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Alopecian families
I finally have a little more time for Alopecia World now that GEMS is done (a girls group I volunteer with). It really is a shame life tends to get hectic from time to time and certain things that are close to your heart take a seat on the back burner. My heart has been filled with passion for so many things as of late and yet I haven't the time to do anything about it. I'd like to get back into hosting alopecia meetings, go on another mission (perhaps leading some youth), go white water rafting, go to seminary school, etc. Everything takes time and money though which doesn't come freely thus my accomplishments will take time and I must continue to be patient.
The reason I'm here today though is because of some interesting information I've learned lately. There are 2 families in my city where in both cases the mothers have alopecia as well as all of their children. I'm quite sure one family has 3 children and the other either has 2 or 4. I know that it was believed at one time that roughly 1 of 5 alopecians were known to have another family member with alopecia - my grandmother apparently had AU as well but two entire families in one city seem quite rare to me. Only 2% of the population have alopecia, this included all types of alopecia. Even more rare are those with AT and AU within that 2% and just as rare are those with alopecian relatives. Do the odds not seems astronomical?
It's strange how things like that happen. When I was on my way home from Guatemala in January when I went on a mission trip, there was another alopecian on the same plane but there was also another set of middle aged identical twins - my friend and her sister who were with us are identical twins also. God works in mysterious ways and not to mention, has a weird sense of humour!
I'm quite sure the one family has all kinds of autoimmune conditions and I don't know about the other but I am sure they were diagnosed with alopecia. What are the odds of this happening? Where is a research scientist when you need one? The scary thing is that the local dermatologist thinks I know more about alopecia than him, is that good for me or bad for him?
It is interesting to see how autoimmune disorders can spread through families though. I can't say I know much about what was before me but all of my children are affected by the sun and preservatives in food. I wonder sometimes if alopecia skips a generation in my family or just happens at random, I may have to wait awhile to figure that one out. Whatever LOL .... these are just my thoughts for today. :p
The reason I'm here today though is because of some interesting information I've learned lately. There are 2 families in my city where in both cases the mothers have alopecia as well as all of their children. I'm quite sure one family has 3 children and the other either has 2 or 4. I know that it was believed at one time that roughly 1 of 5 alopecians were known to have another family member with alopecia - my grandmother apparently had AU as well but two entire families in one city seem quite rare to me. Only 2% of the population have alopecia, this included all types of alopecia. Even more rare are those with AT and AU within that 2% and just as rare are those with alopecian relatives. Do the odds not seems astronomical?
It's strange how things like that happen. When I was on my way home from Guatemala in January when I went on a mission trip, there was another alopecian on the same plane but there was also another set of middle aged identical twins - my friend and her sister who were with us are identical twins also. God works in mysterious ways and not to mention, has a weird sense of humour!
I'm quite sure the one family has all kinds of autoimmune conditions and I don't know about the other but I am sure they were diagnosed with alopecia. What are the odds of this happening? Where is a research scientist when you need one? The scary thing is that the local dermatologist thinks I know more about alopecia than him, is that good for me or bad for him?
It is interesting to see how autoimmune disorders can spread through families though. I can't say I know much about what was before me but all of my children are affected by the sun and preservatives in food. I wonder sometimes if alopecia skips a generation in my family or just happens at random, I may have to wait awhile to figure that one out. Whatever LOL .... these are just my thoughts for today. :p
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Comment by Carol on May 13, 2011 at 5:08pm
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Thanks for your reply Alice. I'm not sure what TE is but hairloss itself is not caused by stress however it does have an impact (eating/sleeping patterns, diet and excersise change and the body become more susceptable to cathing things or changing. Stress can be mental but I've noticed it mostly occurs in people going through physical changes (puberty/menopause, pregnancy, serious illness). I've had alopecia since I was one, I didn't get stressed out or sick ... sometimes stuff just happens and we do the best we can to cope. I know autoimmune things run in families and I believe NAAF's research is showing that this is far more genetic than previously thought. It must be nice at least to know someone else who suffers from the same thing, you are not alone. I didn't meet anyone else with alopecia until I'd had it for a decade or so. Good luck in nailing your FPB though and I don't know what you have left for hair but you can always try to pull it forward under the bandana to give the appearance of having bangs??? Just a thought... take care! :)
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