Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Christa M. on June 9, 2012 at 4:03pm

With alopecia all is possible. Loss, regrowth, loss, regrowth first white then colored, first white then loss again. It seems as unique as every one on this website...but it mustn't stop our pleasure and happyness... it's just hair that will not any more fall into our soup or clog up the basin, lol...

Permalink Reply by Louis on June 9, 2012 at 7:26pm

Thanks Christa....
That's kind of the answer I expected to hear. From reading a lot about the condition and other's experiences it seems that there truly is NO method to the mayhem. Like you said, each case seems to be unique to the specific person. I guess that's what makes it so frustrating, the unpredictability and lack of information about it's cause. Thanks for sharing, I enjoy hearing others opinions and thoughts on the topic. I guess I'll be joining Sam's Club and buying razors in bulk, lol!

Permalink Reply by Ypsimama on June 15, 2012 at 12:31pm

Hi Louis,
I've had AA for almost 10 years. In terms of the blonde hairs, mine did not fall out, but other hairs would start growing and they'd all have the blonde tips from where it came in first. Looked a bit funny, but I was grateful to have hair.

My AA has gone in stages, and fortunately I've been able to mostly conceal it. I've had a full regrowth ever since I had a food sensitivity test and eliminated all of the foods that I was sensitive to - lemon, wheat, yeast, watermelon, asparagus, tomatoes, COFFEE, cane sugar - you name it, super weird. But it has worked and I feel so much better overall.

Hope this helps!

Permalink Reply by Louis on June 15, 2012 at 3:15pm

Ypsimama,
thanks for the reply and the info....I am very interested in the dietary aspect of treating alopecia. While researching on the internet I have seen stories of success and other cases where people didn't seem to see results. I'm kind of on the fence about it...thanks for sharing your experience! it gives me hope and I think I am going to do more research on the subject. What does food sensitivity test consist of and is this simalair to a gluten free diet, did you try the Gluten free first?

Permalink Reply by Ypsimama on June 15, 2012 at 5:24pm

Hey Louis,
I was pseudo-adherent to the gluten-free diet for years, but not with any regularity. The place where I got my food sensitivity test through was www.foodallergy.com. A local dr's office where I live (very progressive place) took a few vials of blood and then sent it to this lab. The website can explain it far better than I could, but it took about a month and then I was given my results, along with a book of all the foods I could eat. My worst sensitivity was actually coffee, which I was virtually living on, the other was wheat/gluten. There were also a number of foods on there that I never would've considered: tomatoes, mushrooms, watermelon, lemon, soy, black tea and a number of others. Once I cut those out I began to experience full regrowth and started going back to my dermatologist for steroid shot "boosts." It worked for me and has done ever since. Finger's crossed!!!

I found that the typical doctor knows very little about this and will hardly entertain this theory. This is the second time I've experienced full regrowth after eliminating foods - the first time was in my early twenties when I eliminated wheat, rice, potatoes, caffeine, dairy, and sugar. The test in my early thirties was much better b/c I knew exactly what foods to avoid.

I was tested for hormone abnormalities, thyroid function, and even the autoimmune marker (ANA) and all tests were negative. The only thing remaining for me was food. I do take some supplements: C with MSM, biotin, D3, and vitamin b complex. I also avoid most processed foods and try to eat organic when I can.

Sorry for the overload of info, but this is what has worked for me. For the first time in almost 10 years I have a full head of hair and no active spots.