Comment by Clara S. on March 31, 2010 at 8:47pm

Hi Andrea, I was undergoing DCP treatment for 6 months, and it was really itchy on my scalp. Unfortunately, it didn't work like my doctor wanted it too and so he's switched me onto oral steroids (also because my condition had accelerated rapidly). The whole plan is for me to eventually move back to DCP. Basically, I'll go in weekly for treatment, leave it on for as long as I can - the minimum for me was 4 hours and ideally 24 hours. There are times (when they increased the percentage of the chemical) that it would be horribly itchy! And I couldn't last more than 4 hours. Oh and when I started the treatment, I noticed I was shedding more during treatment days, I really felt I lost more of my hair too but it could also be coincidence?? There is no cure for AA anyways so, it could just be that my hair was going to drop anyhow. Usually, as the weeks went by, it would be easier to leave it on longer as I guess my scalp adjusted to it. It is a long treatment though, speaking to the nurses, they say that most people see results in about 6months to 1 year. Of course, everyone is different so i can't say if it'll work for you. As for me, we'll see what my doctor says the next time I see him. Oh and have you met Cindy and Samantha? If you haven't you should because her daughter had great success with SADBE which is similar to DCP. She has posted blogs about her daughter's experience with this. Hopefully she'll read your blog and respond too.

Comment by Seadra on March 31, 2010 at 9:31pm

Hello, I'm sorry you and your son must deal with alopecia...I started with AA when I was 7 and to this day at 33 I am forever grateful that my parents never chose to put me through any medical treatments. I tried topical steroids once in my early teens but of course it didn't work. There is no cure, nor is there any one treatment that works for everyone. Acceptance has been my most valuable healing tool through the years, and the loving unconditional support of my family has been the best medicine :) I wish you well in your journey with your son!

Comment by dawn on April 1, 2010 at 1:56am

hi andrea, I have Alopecia since I was 7. I have steroid, but it made me ill as told by my mother. So my parents stopped and decided to wait for possibly spontaneous regrow, but it didn't happen. Since then, I have so many different kinds of treatment on my scalp, chinese or western, but just the same. Until last year, AA started to affect my eyebrows. At that time, I found DCP treatment.
I am having the treatment for 8 mths now, and getting easier with it. I am using 2% of DCP, and 5% regrow (minoxidil) at the same time. My hair didn't grow until the 7th month, according to a recent study, I would be classified as "fail". Instead of stopping the treatment, my doctor asked me to follow up every 2 weeks to see to progress after a six months course. My hair is growing back slowly, there are still patches with no hair at all. But it's worth to have a try.
For the side effect, I have itch, blister, and even swollen face (just once). the itchness is unbearable at the beginning, and then my doctor gave me some antihistamine to reduce the itchness and let me have a better sleep.
Just some advice, the skin is very delicated after the application of DCP, I used to put on a thin cotton cloth before putting my wig on. Use mild shampoo to wash the scalp. Avoid direct sunlight. And keep it clean and dry. If the itchness is intolerable, ask your doctor to prescribe medication. Other than the scalp, you can use steroid to reduce the ezema. The beginning of the treatment is not easy, even I'm 31 and a nurse, my parents still very worry about me at the beginning.
Take care, and all the best for you and your family.

Comment by Andrea & Ethan Talamantez on April 1, 2010 at 2:22am

thank you all for all of your information.

Comment by Cindy on April 1, 2010 at 4:16pm

Hi Andrea, my daughter Sam does a similar treatment called SADBE. She too started is just as she approached her 6th b-day. It has worked for and she has most of her hair back now. The side effects can be uncomfortable so be sure to let him know what is going to happen and let him know that it is okay if he does not like and wants to stop. The main side effects is the red itchy scalp. I do suggest that when you do this it be down on a Fri so he has the weekend to recover and he can let his head breathe. Cindy

Comment by Gail on April 1, 2010 at 6:10pm

I did DCP for about a year. At first, I had excellent results in about 3 months. Thick regrowth in most of the areas. The side effects are bothersome - extreme itchy the first 2-3 days, sometimes blistering if the solution was too strong or left on too long. This past summer and fall (2009), the regrowth was negligible, even with cortisone shots, oral prednisone, and Rogaine 5%. I was in full acceleration toward AT and it seemed nothing helped. Everyone has different results and different degrees of "success," however, because of your son's age, I would hesitate to use DCP because of the itching. And adult can rationalize the discomfort as something toward a possible good outcome; I'm not sure a 6 year old can do that.
Good luck.

Comment by Flin on September 13, 2010 at 11:24am

Hello everybody...I am doing DCP treatment for 6 months now and I am starting to respond to the treatment slowly. I will be moving now from Europe to the US, to Philadelphia and I am trying to find a doctor who offers this treatment there, in order to continue with it. I am now over a week calling dermatologists and immunologist to find somebody who offers DCP but unfortunatelly can't find anything. They seem not even to have heard about it. Does maybe someone of you know any doctor in the Philadelphia area who does offer DCP? This would be really helpful. I wish you everybody good luck with your treatments. Thanks a lot. Flin

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