Hi Billie,
I have au and it might be easier, since all the hair is gone and I have no options of wondering whether to shave it or not!
It's been 20 years now and things are good. Let me know if I can help.
LeslieAnn

Hi Billie...thanks for the add. Read your profile...sounds like you have a great family!

Billie
Thank you for adding me as a friend as well as your encouraging words! I enjoyed your pictures too! Keep smiling! :)

Hi Billie, It's nice to meet you to. I'm 36 and have been single now for 5 years. I'm finding it very hard to find someone. I think the hair thing scares the guys away. I've tried all the teatments out there, none have done anything for me I gave up on those along time ago.

thanks! You are right, I do feel a kinship here- I can't believe the welcome I have gotten. I am so glad I was told about this site

Thanks for the complement on my wig. I think it looks good and I feel good when I see myself in it. The hard part is dealing with not feeling pretty when I have it off I guess. That will get better with time… I hope. Ken (my husband) was so happy to shave my hair off. He got an evil playful gleam in his eye. He loved it. He is such a good sport when it comes to getting his picture taken. He always acts like me and my sister-in-law (who takes all of the pictures of us) are nuts when we want him to get in this pose or that pose but his picture always comes out good. I like your headband. Is the hair attached to it? I have been looking at one in a wig magazine but have not gotten the nerve to order it.

Interesting how all these sneaky disorders are linked together, huh? I believe Alopecia is genetic and is related to so many other skin disorders and auto immune disorders. My mom's mom and my mom both suffered and suffer from RA. My mom's dad and my mom....both with vitiligo. My dad and I, both have eczema. I really do think they all connect somehow. When I first started to lose my hair, my dermatologist said it was from stress....so my mother went to my elementary school and had a talk with all my teachers and basically asked them not to stress me out :) Funny right?
When I was a baby it took a long time for the hair on my scalp to grow. I looked like a little boy :) I have never had hair on my arms or legs, which I'm okay with. I began to show signs of AA when I was 7. It progressed into AU within a year and then six months or so later....all the hair on my scalp came back....completely!! A few months later it all started to fall back out....I have not had hair since.
My son Ezra is seven months old and while his pediatrician doubts he'll have Alopecia, I worry because he doesn't have very much hair at all!! And, his toenails don't seem to grow!! Is that strange? I think it is....everyone tells me not to worry....but I think it's unusual that after seven months of life....I've never once had to clip one toenail! Plus, the one on his big toe started to look like it stopped growing in the middle and then began a new nail underneath! Again...Doc says chill out....I say....."we'll see...."
He'd be okay to have Alopecia....but of course I don't want him to have to learn to cope....if it were up to me he'd fly through life on a fluffy white cloud of great opportunity and no heartache....not realistic but I am a mommy ya know.
It's nice to meet you.

Hi! I hope you have a great weekend, too!

Hugs,
Mandy

Hi Billie, Thanks for dropping by. I LOVE this site too! It is an inspiration to me and I love to see how well we are all using it. Will you be at the conference? Cheryl

Billie,
Thank you for your welcome. I am sure I am going to love the site as much as you do...once I get the hang of using it correctly.

Hey Billie, thanks for the comment and the friend request. How is your week going so far?

Billie..Thanks for your warm welcome..Thats always nice,to turn on the computer and find a nice welcome...I read your story,and yes,boy can I relate to it..I to was diagnoised with a thyroid problem..Its my understanding that almost every one with AA etc..has a thyroid problem,or lets say its real common..Did you know synthroid only has half of the "juice" your susposed to get..I think its called tsh..I think its the goats thyroid juice that has both tsh's in it..Ive been told its good to have both,as thats what a normal thyroid has..Ive been dealing..(not battling) with AA for 38 years..And yes,it never really gets easy..I love your family pics..You have a great family..Good for you..I find if I can put AA totally out of my mind,instead of the first thought in the morning is AA,my hair starts to grow in better..So thats what I do,of course,and its not my fault,so why should I be embarresed..I didnt choose this,so I didnt do anything wrong..I think thats my best advise for someone new..Its not your fault,so dont hide away..Live your life,and love yourself,and others will also..You know,Ive read many storys about women who were pregnant when there AA started..I wonder whats up with that..And as you know,it usually comes with other autoimmune problems..Ohhh great huh?? LOL.Anwayy,thanks you so much for your kind greeting,and I hope we can stay in touch..It helps to know we not alone..Thanks Billie..Bob : )

