Loss and growth (how I grew it back)

I have had alopecia areata since this February and in this time I have lost all of the hair on my head. I remember at the beginning the smallest dime sized patched being the biggest deal and freaking out. Looking back I realize how lucky I was to have 95% of my hair at the time. I am 18 and this is my first wave of it. I have had an extremely stressful year and attest my initial hair loss to excessive stress. I now have over an inch of hair all over my head and have little to no shedding left. I have two wigs and am truly ecstatic that I am growing hair but at the same time have never been more nervous that I will lose it again. Do people always lose it again? could it just have been a stressful time? will I eventually be bald forever? These questions I think about everyday. I try not to be too happy about my growth but I find it hard.

To be honest I don't know if there is a way to grow back ones hair but This is what I have tried, I have no idea what actually worked if any:

1) I received steroid injections in the beginning and got more than the average. They do hurt a lot but beauty is pain I guess. I got three needles once a week to two weeks alternating. I don't think this worked very well to be honest

2) in the beginning I used 5% minoxidil rogain but then I researched online and found that the belgravia centre offered 10% minoxidil combined with a cream that also increases hair growth. Though I have grown hair on my face my family and I truly think this is what has helped the most.

3) I am also lucky to have started to receive DCP just 5 weeks ago. I do not think that results happen so quickly and have not found my ideal concentration yet but I am hoping that this will help me keep my hair.

4) I found that I have food sensitivities to egg and dairy and have stopped eating them completely. I do not know if this has helped or not.

5) I have started to meditate, I think this might help too.

I am hoping to keep my hair. Is this even a possibility? This is my first blog post. eeeeek!

Views: 1312

Comment by xoxokat on June 24, 2013 at 1:24am
I think meditation might help a lil because I do it some times when I can't sleep and it really helps to relax me.

I also notice I have more hair loss right before my period or during my period. Not sure if any one else notice this or has had this happen?
Comment by tree on June 24, 2013 at 6:48am

I actually havent noticed anything from when I am on my period but I guess that would make sense because it is a time of lower iron. Ya I do it before bed as well.

Comment by Sierra D on June 24, 2013 at 4:20pm

I really hope that you do keep all of your hair this time. I have talked to people who have stories of themselves or others who have lost a patch and it grew back- and they never had a problem again. Also others who lost it all and have more hair than ever now. We can only be hopeful for that :) I had the same feelings when I found the first patch on the back of my head, I was a bawling mess for about 3 days, thinking I had some kind of fatal disease. I freaked out when I still had probably 70% of my hair and was desperate to cover it with a scarf, or anything I could find. Now I realize I could have hid it much longer. Now I truly have to cover my head with a wig. I guess none of us HAS to cover their head, just depends on what level of comfort we have with our hair loss? Anyway, I wish you luck and enjoyed reading your blog. I hope your hair is here to stay!

Comment by Marissa on June 27, 2013 at 10:23pm
xoxokat, I also have more hair loss during and around my period. Normally it's light shedding, but during my period it's so much more. I've recently started loosing eyebrows eyelashes and nose hair, which happens most often a few days before my period begins
Comment by Jean88 on June 28, 2013 at 8:26pm

Last October 2012, I got an IUD, and I stopped having my period because of the IUD, and I am not losing as much hair as I was when I was having my period, so this could be a possibility or one of the factors of why I am not be losing as much hair as I used to, but I am not banking this as the only factor...that Aveda product kind of is working...and I am trying my best to stay away from dairy and wheat...

Comment by Meow on July 5, 2013 at 9:46am

I just noticed my patches a week and a half ago and freaked so I rushed to the doctor who said I have Alopecia and then my husband ask me if maybe the hair care products i used were the cause so I thought "maybe" and I stopped using them and started using the medication from the doctor and bam! I already have growth IT WAS THE WEN HAIR CARE PRODUCTS !!!!!!!! Be warned if you using it.

Comment by Starshine on July 9, 2013 at 2:58pm

Hi Tree. Could you tell me more about the Rogaine from Belgravia? Did you contact them through e-mail and what they charge. I looked into this on-line, but was afraid to contact them.

Comment by tree on July 9, 2013 at 6:47pm
I just contacted them online and filled out the online thing. I think it is 100$ per month but trust me it is so worth it. You take pics of your head and they tell you the best treatment. They then call you and talk about it and uou can call whenever.
Comment by Bald and Fabulous AKA Terri on July 9, 2013 at 9:57pm

I have tired everything you mentioned and at first it worked great. I first started losing my hair when I was 8. Im now 38. When it first started to fall out in was just spots and rogaine was used. Eventually it all felled out and I had to wear a wig. We moved out to the country for during the summer and during this time my hair grew back. For most of my teens and twenties I kept my hair with only experiencing the odd bald patch. It wasnt til my later 20's that the hair loss started to get bad again. At which time I did an increase strength of rogaine and steroid injections. It started to grow back but also more areas started to fall out. It turned into a 10 year battle which I did more injections (sometimes up to 30+ injections) every 6 wks. Doing DCP which burnt my scalp and left nasty painful blisters, to acupuncture, to pills, to lotions, to PUVA treatments. In the end I could no longer torture myself with the pain and heart ache of what was happening to my hair. I stopped all treatments and the alopecia took over. I have been bald for nearly 3 years, and I am happier than I have been in a long time. It took awhile to adjust but the happiness did come.
I wish you luck with your treatments but please remember that alopecia is only predictable but its unpredictability

Comment by Starshine on July 10, 2013 at 8:12am
Thanks Tree. Did they say if you will always have to use the rogaine?

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