Comment by Katie C on October 31, 2012 at 5:46am

Hi Tracey, I signed up to this website about 2 years ago, when my hair loss was getting to almost its worst point, about 6 months after I had to start wearing a wig. I am a doctor, and as much as I wanted to go without a wig, it just got to a stage where professionally it was getting difficult. I always enjoyed coming on here when I got a chance, but reality was that I got on with life and just didn't have much time. When I saw your post for hopeful stories, I thought I'd come and share.

It's now been 6 months since I last wore a wig, so its kind of fitting that I'm leaving a post. I had lost 90% of my hair at its worst and both my eyebrows, but for whatever reason, it started to grow back almost a year ago. just sprout here and there bt eventually enough cover for me to put the wigs away. I didn't change anything about my life at all, no special diets, no medical treatment. As we all know, there is no rhyme or reason to this condition. I still have to draw my eyebrow on everymorning, and my hair is by no means back to its previous gorgeous state, there is 1 large patch at my left temple that has never grown back but no one knows unless I tell them. 2 sprouts of hair grew back pure white (I am asian with jet black hair otherwise) but people assume I am far more trendy than I actually am and got those done on purpose as streaks! Last week, I discovered a new patch at the back of my head, but I'm not too bothered. I still tell people all the time about my alopecia, and if I lost all my hair again, I know that I am strong enough to face it. I don't know if its much of a hopeful story, but its my story anyway... Good Luck!

Katie =)

Comment by Blue tulip on October 31, 2012 at 6:37am

Hi Laura

I am going through this at the moment would like to send you a message re" inflammation, prebiotics.

cheers

Blue tulip

Comment by Caroline Prideaux on October 31, 2012 at 7:33am

Hi, I have been a member here for a while but always found it hard to visit as most people (like myself) were here looking for answers which you never really find. Just before my 18th birthday about 1/3 of my hair fell out from my scalp. Needless to say that it wasn't the best 18th birthday present you can have! After countless efforts to find answers by going to see specialists and trying a number of steroids and herbal remedies I had to except it. I managed to get away with just wearing a hat at this point, and I was lucky as I didn't loose any on the top, it snaked round underneath. It then started to regrow and I near enough had a full scalp of hair in time for uni which was perfect. I finally felt confident enough to start dating as well. But then 2 months into uni it all started again. At this point I had just started seeing someone and was terrified by his reaction if I told him, However, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. He accepted it and supported me and I'm still with him now 4 years later. Since that second episode it all grew back again. But then I relapsed very badly. In about 2 months I had lost 95% of the hair on my scalp, all my arm hair, leg hair, eyelashes and some other areas. I had to start wearing a wig and felt very unwomanly without my eyelashes or hair. I did feel very low at this point and thought that this was it, theres no way I can come back from this as they say if you loose more than 50% of your hair your less likely to have regrowth. However, today, after wearing a wig for 2 years, I am happy to say that every single hair has grown back to how it used to be before all this happened. I've had alopecia on and off for 4-5 years, and am now hoping that this is the end. Not having to wear a wig everyday is a lovely feeling, I love the wind in my hair and being able to style it :) There is hope for everyone. I lost practically every hair on my body and have 100% bounced back, without the use of any steroids or herbal remedies. I wish you all the (hopefully) happy ending that I have had. Good luck and fingers crossed for us all!

Comment by Blue tulip on October 31, 2012 at 7:38am

Hi Caroline

So great to hear your story, yes we all want that happy outcome, I look forward to it as well. Thanks for sharing :-)

Comment by Jen on October 31, 2012 at 8:58am

My son has had AA Universalis for 2 years now. He is having some regrowth on his eyebrows but we don't know if it's permanent. However, my dad had AA in spots. His came during a very emotional, stressful time for him and it totally came back. That was 30 years ago and it has not fallen out again...so that's hopeful for anyone with AA! I'd also like to ask if anyone in this thread knows of any NON MEDICAL research ? Personally, I'd like to find a treatment or a natural cure. I am not interested in any drugs or shots for my son.
I know there must be some herb or plant or something that would help and it just hasn't been discovered yet. There are herbs for everything in the wild. I'm hopeful!!!

Comment by Tallgirl on October 31, 2012 at 9:21am

Look up side effects from the above drug mentioned for onset alopecia, abatacept. Scary...especially when combined with herbs. This is why research and testing is so important.

Orencia (Abatacept) Drug Information: Clinical Pharmacology - RxList
www.rxlist.com › ... › orencia (abatacept) side effects drug center
Learn about clinical pharmacology for the drug Orencia (Abatacept). ... The results of the components of the ACR response criteria for Studies III, IV, and SC-I are ...

