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Losing my hair and eyelashes...
Since around June 2008 I've been losing lots of my scalp hair, and now my eyelashes and eyebrows too. At the moment I don't look any different, except maybe my fringe is a bit thinner than it was a year ago and I have less eyelashes, but I'm scared that soon I will be totally bald and eyelashless :/ If theres anything I'm worried about its the eyelashes, I don't care about conforming to society by having hair, but I feel that my face looks less attractive without eyelashes. I feel that my teenage life has been so orientated around looks, appearance and vanity that I don't know how I will cope if I lose all my hair...
I went to the doctors in around July because I was losing so much hair in the shower (still am), and my hair has become really dry and knotty, I have to use loads of conditioner, before I never had to use any. But the doctors just said they could only give me a thyroid test, which I didn't bother having because I've had so many blood tests in the recent years that I'm sick of the doctors fobbing me off with them. Anyway, I sorta thought (well I didn't, but my mum kept telling me) that the hair loss would stop, but its only got worse and now I'm losing eyelashes too. The doctor said the alopecia was probably due to stress cause the hair loss started just after I finished my important exams, which made sense, but I've heard that stress can start of long-term alopecia as well as short-term. I feel like I've done so much meaningless research into alopecia, and I feel like such an idiot for just sitting here and letting my hair all fall out, I feel like I should be doing something to stop it. But what can be done? Alopecia seems like one of those hopeless diseases' which are under-researched, the doctors know as much about it as me.
Well this is probably the wrong place to come for advice since i'm not even sure if I have alopecia, it could be a thyroid problem or anemia or something. But the only place I can go is the doctors and I feel that I'll just end up going on a long-winded road of painful blood tests and scans, which I don't want to go on....
Sorry I sound so depressed, I just feel like if I lost my eyelashes and hair my life would basically be over as I get self-concious enough as it is WITH hair.
I went to the doctors in around July because I was losing so much hair in the shower (still am), and my hair has become really dry and knotty, I have to use loads of conditioner, before I never had to use any. But the doctors just said they could only give me a thyroid test, which I didn't bother having because I've had so many blood tests in the recent years that I'm sick of the doctors fobbing me off with them. Anyway, I sorta thought (well I didn't, but my mum kept telling me) that the hair loss would stop, but its only got worse and now I'm losing eyelashes too. The doctor said the alopecia was probably due to stress cause the hair loss started just after I finished my important exams, which made sense, but I've heard that stress can start of long-term alopecia as well as short-term. I feel like I've done so much meaningless research into alopecia, and I feel like such an idiot for just sitting here and letting my hair all fall out, I feel like I should be doing something to stop it. But what can be done? Alopecia seems like one of those hopeless diseases' which are under-researched, the doctors know as much about it as me.
Well this is probably the wrong place to come for advice since i'm not even sure if I have alopecia, it could be a thyroid problem or anemia or something. But the only place I can go is the doctors and I feel that I'll just end up going on a long-winded road of painful blood tests and scans, which I don't want to go on....
Sorry I sound so depressed, I just feel like if I lost my eyelashes and hair my life would basically be over as I get self-concious enough as it is WITH hair.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skye on
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Hello Zoe,
I think you are right. 4 years ago they (Dr's said there was a cure 1 year away at the AA conference ...I am still bald so I guess not. I know how you feel.I was really messed up behind my hair but when my lashes and brows were leaving I thought I would go round the bend...Until I simply decided to take charge to continue looking a little bit like the old me.
I personally didn't want permanant tattooed brows, I went to temporay ones, they were the best choice I could have made.I was drawing for a while and that sucked and I couldn't work out so I continue to wear these brows very happily. I learned how to use fake lashes but alot I just put on liner.Over the past 2 year my lashe,s brows, and a tiny bit of hair came back .I love having some lashes and brows but I never gave up my temp.brows just put my brows over them because they were so scant any way,sometimes I would shave the extra brow away I was so use to my look over the past 5-6 years with the brows.when my lashes came back I went right out and got extentions and loved them but...they aren't to good for the lashes.
