Comment by Brandy Snap on March 15, 2010 at 8:38pm

I haven't taken anything yet until I research them some more, and no, I don't have scarring alopecia. Young doc, he has time to experiment on people, I'm fed up and want something that works what won't kill me.

Comment by Chris Jeffer on March 16, 2010 at 1:18pm

Where are you at with your alopecia now, what have you done in the past and have you tried treating it naturally (ie: getting to the source of the problem). I am sucessfully treating mine after 6 years - see my blog www.natural-treatment-for-alopecia.com/chris and feel free to contact me if you want to talk.

Comment by Brandy Snap on March 16, 2010 at 5:00pm

It started with a small coin-sized patch on the side of my head after breaking my wrist and right before my wedding. First came the cortisone injections when there were only patches, then topical solutions, then DCP for the last 14 years. It took a year to all come out, a year to stay out, then it started to come back and yo-yo back & forth with growing back, falling out (I lost count how many times). Last fall I did try Sulphasalazine, but I was somewhat allergic to it (I can only take so many allergy pills). The new doc suggested I go back on DCP. I said it was a form of torture and didn't work. So he suggested the above treatments. I'd like to do the Chinese Medicine, but I can't afford that right now, it's very expensive (in my blog entry). I would really like to do something that will grow my hair & eyelashes back, everywhere else, I don't care. As you may tell, I am getting really ticked off with this whole hairloss crap. It's been 15 years & I've had it. Grow already!!!

Comment by Chris Jeffer on March 16, 2010 at 7:40pm

So whats going on in your life now? Are you working and do you like your job? Have you got children and are you happily married? Believe it or not these things have a great deal to do with hair loss.

I have stopped all of the medical treatment and here is what I have done and the results are amazing.

Diet: Reduce as much processed food as you can in your diet - pop, refined breads, cheeses, deli meats and all of the obvious junk food - baby steps for now - as much as you can. Start to bring in more rice (brown if possible) and whole grain breads, beans and lots of green leafy vegetables (these are the important ones - spinach, kale, broccoli, chard -sautee, steam or bake them). For breakfast - whole grain toast or porridge, lunch should be salads with lots of veg and either chicken, tuna, eggs or whole grain sandwiches with lots of veg and some protein, dinner could be brown rice, salmon and lots of steamed or stir fried veg. Easy on the fats and sugars. Cut down or cut out caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes and fizzy drinks.

Excerise: Try to incorporate something whether it is walking, yoga or stretches, swimming or if you have the stamina and energy something more vigorous for at least 1/2 hour 3 times per week. You want to aim for 1 hour 4-5 times per week and do a variety of different things, but again, just take baby steps and do what you can each day without stressing over it.

Supplements I would get your iron levels, thyroid, vitamin B etc checked out to see if there is any deficiency. Depending where you live you should be taking a vitamin D supplement (the further north you live in the northern hemisphere, the more vitamin D, particularly in the winter). If you are under any stress right now you are going to need extra vitamin C. A seminar that I just attended recommended up to 2000mg 3 times per day (without getting runny stools) but check first with your health care provider.

I know it is expensive, but you might want to treat yourself to acupuncture to get the energy flowing through your body or massage if you are carrying any stress in your body. Both are such wonderful supplements and are so nuturing (and even though you are an adult you still need nurturing).

Behaviour/Relationships I used to live in my head a lot and beat myself up about what I wasn't doing, what I should be saying, and always putting myself down. Try to get a hold of your negative thought patterns and turn them around. This is so important (we are what we believe).

Try to address any addictive patterns you have that are likely to affect your health (they all do).

What is your lifestyle like? Is it balanced between work, family friends. Do you have close relationships and feel supported by those relationships. Is there any 'dead weight' in those relationships that you might have to get rid of - people/things/situations that are sucking your energy away? Have you dealt with your past and forgiven people who have wronged you?

Fulfillment Do you feel happy with your life or would you like it to be more than it is? Is there something missing (besides hair). Make yourself a list of all the things you would like to do or accomplish in your lifetime and set some goals to do some of those things.

Meditation I can't stress this one enough. I am using guided visualizations where I picture myself where I would like to be with my hair and I really imagine all of the feelings that are associated with having my hair back - this has made a big difference to my hair regrowth (I do this visualization at least once a day along with a relaxation visualization at another point in the day).

All of this seems like a lot of work to fit into a busy schedule but the thing is you have to put yourself first. Alopecia is an autoimmune condition where the body is inwardly fighting a battle with itself. If you want to heal it, you need to be kind to yourself, honor your need for good food, time to relax, loving relationships, and balance. Put yourself first and really find value in who you are. After a while you will begin to see your hair grow - I am sure of it.

As I am rereading this, I will make a guided meditation for hair regrowth and upload it on youtube so everyone on this site has access to it - just have to figure out how to do it and I will let you know the link.

I wish you so much luck Brandy, and you are certainly on the right track by just being open minded to healing yourself rather than putting the responsibility on to a doctor (who really doesn't have a solution - he/she is just treating the symptoms). I think so many of us are afraid to hope that their is a solution to the problem and although there is a lot of work involved in turing an illness around, for me it is so worth it. Please let me know how it goes if you decide to make any of these changes or if you have any questions.

Comment by Clara S. on March 17, 2010 at 1:37am

Hi Chris, I love what you've put together especially in regards to behaviour/relationships.

Anyways best of luck to you Brandy in your quest for the right treatment :)

Comment by Chris L on March 17, 2010 at 7:01am

Hi Chris, Brandy and everyone!

Thanks for the support here, I can almost place a cross against each item you list that I don't do or feel.

I am having therapy now for my emotional state, which is costly but is helping me gradually, I will get back to my acupuncture sessions and putting myself first before work.

I had 6 months off before all the alopecia issues and travelled Australia, oh to do something like that now would be fantastic!

I hope you make a decision Brandy, I cannot know how it feels for you having suffered with it for so long, but don't rush it too much at this stage.

Best wishes

Chris L

Comment by Brandy Snap on March 17, 2010 at 7:30pm

So how come nobody will give me any feedback about the treatments I asked about??

Comment by Chris Jeffer on March 17, 2010 at 9:54pm

I haven't tried any of those things that you have mentioned, but maybe you answered your own question when you said you didn't want to try any dangerous treatments. Those are some pretty serious side effects for a treatment that doesn't guarantee results, don't you think?

Comment by Heather on March 17, 2010 at 10:07pm

Chris Jeffrey,
I am very interested in trying what you have posted. I would love for you to post a youtube video.

Brandy:
I think I have tried Topical Solution- Capsaicin when I was a kid. ( I have been dealing with this for 20 years) and im only 24. I remember it working a little but it did burn. I also had the injections, which casued me more stress and pain than anything. I havn't been back to see my dermatologist in 8 years. I may have 5% of my hair left and the rest is fully bald. I wear my wig and thats my way of life. I am so scared of the drugs that doctors tell us to take, and the side effects.
Lets try the natural way together!

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