Awww thanks so much for the blog comment. :o) I'm feeling much better and actually I'm leaning towards shaving it tomorrow when I go to pick up my wig. Of course still feeling nervous but I feel 100% better about the decision. I just can't bare to watch it slowly all fall out. And really there's no harm in shaving it because I would need to do it regardless - even if it was growing back it would take years to grow out again so might as well get it all to the same length (which is no length). LOL.

Thank you...I just hope I can find the time to enjoy the site... Life is pretty hectic right now...
Kim

If you order a wig on line do you have a wig shop in your area that can trim it for you? Tell me what ones you like and I'll look at them. It's fun to look at new styles. Do you have an average size head or is it pretty small?

Well hello there neighbor, nice to meet you. I checked out your page and you, too, have a beautiful family. My hair did the same thing, starting with AA and then advanced to AT. I was 13 when I first lost my hair, beginning with small, smooth, quarter sized spots. The spots continued to spread until the spots were the majority and the hair was the minority. It was all back by the age of 15. I was lucky at the time, the hairstyle was the shag and mine grew that way automatically. It seemed that my episodes came in a 10 year cycle, around 23 I began loosing my hair again and by 25 it was pretty much gone. I went through all the stages of grief, tried every cure known to man (and then some), then decided to just be and let be. I had eyebrows and eyelashes until 33 (eyebrows) and 43 (eyelashes). I think I was more devastated about my eyelashes than my hair. I had long, thick and naturally curled eyelashes that really set off my eyes and I was angry when they left. I guess it took that to make me realize that I truly am not my hair, that I am what is inside me. I finally had to learn to like me for me, just as I am. I now wear my hair sometimes and sometimes I don't (thus 2 hair or not 2 hair). As you know, the weather is hot at this time so I am not wearing my hair right now. It is good to meet you and I look forward to getting to know you. Your neighbor, Marie

Hi Billie! Thanks for adding me as a friend. Isn't it crazy that some of still have to shave our legs? Your grandson is adorable!!

Hello Billie, Thank you. I'm so happy there is a site where I can chat and relate to others like myself.

Tack(thanks) Billie.

Yes, Stockholm is wonderful in the summers. I will try to visit USA/Canada soon again. It was my first time last week when I visited Louisville. I really liked it. Have you been to a conference before?

Roger.

Hi Billie-
I love your "About me" section. It is so nice to meet others with alopecia and hear their stories. I just became AU in January of this year so I am still trying to figure this all out!
Sarah

It was nice hearing from you Billie. I just have recently been diagonosed with Alopecia and some days I can accept it and other days I have a hard time with the realization that my hair is no longer growing and no one can tell me why. I am otherwise a healthy person so I thank God everyday for that so when I look at it in that way I feel I can deal with it.

Billie,
Thanks so much for the blog comment. :o)

Hugs,
Mandy

Hey Billie. Nice to meet you. If you don't mind me asking... are the head bands you're wearing in your pics to cover hair loss? My hair is thinning in the front, but it's going very slowly. Do you know of anyone who had bald patches with regrowth while still forming new patches and very slow thinning? I really just want to know what to expect in the future with my hair. Thanks

Gosh! I'm such a nerd...Sorry new friends that I did not accept for WEEKS!! I just now figured out how to accept new requests *lol* I'm so awesome...love it!

Have a nice Thursday tomorrow ;)

By the way...that picture of the babies ^^ I love it!! Reminds me of my son :)

Take care!

Hi Billie!! Hope you had a great day!!

Hi Billie. Yeah I guess you could say I'm and outdoorsy person ;) I injured my knee though on that backpacking trip with that the pretty pics on my page are from, so I'm taking a little break and going to an orthopedist lol. But the heat is horrific especially with a wig. I just started wearing one and I still have some hair on my head so its horribly hot! It actually makes me want to shave my had even sooner.

