hair loss. alopecia. please need advice on hair style

[ikke1978]

Hair loss for almost two years now... It is alopecia areata and diffusa.
My self esteem is ruined, although i can still hide it.. i think.
I lost volume and i don't know what to do.

Any tips or advice?
This is how it looks today... How bad does it look... please be honest, not polite.

I feel my face is way to big to pull this hairstyle...

In small picture it looks oke i guess, but if you click on image.. my large head with little hair is exposed.

[kitekats]

Well, everything looks fine in this picture, I don't see anything wrong with your hair at all, seriously. And others seem normal too, I mean my front hairline with all those baby fine hair doesn't look that brilliant either:p, so you have nothing to worry about:)
If you want to increase thickness oiling helps, and camomile and other herb tea should do fine, avoid SLS and parabens in shampoo, do blue or white clay, or egg yolk hair masks few times a month etc.

[ikke1978]

Well, everything looks fine in this picture, I don't see anything wrong with your hair at all, seriously. And others seem normal too, I mean my front hairline with all those baby fine hair doesn't look that brilliant either:p, so you have nothing to worry about:)
If you want to increase thickness oiling helps, and camomile and other herb tea should do fine, avoid SLS and parabens in shampoo, do blue or white clay hair masks few times a month.

Thanks for you reply...
The thing is: i have balding round spots underneath, that is why the volume is gone (with my self esteem). If the wind blows my hair up... it looks awfull....
I need some miracle to look like my old self again with christmas, but i guess it is wishfull thinking... I lose around 500-600 hairs a day... nightmare...

[kitekats]

If you feel insecure about your hair, simply turn attention of others to your face- do pretty Christmas makeup- try neutral, light foundation,light beige eyeshadow, some mascara and bright red matte lips. This one 1940s style would look good on you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtARHIWeC4U
or thishttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNcXnHJCyc

[woolyleprechaun]

You look lovely! Regarding your 'face being too big'....Dude, you need to see MY face. I have a jawline that makes Desperate Dan weep into his pillow at night ;) Don't let it get you down, you ARE beautiful. Castor oil is amazing for regrowth; I grew back my hairline in the matter of months. I can't say I know how it helps with alopecia areata, but its worth a shot.

[ikke1978]

If you feel insecure about your hair, simply turn attention of others to your face- do pretty Christmas makeup- try neutral, light foundation,light beige eyeshadow, some mascara and bright red matte lips. This one 1940s style would look good on you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtARHIWeC4U
or thishttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNcXnHJCyc

Great advice...thanks... i am normally only a mascara-girl, but i guess i should put more effort into it.

[ikke1978]

You look lovely! Regarding your 'face being too big'....Dude, you need to see MY face. I have a jawline that makes Desperate Dan weep into his pillow at night ;) Don't let it get you down, you ARE beautiful. Castor oil is amazing for regrowth; I grew back my hairline in the matter of months. I can't say I know how it helps with alopecia areata, but its worth a shot.

I never minded my face until my hair loss. I guess less hair means more attention to your face... that's is why suddenly my face seems bigger...
hahaha..

Thanks for the castor oil advice... worth a try

[Agnieszka]

I honestly think that your hair looks normal. I think this hairstyle looks great on you. Your hair doesn't look thin at all.
I came across this article yesterday, not sure if it will be any help but who knows. I suffer with hair thinning (genetic after my parents).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1348097/I-lost-hair--grew-iron-rich-COCKLE-diet.html

[DinaAG]

Minoxidil? have you tried it?

[DinaAG]

try reading that dear i wish it can help http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=causes

[ikke1978]

try reading that dear i wish it can help http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=causes

Thanks for thinking along.

because it is auto-immune (according to derm) there is not really much i can do about it. Minoxodil will not help.

I wish i appreciated my hair more when it was still good...

[Fairlight63]

I feel your pain! (((HUG))) I started taking a high blood pressure med. (metoprolol) for afibulations in Sept. and every time I touch my hair it falls out. When I comb my hair the sink is full of hair. I have been collecting it in container and the amount that I shed in a day is a handful :( I am afraid that I am going to have to cut my tbl hair short, it has gotten so thin. You girls with long beautiful hair better appreciate it .

I think that you look beautiful & I think that hairstyle looks really good on you! Your hair does not look thin at all.

[kitekats]

Maybe try diet that Agnieszka linked following with regular hair masks and oiling for a while, it may help even if not medically than simply to restore the self esteem, and who knows-simple faith that everything is going to be fine can do wonders also:)

[ikke1978]

thanks girls,

I really appreciate all the input

[jacqueline101]

Have you tried Monistat? Its a wonderful friend of mine.

