Comment by Kat on June 9, 2009 at 11:48pm

I 100% relate. It feels nice to vent. It's crazy the amount of hair I lose too. Recently our washer was so clogged that it had to be called in for repair. I hope your biopsy comes back with good news.

Comment by Jeff W on June 9, 2009 at 11:55pm

Lori,
Unfortunately none of us can predict how long this might go on, but I think you'll find much support in this forum so feel free to vent any time! Aside from the biopsy, have you run other blood tests to check things such as hormone levels and thyroid function? I know how difficult and emotionally distressing this can be, but hang in there, do what you can to get medical diagnostics and treatment, and in the mean time try not to let this deprive you of the joys in your life.
Best Wishes,
Jeff

Comment by Melinda on June 10, 2009 at 3:07pm

I completely understand too. When my hair starts falling out its like a trail of bread crumbs following me everywhere. I'm a very tidy and clean person so finding hairs everywhere drives me insane. I tend to go through phases where it'll fall out for a few days/weeks and then stop for a while. I completely understand that its really upsetting and sometimes you can't believe you still have any hair left looking at how much has come out.
Hope your tests come back ok and that you feel better for venting :-)
Take care, Melinda

Comment by eva on June 10, 2009 at 5:15pm

when i'm in the shower, i try to get the excess hair coming out and then i put in on the shower wall so it won't clog the drain, then i clean it up after each shower... my boyfriend said i should start hair art with my excess hair - i was like, "NOT flippin' funny babe!!!"

i know it's hard baby... chin up and remember there's more to life than your hair! (even though i know better than anyone it's hard to remember that sometimes...) you vent to me anytime you want!

Comment by Joshua on June 10, 2009 at 8:47pm

Normally, hair growth have three to four phases. The anagen (active growing phase), catagen ( involuting/ regressing phase) and telogen (arrested phase) and less notible exogen (shedding phase)

UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. At any time most of the hair (about 90%) is in the anagen phase, a few % in catagen, and about 10% in telogen phase.

The hair on our head have long anagen phase (several years) and short telogen phase ( a few months) while our eyebrows have shorter anagen phase (several months) and longer telogen phase (more than a few months). This explains why our hair in much longer and actively growing on our head while our eyebrows are shorter.

Many studies have related alopecia areata with the hair growth phases/cycle. Many results suggest that the T-lymphocytes have held the hair follicle arrested for a much longer period (abnormal) in the telogen phase, as well as catagen phase (which then is related to exogen...when the hair shed).

So basically, for people like me with alopecia universalis. I have about 80% of the hair on my scalp under abnormally long telogen phase or catagen phase while only a few dozen strands scattered across my head with normal hair growth phases. Thats why I still need to shave my head at least once every two days to keep my head clean.

While we still couldn't predict our hair loss, we still know what is happening to our hair.

You can check more information about what happened to our hair follicle as in alopecia areata at my blog @ http://joshuablogspace.blogspot.com and click onto the alopecia archive/label starting on February 17th ( a series of article about alopecia areata) which I have written a few months earlier.

Hope you'll find it useful and informative.

Take care.

jt

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