Comment by Tony on July 10, 2008 at 6:35am

Wow, short of the med list, it's like looking in a mirror. Beard, eyebrows, head and some other patches. At first I thought the neck rash was razor burn from the head shave but it should have been gone after five weeks. Still not sure what's up with that.

It is my understanding that stress doesn't cause alopecia...it may be the straw that breaks the proverbial camels back but not the root cause. BTW, I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV so the last statement is strickly a personal opinion for whatever that's worth.

Comment by Mandy on July 10, 2008 at 8:37am

I don't think alopecia would be caused by medications. As Tony said, I believe stress doesn't cause it either...just kinda sets it off. Maybe the medication could be a trigger like that, too. Yes, alopecia does "just happen" because they don't know the actual cause or why it affects certain people. And yes, it may resolve itself over time. Some people the hair just grows back and some it doesn't.

Comment by Tony on July 10, 2008 at 12:48pm

Just out of curiosity, I checked on the adverse effects of Prozac:
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/fluoxetine_ad.htm

Alopecia as listed as infrequent (1/100 to 1/1000) so the doc has some data to back up his/her comments. Look up toxic alopecia to find out more.

Comment by kastababy on July 10, 2008 at 9:09pm

Okay, everyone, let's get something straight here:

Hair loss can be a side effect of certain medications. However, that hair loss usually resolves itself when the medication is either adjusted or stopped. Alopecia is not caused by stress, emotional trauma, hair coloring, perming your hair, hanging around someone who has it, or any of the other old wives' tales or just shining examples of ignorance that abound (even within the medical community). Alopecia is your body's immune system turning on itself and attacking your hair. Stress can accelerate hair loss, but it's never the root cause of alopecia. If that were the case I would never ever have hair anywhere on my body a day in my life!!

Alopecia just happens. There is no rhyme or reason to it, it just happens. It goes away in some people; in some people it never goes away. That is the reality of alopecia, and I wish more doctors would be up front with their patients and let them know what the reality of alopecia is before immediately switching hats and becoming snake-oil salesmen.

Comment by Pam on July 11, 2008 at 9:10pm

I think that AA is just something that happens. Your body is in sync and somthing just triggers the episodes. I was at the Cleveland clinic last year and they are no closer to finding out what triggers it or to a cure. I have had the interlesional injections which worked sometime and then got to the point it was not helping. I ended up stopping all treatment and embrassing the experience.

Comment by Pam on July 11, 2008 at 9:11pm

Good Luck, If you ever need anything I will be here for you or anyone else needing support.

Comment by Lori D. on July 14, 2008 at 8:19am

Alopecia is an auto-immune disease. Auto immune diseases are genetic (hereditary) in nature. These diseases often manifest themselves differently within the same family. (Usually someone else in ones family has an auto-immune disease, but it may be a different one.) Example: my grandmother had type 1 Diabetes; (auto-immune). There are triggers; (which are separate from causes...)...including physical illness, emotional trauma, hormonal changes, etc. What causes alopecia..no one knows but genetics most likely does play some role as it is an auto-immune disease. Just what I've learned....

Comment by Lori D. on July 14, 2008 at 8:22am

I forgot to mention that Wellbutrin can cause rashes...I was on it for a few weeks and turned into one huge rash-fest!

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