Comment by JeffreySF on August 9, 2018 at 11:03pm

Alopecia in all forms are widely accepted as an autoimmune disease.

Heredity can give you the predisposition of alopecia.

The mechanism or trigger is still unknown. 

Up to date information at www.naaf.org 

BTW I am the first in my family to have alopecia too.

Comment by Tallgirl on August 25, 2018 at 6:31pm

I thought I was the only one in my family, until I located a second cousin on Facebook who said three men on her branch had/have it. Also learned from an aging cousin that Great-Grandpa left a toupee in the family safe when he died in 1920. So, there ya go! I believe it is genetic.

Comment by Pat on September 16, 2018 at 2:54am

I am the only one in my family with alopecia also and grief/trauma was my trigger too or seemed to be. 

Comment by CET1993 on September 18, 2018 at 3:31am

Which everyone in my family, friends , etc.. seem to not mind that I have it. They are all comforting and they say "well atleast you are still healthy, it's only hair , who knows it may all grow back.  " yea that's true , but the people who don't have it dont understand the effect it has on you emotionally, and psychologically.  It makes you feel depressed at times, Angry,It makes you worry about your appearance and makes you afraid to leave home without a hat or shaving. Alopecia isn't the problem, it's all the judgemental people who look at you like your sick and infected with some kind of epidemic.  Or people who think you have cancer and are getting chemo. Which I do not take lightly. Cancer isn't something to be mistaken for. Or joked with. I've lost many of family members to it . It's an awful disease. Alopecia also makes you so paranoid , I remember when I was first diagnosed , I couldn't go to the bathroom without looking in the mirror and constantly searching for other bald spots. Like I said before and I'm not trying to argue or anything.  I do believe that it can be genetic , but I believe for it to be genetic then someone in your family has to have it or have had it as well. I do believe that if autoimmune disease of any kind runs in your family then you are predisposed to autoimmune disease of any kind such as alopecia. However, like I said there isn't anyone else in my family that has an autoimmune disease of any kind. No one has alopecia , thyroiditis, lupus, etc... My belief is that mine was triggered from trauma.  Because if it wasn't and I did somehow inherit it, then why haven't I ever had it before? Why did it suddenly come on when I was 24 years old immediately after a traumatizing incident ? My dermatologist even told me that sometimes trauma can alter your immune system and cause hairloss. Sort of relatable to telogen effluvium which many females experience after hormonal imbalances or stress .There's been other patients that have had the same ordeal. Once they got past the trauma and stress it went away. Who knows.. I'm just hoping and praying that I don't have to be stuck with it forever.  If I knew it would remain confined to my scalp I wouldn't mind as much.  I like how I look with a shaved head , but alopecia is unpredictable so it can affect anywhere where hair growth is active. I can do without hair on my head and even eyelashes if need be, but eyebrows is a no go. I know one thing, If I lose my eyebrows im getting them tattooed on immediately.  If i could only come up with 1500 to 2000 dollars I would go get scalp micropigmentation on my scalp and wouldn't have to worry if all of the hair on my head fell out because you wouldn't be able to notice the difference. Since scalp micropigmentation gives the illusion of a full head of hair. Lol

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