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Ahousewife 
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Joined: 11/April/2012
Location: UK
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 Topic: Aaarrgghhhh!!
Posted: 24/April/2012 at 2:21pm |
Hi Im new to this so forgive my ignorance. On the morning of 28th March a bald patch appeard, this happened over night because the day before it happened I was at the hairdressers and she never noticed it. Now I have a lot of very large patches that all seem to merge into one but only the top of my head down the side above and behind my ear are affected, but only on the left side of my head. It makes no sence to me. I have noticed that sometimes my hair wil just 'shed' and falls out covering my face.My pillow is not covered with much hair in the mornings but when I wash my hair handfuls come out.I used to wash my hair every day but now only wet it unless im going out, don't really understand what happening the odd thing is that my hair looks so healthy and when I wear a hairband (which covers most of it) ,it seems hard to believe I have Aplocecia at all, Doc gave me some topical steroids but as I rub the cream in strands of hair falls out!. I don't know whats caused the Alopecia..is it stress? or medication that I take? I give up trying to find why this has happend, I have to say I'm scared as to how far this alopecia will go. Anyone feel like this? its driving me insane.  
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Ahousewife
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CBuzz
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Joined: 05/April/2012
Location: Berkshire
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Posted: 24/April/2012 at 5:12pm |
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Hi ahousewife. My situation is very similar to yours. Went to a wedding reception on 30 march and whilst in the loos remember looking in the mirror thinking how good my hair happened to look that night. Couple of days later was just getting ready for work, clipping my hair up as usual and spotted some flesh showing at the back. Was horrified to find a largeish round bald patch. I have also been given some steroid lotion to apply to my scalp each day and like you I have noticed more and more hair shedding each day especially when I wash my hair which I trying not to do too often. I was not stressed at all, in fact life was just ticking along fine, then wham!! I am just at the very beginning of learning how to cope with this and have just purchased a hat in preparation for the inevitable bald spot that can no longer hide. At certain times each day I am doing fine, then suddenly feel so low I just want to cry. I have also become obsessed with looking at women's hair everywhere I go. so yes, I am very scared and uncertain of the future but I guess I will learn to cope whatever the future holds. Take care x
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BeeJay
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Joined: 07/June/2006
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Posted: 24/April/2012 at 7:22pm |
Hi and welcome
First of all washing hair won't make it fall out more... it will do whatever its going to do, regardless of how we treat it. So you can use dyes and products too, if you wish.
This is a very scary condition because it is unpredictable in nature and the Why is not known. What I hear you cry... I'm afraid so, at the moment its just your own feelings as to why, which may be correct, but medically speaking we don't have the answer. This is so very very hard to deal with, because if you know the battle you are fighting, well you can fight it, but when everything is could be, might do, possibly.... its hard to know where to turn.
How alopecia happens for each of us is differfent, this is also part of the condition. It just doesn't have a pattern to it, in where a patch is or how fast, or how large - so don't look to another person and think their example will be yours.
Regardless of the actual hairloss, the emotional roller coaster ride is very similar for all of us. The good news though is that being here so very quickly may help you from falling into difficulties which others have experienced.
Do read round the forum, lots of information here, but remember its not a rounded viewpoint of alopecia, because those who get better have no need to stay.
Remember too, its not automatic to lose all your hair, the differences in the condition are huge, and the condition has the ability to correct itself, without any intervention at all. Regardless, whatever your situation the forum can help.
Best wishes
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BJ
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Ray H
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Joined: 20/November/2007
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Posted: 26/April/2012 at 9:49am |
It is different for all of us. The main thing is to make sure that it does not stop you from enjoying every day. 
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Onwards and upwards.
Shaving my head was liberating!!!!!!!!
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chrisM
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Joined: 05/May/2012
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Posted: 05/May/2012 at 4:46pm |
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Mine started last november with a 10p sized circle which has gradually grown to about 25% of my head. I was/am fit and healthy so this came as a shot out of the blue. The only thing which may be attributable is I tore a major muscle in my calf playing tennis in the preceding April which was quite traumatic, this was immediately followed by a frozen shoulder which is only just showing signs of recovery. I had two steroid injections into my shoulder. I wonder whether any of these injuries triggered the alopecia? Who knows.
