Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ann Wilson on January 12, 2009 at 12:15pm

I developed AU quite suddenly at age 48, although my hair had been thinning gradually for several year which was something I could cope with. I have rather severe asthma and sinus problems which I started getting in my early 20's. I found out recently my immmune system isn't that great. I imagine everything is connected.

Permalink Reply by Helenium on January 12, 2009 at 1:54pm

Hi Marie,
I developed AU after a serious illness 2007. I was very sick for 6 months. It was to hard for my body and my doctor is convinced that was the stress who started my AU. I am 44 years old now.

15 year ago I developed AA after heavy weight loss. When I started eat normally again my hair, lashes and browes regrowed. My bodybalance was back.

Never lose hope. Do things you love. Love yourself bald.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on January 12, 2009 at 3:36pm

Hi Marie,

I developed AU almost 9 years ago at the age of 35. I was told that it was extremely rare to get it so suddenly, so late in life especially since no one in my family had it.

I was pregnant when it happened and I also have severe asthma. Personally, I think it is environmental. I never had it before I moved to the Chicago Suburbs and I've since met several people in my tiny burb with it. There are also a lot of others not far from me with AU.

Hope that helps!
Steph

Permalink Reply by Pat on January 16, 2009 at 7:22am

Hi Marie, I would have said 32 was still young! I developed AU at 38. I've been in various stages since then, currently AU with a little regrowth. I often used to think that alopecia robbed me of my final last years of 'youth' and was quite bitter about it. Now I'm 58 and I'm glad I don't have to keep covering up the grey hair like most of my friends, I just pop on my wig and I'm all set to go. I've had blood work and my thyroid is still okay. I have no idea what caused my alopecia except that I was going through a huge crisis at the time...maybe that was the trigger but who knows? I don't try to figure it out like I once did. I still hate the thought of being bald when I'm old. I look at the pics of people under 50 who still have youthful features and think they look good bald...unfortunately when the deep wrinkles set in I don't think the bald look quite cuts the mustard, thats just my opinion, but then I don't think there's anything graceful about old age.

Permalink Reply by Ann Wilson on February 18, 2009 at 1:24pm

I connected with a lot of things you said, Pat. I've had AU for quite a few years now and am 61. I lost my hair gradually and thought it was just thinning. All of a sudden, all of it was gone. As you said, you give up trying to figure out why. I'm kind of glad it stays gone because if I regrew a little, I'd get my hopes up and it would probably fall out again, plus it doesn't look good. I too like being able to pop my wig on and not have to worry about dying my hair or going to the hairdresser. Is the hot weather hard for you though? I don't feel as though I want do a lot of things I used in the heat. I admire women who will go out with other people bald, but as you said, it doesn't look so good as you get older and you've lost your youthful features. I don't think I could do it anyway. Sometimes too, it's a pain to buy a wig. I do it online now and buy the same one over and over. I've tried other styles but end up returning them. They have the vacuum wigs but they are SO expensive and don't last forever anyway. Does anyone have any suggestions about buying wigs?

Permalink Reply by Gabriel on February 18, 2009 at 11:34am

Well my AU suddenly apperead at the age of 35 that is almost 5 years ago.
I am healthy like anybody else quite even healthier than most men of my age.
In my case the factor that triggered AU it was too much stress I think.
I dont think that the moment in wich AU is triggered has anything to do with the health.Every test I took in my case is normal including thyroid hormone levels.
Try to have a life without stress if you can do that it is what i try to do with mine life now.

Permalink Reply by Dan on March 5, 2009 at 7:13am

I developed AU at age 46 after going through a bad divorce.

Permalink Reply by Felicia Graham on March 5, 2009 at 7:43pm

Yes, I was 34 when i lost all my hair. I had a partial hyterotomy in October and lost my all my hair in March. I was losing hair before that , but I though it was part of normal shedding.My doctor thinks my imune system could have been compramised when I developed bronchitis months before my surgery.

Permalink Reply by Diana on March 7, 2009 at 10:04pm

HI... I am in your boat Marie too! mine came on strong 4 months ago I am 39 - did you ever have anything as a child as far as Alopecia? Do you suffer from anything now like allergies, asthma, psoriasis? I don't honestly agree with the whole stress thing... I have been much more stressed in my life that I was anytime last year ALL year! I personally think it goes just hand in hand with what you have or what is to come and maybe thyroid my levels are off, and I really think hormones too - possibly?? - The body is so strange - when I was pregnant with both my children my psoriasis and asthma gone..... disappeared..... once that was all done back came it all - thats all auto immune related so there is something somewhere that triggers things... which I were a scientist and could give you all the answers! But I have to say as much as it hurts to have this as a woman no eyelashes etc... the part from the neck down is worth it! It is surely amazing how many more people are suffering from this though, it is very common in England.... think I will move there! Take care!

Permalink Reply by Ann Wilson on March 8, 2009 at 9:39am

It's interesting that AU is common in England. It makes you wonder if it's genetically or environmentally related. I don't dwell on my AU most of the time because I've had it several years now. I'm very thankful I don't have another auto immune disease, sometimes deadly, which could affect me in a much greater way.

Permalink Reply by JeffreySF on March 13, 2009 at 12:18pm

I was 43 when I developed AU. All tests were normal. It's been about a year and a half now.

Permalink Reply by Tnabugg on April 2, 2009 at 11:31pm

I had gastric bypass in 2001 and had some hairloss but it stopped and my hair went back to normal very shortly afterwards.

Then in 2006, I started to get bald spots and thought it was related to WLS but found out it wasn't. I found out I had hashimotos. I got steroid injections and then things went back to normal. Then suddenly in Nov 2007 over a weekend all of my hair fell out.

No one seems to know the real reason why.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page