Welcome.

Roger.

Hi Brandy ( fellow Mississippian!!) So glad you are here. This is one of the best places I have found so far for anyone who has experienced hair loss in some form. What a great source of information as well as support. I checked out your blogspot-- what a great couple of kids you have there!!!

The headbands that are higher up on my head - yes they are to cover the loss - but I do wear (on my forehead) a black banded wig right now. (soon to buy a short wig for the summer) I have about 85 % loss ( see the pics I posted on my page) with regrowth at the same time right now. Mine has done this over the past 17 years off and on. It is never the same~ hair for 2-3 years then a flare up occurs and no hair for 1-2 years and then regrowth. From what you will read on everyone's pages here there is no consistancey with AA. Some never grow their hair back and some do.
I hope that answers your immediate questions. If you have others - I am sure you will find alot of answers along the way. Also make sure your dermatoligist is aware of all your questions too and research all you can.

Hi Brandy! I saw your post in the Newly Diagnosed group. Unfortunately no one can tell you what will happen next. Alopecia is different for every single person that has it. I was just diagnosed on May 2nd of this year. For a while I could hide my spots by pulling it back in a ponytail. But after a month and a half I lost almost everything on top and on the sides and decided to just shave it off because I could no longer do anything with it. Some small spots seem to be getting new white hairs growing in (it usually grows back white at first and then turns to your normal color). But it's not growing back much really at all except a couple very small spots and new spots keep popping up everyday. So our pattern of loss sounds rather similar. Just remember that the disease is different for everyone and no one can ever tell you exactly what you can expect to have happen. Keep your chin up, sweetie! It will get easier, I promise. Please message me anytime you want to talk!!

Hugs,
Mandy

Hi and welcome Brandy. If you need anyone to talk to feel free to email me. You can email me at theboggs@btconline.net

Hi Brandy, I will share with you my story and the progress with AA. for me it started about 14 months ago, after taking some antibiotics for about 3 weeks, (although my Dr insists that is do to stress) I began to notice significant loss, and the first patch appeared, right on the back of my head, and grew wider as the weeks went by, about the size of a tenis ball.. then in the following months I got new patches, around the crown and the left side by the ear, now out of the 6 patches that I had, most of them being the size of a looney, 3 of them are fully covered by hair, and out of the last 3, two of those are filling up slowly, and the big one on the back of the head, being the first one is closing up very slowly, now the remaining hair still looks weak and damaged, I could say that I have lost almost half of my hair, all through out, and I keep counting every single hair falling out... :) Now, as far as treatment, I had cortisone injections on some of the patches, about 4 times through all this time, and I am not sure if that is what had helped or not, as they also say that in some cases this conditions 'cures' on it's own, so I always tried to stay positive and hope for best, although it's very hard, there hasn't been one single day since this happend to me that I am not worry about my hair.. anyway, I am here if I could be of any help! Good luck!
Good luck!

Hi Brandy!

To answer your question, yes hair is falling but gradual, like all through out, no more patches have developed for at least 4 months, and I can still manage to hide them with my long hair, and aplying make up on the spots, for those lovely windy days... :))) but the density is significantly less, like I said about half of my hair is gone... :(
Are under any type of treatment?

Hugs... Lili

Hi Brandy, I wanted to welcome you to Alopecia World. I can honestly say that we are a great community here and I hope you enjoy the time you spend with us. Cheryl, co-founder

Hi Brandy,
I had alopecia areata for about 10 years, and then developed universalis. I've had that for about 20 years. It's kind of nice not to have to shave my legs! What do you do to disguise the spots? I just wanted to say hello and see how you are doing.
LeslieAnn

Hi Brandy!

Just staying in touch, I hope that you are doing well! I know exactly what you are going through, so feel free to ask me anything, are you under any treatment at this time? I am actually contemplating the idea of getting extensions to deal with the volume, the clip ons so I can only wear them for a special ocassion since I am affraid they will weaken the hair I have left.. Anyway, feel free to contact me anytime you need to talk!

Yes, I have false eyelashes, and use temporary tattoo eyebrows -- I think they look a lot more real than the permanent tattoo ones, and besides, I did that and they faded and turned blue!

Hi Brandy- Wanted to stop by to check in on you to see how you are doing. Are the kids keeping you busy? School should be starting soon-- I'm not sure am ready to let my youngest graduate this year, but he sure is. Have a great day!