[Purdy Bear]

I have Alopecia Univarlis at the moment - that is nearly total ALL body hair loss. Heres some things that I can think off the top of my head:

Alopecia is more related to Arthritus then Diabetes as first thought and thus they are seeing if the meds for Arthritus will help our condition. It is a genetic disease that runs in familys and can effect both sexes. There are several types of alopecia and yes mine started out as Areata as well. The US is the leader in research but there is a lot of stuff coming out of Europe at the moment.

They have found certain eye treatments have helped eye lash regrowth so they are now doing experiments to find out if it will work on the scalp and in what doesages.

You can have injections straight into the scalp to help the bald patches grow which may help. I never did but it might help you. Rubbing onions or certain aromatherphy treatments on the scalp have had positive results (look up the Aberdeen Infirmery Study - I think it was on here but not sure where now).

Look after the hair you already have, unfortunately it was recommended it doesn't grow beyond shoulder length as the weight of the hair can make the already loose hair fall out.

I found using hot compresses on the scalp help,as did any form relaxation and also diet (have iron, protein, the usual) and massaging gently on the areas of baldness.

Get help now from the dermatologist rather then putting it off, the quicker you see them and get treatment the quicker you may get over it. Some people just have one episode, then it regrows to never resurface while others like myself go on to having full body hair loss.

You will grieve for you hair so don't be surprised by that. I have found getting a hairdressers styling head a great help so I can still do the girl hair thing but on that instead of my own hair.

Be careful getting too cold and too hot as you may find it hard to regulate your body temperature - people often forget this fact and say its only hair, well it's there to do a job - Duh. Any how this means you are more susceptible to the cold or likewise the heat. I found dressing in layers is good plus in the summer carrying a hand held fan or wet cloth is great.

PS: My alopecia isn't as bad as it was before I found this forum. I have some hair regrowth, especially some eyelashes, brows, some scalp hair but nothing much. I live in hope that a cure is found or I go into remission.

[spidermom]

I think that's a very cute style on you. I'm sorry about the hair loss; I know how upset I would be. Perhaps you could invest in a really fun wig and some scarves and hats.

[melusine963]

You hair looks great in that picture, and I think the style really suits you. I honestly can't tell that there's anything wrong at all.

[ikke1978]

Thanks you all,

I kind of feel boyisch with this short haircut. Normally i would tie it in a ponypail. But i can't do that anymore. That is why i had it cut...

Bear, i am sorry you are dealing with universalis... :( You do sound like a strong women. thanks for all the info.

[turtlelover]

I saw something recently called Caboki for hair loss. It looked kind of interesting. http://www.caboki.com I've never known anyone to use it in real life that I know of, but it gets good reviews from a lot of people.

[Sillage]

First off Ikke, I think you look great! There is no way I would have known that you are dealing with alopeica from that pic. Your hair looks totally normal.

Secondly, I don't have any advice to offer but I just wanted to say that both you and Purdy Bear and FairLight are in my thoughts.

[ikke1978]

First off Ikke, I think you look great! There is no way I would have known that you are dealing with alopeica from that pic. Your hair looks totally normal.

Secondly, I don't have any advice to offer but I just wanted to say that both you and Purdy Bear and FairLight are in my thoughts.

Thanks, that is very sweet of you

[Mesmerise]

I haven't had alopecia or anything diagnosed but I do lose a LOT of hair and have had several periods of massive hair shedding over the past few years. As a result I have very stringy ends... and the hair around my hairline is getting noticeably sparse (at least to me... but I do my best to wear my hair in a way that makes it less obvious).

I read the article on the iron rich cockle diet and one thing stood out to me: "Unable to find an iron-rich sugar-free diet specifically to correct hair loss, she devised her own. And within a month she felt velvety patches of hair growth on her head." A few months ago I completely stopped having sugar for several weeks (on a paleo/primal diet) and my hair loss virtually stopped. When I started becoming more lax (getting busy, starting a new job etc. etc.) my hair started falling out again. One thing that occurred to me was the connection to SUGAR. I had read it somewhere else as well (just an offhand comment) that when someone stopped consuming sugar, their hair loss stopped.

So, after the new year I'm going back to being sugar free (hard as I'm a real sweet tooth, but I was using a stevia sweetener earlier and that seemed to satisfy my sweet tooth satisfactorily) and I'm going to see if it has an impact on my hair loss. I'm also going to go back to putting castor oil on my hairline! The only thing is that as I go to CrossFit 4 mornings a week, I can't really use castor oil the night before (I go at 6am so I'm hardly going to wash my hair FIRST and then go work out).

