Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on February 18, 2011 at 1:17am

I know - I feel like the ONLY bald woman in Vancouver sometimes - lol!
But....I get approached by a lot of men and women who tell me they have AU - people with wigs & hats on (i almost never wear wigs).
I know a lot more men with AU than women - my next door neighbour has AU (a man) and I am definitely approached more by men than women, probably because men are more comfortable and not as radically affected as women. I mean no slight to you men out there who have AU, but there is more social acceptance for bald men than there is for bald women.
To answer your question, I have spoken to hair stylists who say they have never seen so many cases of AU or AA than they have in the past 5 years, in particular.
I really encourage people to speak out and be counted - the more of us "out" there, the better....

Permalink Reply by Brittany R. on February 18, 2011 at 1:22am

Universalis is the least common form of alopecia.

Permalink Reply by carol on February 18, 2011 at 10:26am

when we did the San Diego alopecia event people came to our booth and would talk in hushed voices and show us their alopecia, so I think it is more out there than we realize people just go to great lengths. to hide baldness, especially women. So I think us gals being out there bald is important, because as a lot of people know it was hidden by men years ago and now every other man is out there and no one thinks twice about it.

Permalink Reply by Melanie on February 21, 2011 at 11:17pm

Hi there,

My son just turned 13 in May 2009 when he started losing his eyelashes and eyebrows. By November 2009 we had to shave his head as there was barely anything left. He has not grown any hair since. He was "officially" diagnosed with AU November 2010, but I knew long before. His scalp did get a bit sun burned last summer and we were all excited because it must have stimulated some hair growth; however, it ended falling out again by October. I only know of three other people in Saskatchewan who have AU. Too bad it wasn't more popular :)

Permalink Reply by Tuesday on February 22, 2011 at 2:06am

I'm curious specifically about statistics, I guess. I recall reading somewhere that 1 percent of the population has alopecia areata - and of that 1 percent - another 1 percent get alopecia universalis. So, the AU is very rare. Again, I can't recall my source of stats - and the last time I researched statistics was 10 years ago. I'm thinking I'll check out the NAAF and see if they have some numbers. I do agree if more people were visible - it would be a more public condition.

Permalink Reply by Martin on March 4, 2011 at 9:43am

I would argue that is less common than the posted statistics. Never met, seen or known anyone else who is the same.

Permalink Reply by Tuesday on March 8, 2011 at 3:14pm

Yeah, Martin, I wonder about those statistics too. When I see someone who is definitely AU, I feel like yelling out, "Oh, hey you - you're from my planet! " It's so rare to see someone like you or I. It's like some private club. We should have secret handshakes. just kidding.

Permalink Reply by carol on March 9, 2011 at 7:10pm

I have a few people in my community who are, 2 men one woman( so that makes 4 of us I know of) that are open about it around here Im sure there are more of us, but women hide it so much that we may never know. And with Men there are so many bald ones, unless you look close sometimes hard to tell, I have approached the ones I thought were and sure enough they are my people. And the women I think are have wigs on so I don't want to blow their cover.

Permalink Reply by Felicia Ann Graham on March 8, 2011 at 6:40pm

I think it is more commonthan we know. People do hide it and with all the new wigs and makeup out there it is easier to hide. I also agree that is important for those of us who do walk around bold to continue doing so. I had a women in her forties aproach me and tell me she had aleopicia as a teen and to this day no one has seen her without a wig. What a way to live. I think that is sad.