Precautions and Warnings With Abatacept
pain.emedtv.com/abatacept/precautions-and-warnings-with-abatacept...
You should not take the medication if you are allergic to any components of abatacept. Before starting treatment, tell your healthcare provider if you have chronic ...

Comment by Jen on October 31, 2012 at 9:52am

Kathy I agree. So far I've determined that food /allergens can have an effect. My son had severe reflux and eczema as well. Changing his diet has cleared both those issues and we are now working to get the AA in remission. I believe that he is predisposed but that it CAN be reversed when we find the trigger and change it. I notice when we put him on a diet without gluten his little regrowth improved. Doctors are so prone to saying food /hormones don't matter but like Hippocrates said, " let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
We are very hopeful that it will change one day.

Comment by asdf234 on October 31, 2012 at 10:20am

Since you asked for hopeful stories, here is mine. I started losing hair almost a year ago (January). I shaved my head do to extreme alopecia areata last June. It was the greatest feeling to take control and clear all the old hair away! When I shaved my head, my wigs fit better, stayed in place, and were more comfortable. My hair came back in completely in September.

Now that I am in remission, I pray for others to have strength in dealing with alopecia. I know how difficult it is. I was destroyed by alopecia. I feel like a phoenix, reborn. I learned a lot from this year and I am a better person for it.

Being upset over hairloss is not just vanity. It is not silly. Alopecia challenges the definition of who you are. Hair completely changes what you look like and what anonymous society percieves you to be. If you are upset- your pain is valid and real. You have a right to be upset. We are social creatures and there are few things more painful than social isolation. We humans need each other. In prehistoric society, people were more likely to die if cast out of the clan. Being distressed about hairloss is really a primal fear of being an outcast. That isn't foolish.

ALOPECIA DOESN'T HAVE TO CAUSE SOCIAL ISOLATION- this website is proof of that. Alopecia can show you who really loves you and it gets rid of the people who were a waste of your time in the first place. If you have come to terms with the change and can live life without being hindered by alopecia- you have my great admiration. You have achieved something that you have a right to take pride in. You are wise and strong and a great inspiration!

My hair stopped falling out when I went on the paleo diet, did a candida cleanse, and skin supplement protocol with Shane Haingartner (Wellagainclinic.com). Some of the supplements I am taking support my skin and thyroid health. (Even if you don't test positive for low thyroid, it may still be a factor. It is difficult to diagnose thyroid issues. Now I take kelp supplements as an iodine supplement for my thyroid.) Before, hair was always regrowing in my oldest patches, but new bald patches kept appearing faster than the regrowth. Very discouraging!

I really appreciated working with Shane to develop a plan. It is not much exaggeration to say that I was destroyed by alopecia. It was all I could do to just to keep up with my family and work obligations, let alone revamp my life habits. He was kind, helpful, and made the changes easier. I have had friends who were successful in doing on-line research into candida and paleodiet on their own. They made the diet changes on their own. (They did not have alopecia) They are also feeling better. I think the paleo diet solves a lot of health problems.

I love (my version) of the paleo diet for what it has done for me- it takes relearning how to cook, but you don't have to be hungry, and some recipes are downright yummy. I have had all my hair return now and the extra weight just disappeared. In essense, you avoid insulin-triggering foods (grains, starchy beans, sugar, potatoes) as well as most processed foods. I avoid dairy from cows, substituting it with goat cheese, almond milk and coconut milk. I eat fruit in the morning, when my metabolism is higher. I bake primarily using almond flour. This diet is good for diabetes and asthma too. I have more energy and I am mentally sharper. What is not to love about that?! When I first started it, I was very faithful to the diet. Now that my hair has returned and I have been on it for several months, I do cheat about once or twice a week.

Good luck on your journey.

Comment by Amarie502 on October 31, 2012 at 10:22am

Tracey i also refuse to wave the white....i have been staying on top of this....and for the most part i have seen improvements....my dermotologist gives me steriod shots, and she told me to use rogaine for men...i noticed my hair growing back within 3 months....so i thought i was cured so i left it alone now im losing it again....its something you got to stay on top of.....i think we can beat this...

Comment by Jen on October 31, 2012 at 10:39am

to asdf:
thanks for your story. I didn't start this post but like Tracey I'm always looking for inspiration for my son. Will you tell us what you did for a candida cleanse? did you do the very strict candida diet or just an herbal cleanse? thanks for sharing because as I read your post I remembered that my son with AA is also hypothyroid and I have to make him an aptmnt to discuss options. Thanks Tracey for starting this thread :)

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