I don't want you to think that I have given up in anyway, it's just that I have realized I can't run/control anyone's actions...but my own :) It originally all started with the death of my mom :( I had wonderful parents (yes I lost my father also this past Nov)...thank God my hair decided to stick around this time haha! I did notice that I had some light fallout almost immediately after his passing, but I can see that it has grown back now also. I have a lot of inch long hairs around my forehead. This is actually one of the reasons that I decided to wait for posting my update on here. Lol. Didn't want to give hope...just to update that I had now lost it all again! In the beginning, I immediately went to my hairdresser and he said to me, get your nerves under control...and it'll grow back! Of course, I didn't believe him. I was convinced I was possibly dying or at the very least...I was extremely sick! That's when all the stress really came full force! All the questions: what if I die, what about my children and husband (and dad), what is it that is causing this, why is this happening to me, how will I live day to day looking like this? I'm sure like many of you, I cried so many tears! Then after months of therapy, I just let go of it all! Because there was absolutely nothing...I could do about it! It was out of my control. My family and friends loved me, with or without hair and if people have a problem with it, oh well...that's their problem not mine! I began to finally start looking people in the eye again and thinking, this is me, except it or don't! It could have been way worse! One day I had a lovely conversation with a younger lady that was in a wheelchair and thought to myself while "walking" away, I'm sure she would give up her hair any day...to be able to walk again! That's when I truly began living again! What have I been doing with my life, I have 3 beautiful healthy children and the most wonderful husband a girl could ever ask for and I said to myself..no more stressing/obsessing about my hair! It's time to get back to being me, the person my family and friends love...just because I'm me :) If they truly are a friend, they could care less if I have hair! They don't like me, because of that beautiful head of hair I used to have, they love me because we have a good time, we laugh, we just enjoy being with each other! Let's just say before this, I had really become...a Debbie Downer (if you watch SNL) haha. But more importantly, after this, I really knew who my true friends were! Although I will say, I did not hide my condition, I wanted people to know! Not so they would feel sorry for me, but in hopes that someday, this will just be excepted by others! Men lose hair all the time and like my husband, some look even sexier bald! Well, women can still be sexy also...without hair! I truly have seen some of the most beautiful women on this site! My girlfriend had once said "A woman's Strength isn't just about how much she can handle before she breaks. It's also about how much she must handle after she's broken". Wishing each and every one of you, the absolute best :)

PS-My hairdresser said it was learning how to cope with the stress and then the shampoo just jump started the regrowth.

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