I don't know if it would be effective for someone with an autoimmune condition or not, but I DO believe that a lot of things really respond well to a clean, healthy diet (even stuff the doctors say can't be cured) so it's defintely worthwhile to experiment with things like diet etc. (After all it's better to try and not succeed than to never try and never know).

[urara12]

ikke1978 your hair style looks nice in pic and you are beautiful !

many people who is alopecia areata will grow back hair.
there is famous big hospital( juntendo ) in Japan which has special clinic for hair loss ( esp alopecia areata and
alopecia universalis)

I saw alpecia Areta's people's blog that shows thier hair grow back.
so don't give up hope.
I lost lot of hair about 3 years ago. 250 hair shed in shampoo + more blow dry etc many dermatologist told me that I have SD and my scalp reacting with product's. but also many other derma againest with that I have SD . and they says the much shedding as daily is auto immune . I was so depressed.

went to see TON of Dr and had Ton of Blood test
( hundred blood test for auto immune disorders like rheumatoid group / thyroid, etc etc) to make long story to short.
I have auto immune disorder which my body can't take some vitamin to my body.
so now I am taking them as suppulement and
it's grow back but took 1 year to noticed that my hair gorw back.

[ikke1978]

ikke1978 your hair style looks nice in pic and you are beautiful !

many people who is alopecia areata will grow back hair.
there is famous big hospital( juntendo ) in Japan which has special clinic for hair loss ( esp alopecia areata and
alopecia universalis)

I saw alpecia Areta's people's blog that shows thier hair grow back.
so don't give up hope.
I lost lot of hair about 3 years ago. 250 hair shed in shampoo + more blow dry etc many dermatologist told me that I have SD and my scalp reacting with product's. but also many other derma againest with that I have SD . and they says the much shedding as daily is auto immune . I was so depressed.

went to see TON of Dr and had Ton of Blood test
( hundred blood test for auto immune disorders like rheumatoid group / thyroid, etc etc) to make long story to short.
I have auto immune disorder which my body can't take some vitamin to my body.
so now I am taking them as suppulement and
it's grow back but took 1 year to noticed that my hair gorw back.


Thank you for your reply.
I was wondering: what kind of auto-immune disease do you have? I am waiting for so test results now to check for auto-immune. I know they checked for thyroid and something with heart and muscles... Have to wait three more weeks for the results.. I did my vitamins checked and they were all fine, except copper...

[ikke1978]

I haven't had alopecia or anything diagnosed but I do lose a LOT of hair and have had several periods of massive hair shedding over the past few years. As a result I have very stringy ends... and the hair around my hairline is getting noticeably sparse (at least to me... but I do my best to wear my hair in a way that makes it less obvious).

I read the article on the iron rich cockle diet and one thing stood out to me: "Unable to find an iron-rich sugar-free diet specifically to correct hair loss, she devised her own. And within a month she felt velvety patches of hair growth on her head." A few months ago I completely stopped having sugar for several weeks (on a paleo/primal diet) and my hair loss virtually stopped. When I started becoming more lax (getting busy, starting a new job etc. etc.) my hair started falling out again. One thing that occurred to me was the connection to SUGAR. I had read it somewhere else as well (just an offhand comment) that when someone stopped consuming sugar, their hair loss stopped.

So, after the new year I'm going back to being sugar free (hard as I'm a real sweet tooth, but I was using a stevia sweetener earlier and that seemed to satisfy my sweet tooth satisfactorily) and I'm going to see if it has an impact on my hair loss. I'm also going to go back to putting castor oil on my hairline! The only thing is that as I go to CrossFit 4 mornings a week, I can't really use castor oil the night before (I go at 6am so I'm hardly going to wash my hair FIRST and then go work out).

I don't know if it would be effective for someone with an autoimmune condition or not, but I DO believe that a lot of things really respond well to a clean, healthy diet (even stuff the doctors say can't be cured) so it's defintely worthwhile to experiment with things like diet etc. (After all it's better to try and not succeed than to never try and never know).

Thanks for the advice... I just really love my sugar...hahahha... Only thing left for that is pleasant.... having my chocolate or cookies....

[Fabulosity]

Sorry you're having hair loss, honey. I had terrible hair loss this year, and the doctor couldn't find a cause. I started using minoxidil and it REALLY worked. It took about three months, but the hair loss stopped, and I have a ton of new hair growing in. I'm using the women's version, but other women here have used the men's version with success.

You're photo is adorable - I can't see thinning hair at ALL. Please keep us updated with whatever you try.

[DinaAG]

you are so pretty, hair would need you nt you who need hair ♥♥ really great smile :)

[ikke1978]

thanks, i did the smokey eye make up... Nobody watched the hair...