Hope you have an amazing weekend!

Hey!
Thanks for the welcome to Alopecia world!

Hi Billie! Thanks for the welcome:) I apologize for the delay in response:( I have been out of town and then hit the ground running at work as soon as I got back. I appreciate your support and willingness to share with me.

Thanks for checking on me. I'm good. I teach, and I'm ready to go back already.

Billie, thanks for the add. I am sure the weather here and in MS are similar. You probably would not want to be on the beach here until Nov. or Dec. Then it is nice!! Are you getting any affects from Dolly? I sure hope not, you guys got a lifetime of grief from Katrina. Try to stay cool, and keep in touch.

hey billie.. sorry it took so long to write back to you.... i appreciate the positive feedback.. where r u from?

hey billie, thanks for the add! have a beautiful day =)

Thank you. This place is amazing!

Billie, Love your family pics! They are so beautiful. Thank you so much for the encouragement. You sound like a terrific lady with a big, wonderful heart. Your husband is a lucky man.

Hi Billie,
Just leaving some love for ya. Haven't seen you in a while. Just want you to know that I was thinking of you. Your pics are awesome!!!
Love and Hugs,
Dotty

How are you doing Billie? Haven't heard from ya in awhile.

I enjoyed reading your profile. I am intrigued by your comment about RA being an immune disorder and so is alopecia. Has your doctor associated any link between the two conditions? I don't have an official diagnosis, but appear to have Female Pattern Baldness. A bone scan about a year or so ago also showed that I have arthritis although no one told me what kind and my doctor didn't prescribe anything. For now, I just take Motrin for it.

hey fellow mississppian!!

Hi Billie! How are you? Haven't heard from you in awhile.

hey Billie, Thanks for your comments on the methotrexate study. I don't understand how a side effect can be hair loss if it supposed to help you regrow. You say it helped you regrow?

Hi Billie,

Stopped in to say hello.
Hope all is well with you and your family.
All is fantastic on my end.

Jeff

Hi Billie,

All is good here. We had another lovely day with warm sunshine.
I know winter is coming. I gotta dig out my winter wear soon. Guess that means a weekend of basement organizing.

Jeff

Hey Billie. Just taking some time to say hi. Been a while since I hung out @ AW. It's 75 degrees here in the ole dirty south. Hope all is well, enjoy the weekend.

Hi Billie, hope you had a great Christmas....we have lots of snow and ice here in New Brunswick, Canada. Thanks for sharing with me your news about methotrexate and your regrowth. I have been AU for 7 years and have hair growing again! It is really amazing. My head looks like a babys with all this new growth. I have eyelashes coming and the eyebrows are filling in too. I am not liking the rest of the body hair that is coming back! LOL..... but I seem to be in a full remission? I am sort of nervous about getting my hopes up that my AU is over. It came on so suddenly and seems to be ending the same way. My RA is much better since starting the metho. I starting taking 15mg once a week in March, and was increased to 20mg once a week in September. It was only about a week or so after the increase that the hair started growing. It is still a little patchy looking, but new growth filling in those spots as well. Some of the first hairs are between 1-2 inches long already. I am hoping that I will be able to stop wearing my wigs by February. Anyway whatever will be will be.......I had already accepted life as a bald woman....
well I had better get back to work
talk to you soo
Kim

Hey girl! Sorry it took me a while to get back to you...I was so busy through the holidays. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Is this a full head of hair I see on you? OMG girl tell me everything! You look fantastic!

happy birthday!!!

Hello Billie,

Thank you for your beautiful comment on my page! It's been so long since I've signed on - life has swept me away lately, it seems. I do enjoy my two girls, immensely, and Lynnea's alopecia has made me face a lot of my own issues in life and in motherhood. I thank God for them every day. I agree that it seems as though someone hit the fat forward button the moment I gave birth! Thank you for the friend request. I look forward to getting to know you better! I'd better head off to bed. My girls are giving a presentation on alopecia to my 6 year old's class tomorrow morning!! I'm so excited for them!

Janna

lol - fa'S't forward... late night - I shouldn't try to type...