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Sweetpea
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Posted: 06/May/2012 at 10:13pm |
Hi folks,
I found a patch back in october which also seemed to appear overnight and got considerably larger very quickly. It too was on one side of my head after the shock of an alopecia diagnosis I found myself constantly thinking about nothing else and having 'hair envy' of everyone around me, although I have always had quite long hair I wouldnt have described myself as being that bothered about it until I started to lose it. I saw a specialist and was offered steroids and injections both of which I declined, I got so much strenght, information and positivity from this site I have felt the need to post this.
I ended up wearing a wig and two months after that decided to shave the whole of my head and attend work and my daily life without any form of wig, scarf etc. I had finally come to terms with what was happening and decided the only reason I was wearing a wig was for others and what they might think. Yes it was daunting but very liberating and suddenly I was able to move on and start to live again. I am writing tonight as since I shaved the hair it has come back very thick, strong and white! in about 95% of my patches I am over the moon of course but still have the thoughts of what if it happens again. I am not suggesting the shaving was the answer not that it has gone forever but I wanted to be able to share a success so that I can maybe give others hope as as BJ says people who move on no longer need this site. I hope this post has achieved what I wanted it to as this site was my life line for many weeks.
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Becca
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tinkerbelle
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Joined: 16/May/2012
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Posted: 18/May/2012 at 11:45pm |
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I first noticed a 10p sized patch of AA in Jan 2011. To say I was devestated would be an understatement. Over the course of the next two months the patch increased in size to that of a golf ball. My GP was fantastic and referred me to a dermatologist who treated me with oral steroids and high dose zinc over the next 6 months, but the patch continued to increase in size. I was fortunate enough to be able to cover the area by clipping my hair up. The dermatologist told me that he could do no more for me and referred me to another dermatologist in London. This guy treated me with steroid injections into the scalp, mometasone and minoxodil and six months on I have a good amount of hair growth! I cannot begin to explain how this has affected my life. I felt like a freak, I could not talk to anybody about what was happening to me, I didnt show anybody my bald patch (not even my husband!), I couldnt sleep and I spent most of my life crying. Eventually after about a year I have spoken to a select few about it. I am still ashamed and blame myself but think that I have turned the corner to a degree ( I am crying as I am writing this). I realise that I am lucky to have some hair growth but I am anxious to see how long it will last for. I dont know if I could cope with this again.
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ItsAllGood
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Joined: 30/May/2012
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Posted: 30/May/2012 at 4:23pm |
Hi folks Looking through many of the threads and consulting my own feelings its easy to see the devastating physical and psychological effects of all types of alopecia. It's difficult, frustrating and makes you feel powerless, depressed and generally  /  but its very important not to let it rule your life and your emotions. It will only affect you as much as you allow it to. You are still you, you still deserve to feel loved and attractive, you just look different. Its easier said than done but you can learn to live with and accept it. As a side note: there's been a few people who've said that using hair products doesn't affect the hair fall. I'm certain this has been the case for them but personally I've found that whenever I use products like mouse/gel/hairspray I lose more hair - this could be because the products I'm using are sticky but it seems they all go that way now, maybe my hair has changed texture or something. Anyhoo I now tend to give them a miss except for special occasions and using a mild hairspray on my fringe. The best thing I've found for my hair is using an argan oil serum and letting it air dry as often as possible (although I tend to resemble Worzel Gummidge) before taking the hairdryer to it because dry hair is stronger so there's less breakage. I hope this has been helpful 
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xAsh x
"It's not about what happens to you in life that defines who you are - it's how you choose to react"
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BeeJay
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Posted: 30/May/2012 at 6:32pm |
Hi and welcome
I do fully agree with your sentiment - it is so important that alopecia doesn't get hold of your soul and take away from your life. Having been to hell and back I'm an advocate of that. But its easy to say and harder to do. And if it were just the alopecia, then I'd say, that's a toughie, but doable. Its all the adds on which make it so very very hard to cope with. Bullying at school, work, verbal and physical assaults, prejudices from the ignorant, social difficulties.
The trouble with this condition, is right when you need the strength, right when you need to kick it aside and just be you.... is the very moment it starts its constant nagging little voice, which it is so good at, and makes you doubt anything and everything. And its hard to fight that wretched voice it has, add in the wider world and it can be a huge struggle.
I think this is where the forum helps so much, because there are hints and tips on how to get through this, how to find yourself again, because we each have every right to be happy and enjoy our lives - and this is from someone who took years to find that out, because there were no forums or any help groups to aid understanding of the emotional games this condition can play. all I can say is if you are in turmoil, it doesn't have to be that way, it can be easier, and you don't have to settle for a 'less than' existence.
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BJ
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