Where acceptance is all there is!
Started by NorthCarolinaMama. Last reply by LauraLGiraldo Jul 25. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!I'm a freelance writer working on a story about alopecia. I need to find a dermatologist at major hospital or teaching institution to interview -- any suggestions?I've already reached to physicians at Duke,…Continue
Started by NorthCarolinaMama. Last reply by DragonandFox Jul 22. 11 Replies 0 Likes
Hello!I was wondering if anyone has been tested for food allergies to determine if a particular food is causing inflammation, which in turn could exacerbate FFA. I had the skin test a couple of years ago at an allergy clinic, and it came back…Continue
Started by Leni. Last reply by Lang Bozic May 22. 10 Replies 0 Likes
I am interested in getting a topper but don't know where to go for one. Having one of those weeks when the hair keeps falling and I am not feeling very comfortable. I don't want to spend a lot of money. Thinking of ordering off the internet. Please…Continue
Started by Liz. Last reply by Carol Aug 7, 2025. 11 Replies 1 Like
Hi I don't post on here much so I may well be giving information which you might have been discussing already. Are any of you in the UK going to the Get Ahead of Hairloss event in London at the end of September? It has been organised by Dr Wong who…Continue
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Yippee... my letter came yesterday, I have an appointment with Dr Harries on 22 Feb. Celia, a quick question... on my letter it says I have an appointment with Dr Harries team - did your letter read like that, I just wondered if I am seeing the man himself or one of his colleagues? I live near London so I am going to fly to Manchester and the hospital is 15 miles from the airport so I will take a cab, I considered driving up but don't really fancy such a long drive there. Pam, appreciate your explanation of Actos and the process of why/how we are losing our hair and the PPAR gene.
Hallo everyone. Sorry I havent been on much. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas. I popped to my Gp this morning who says that she'll refer me to Dr Harries so hurrah for that :o)I'm now thinking of having a fringe which I havent had for about 25 years.Hopefully I have enough hair to make one! xx
Actos is actually a diabetic drug that changes the way your body metabolizes carbs. The research is showing that toxic lipids are attacking the sebaceous glands which are located near our hair follicles. The toxic lipids are a byproduct of the way we metabolize. There is a gene called PPAR(g) which is turned off in LPP and FFA patients. The Actos turns the gene back on. Actos is the brand name but the generic name is something like Piglatezone. Actos has been known to cause bladder cancer and heart problems in patients who have taken it for a long time and at high dosages, so doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. My doctors gave me the ok because I would take it for a few months only and at a very low dose. I have been reluctant to comment because I don't want to give people false hope. However, I have noticed a difference in the amount of hair that I have shed. Also my scalp is less bothered. My bad days are when I eat gluten. I was on Doxy for three to 4 months and went off because the specialist I saw didn't think it was going to make a difference. It does have anti-inflammatory properties so derms prescribe it because they want to keep the inflammation down. inflammation is what causes our hair follicle to let go of the hair and eventually scar over to protect itself. Actos has been the only drug that has been shown to stop the hair loss. There is a doctor, Dr. Vera Price, out of the University of San Francisco who has done a lot of research for CARF and they found out about Actos. It is not the "standard" in treatment because there hasn't been enough research.
Another gal on another board says it helped her and she started noticing the difference after being on the drug for about 4 weeks. I am on for a little over 20 days. She says she sees regrowth -- I always thought regrowth was impossible. I will be happy if things don't get worse.
Chris, I think it is. I don't see hair all over the place anymore, the redness is down and itching and burning only occurs if I don't eat right. I am taking 15 mg per day. Let me know what you decide!
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