Then my regrowth stopped and my little bit of growth left. I still have a few lashes(I stopped extensions for the obvious reasons) I don't hope or pray for haie anymore but if it comes back that will be okay.My hair piece looks so good no one can tell and I never really share.I am just not that comfortable with other knowing.. I am happy though and it's not to emptional to me any longer. I hope you will move to exceptance and happiness intime.it does take time.
Personally your docs sound like they don't know but yhour symptoms are just like mine were befor I went bald then AU a tear later....I think most Dr's don't really care.My Dr. said to me "well your going to be bald ..It's just hair your are very healthy".....
As for your feeling of wasting ..No you haven't wasted your time you need to know the whole story.to move pass it and cope how ever you can. Take time for yourself it gets better if you want it to.Time is a great healer. Only you can determine the depth of your life....Time .Time Time
Talking really helped me alot..it still does.It's nice to talk to people like me.I never really share alot with my family any more because i look so good they can't see me complaining or anything. I think AA is a disease mostly of the head..our hair falls out in a few traumatic months but we work with dealing with it in our head for years and it never really leaves..Ask the mirror. So we have to learn to put it some place so we can be productive and happy..a little happy at least.
Best to you
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Permalink Reply by kastababy on
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First -- you are not an idiot, so don't say that you are.
Second -- I can understand your hesitancy to not want to have the thyroid test done -- I've had so many needles pushed in me and been poked and prodded for so many years that I don't like having it done either. However, the thyroid test is a very important test to have done. Since I grew up with AA from the age of 4, the thyroid test was done regularly -- and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 23. Hair loss is a common symptom of thyroid problems, so don't discount it.
As far as eyelashes are concerned -- I promise you, not having any eyelashes will turn out to be less of a deal than you think. I was 17 when I lost my eyelashes, and I just celebrated my 30th birthday yesterday -- all without eyelashes! I'm just like you -- I've been researching alopecia for years, and haven't really learned anything new that I didn't already know 20 years ago, but I still hold out the hope that something new will come along and help me and other alopecians like me. I was bothered quite a bit too when I first lost my eyelashes, but eventually I got used to it. Over the years, what has become apparent is that people really don't notice if your eyelashes are gone, especially if like me, you wear eye makeup -- the colors of the eye shadow and eyeliner distract from the fact that they're gone. My boyfriend has never seen me with eyelashes (we've been together for 5 years) and he honestly doesn't want me to have them -- he says that after seeing me once with fakes, it would look too weird. Go figure.
I don't want to minimize or negate what you are feeling in any way -- but time and age have a way of helping to see things from a totally different perspective. I know at your age how important my looks were, but it was even more important to talk things over with someone and share the experience as a whole. I personally want you to know that you did the right thing by coming to your Alopecia World family and sharing what you're feeling -- we have all each and every one of us been through the same thing at one point in time or another. We are here for you no matter what, and we all are praying with you and for you that you receive peace and comfort through this trial in your life. No matter what your final diagnosis turns out to be, you are special and beloved here!
Please keep us updated on your progress -- and I hope my words have helped you somehow!
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Permalink Reply by kristin on
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hey Zoe,
I hear you! My hair loss started about the same time as yours and I am currently loosing my eyebrows. It is really tough. Often I feel as though I don't have anyone near me who understands. One thing that has helped me Zoe is knowing that I, me as a person am the same. WHen I am not looking in the mirror, everything about me is the same. You are a constant. For now we have to focus on our inner selves. I believe soon, it will be expressed outwardly, but it may take some time. Keep on.
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Permalink Reply by Calvin on
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I guess you are facing with Alopecia Universalis, a severe form of Alopecia Areata, it's caused by an autoimmune response to your body and it's kind of hard to cure. I am not sure that stress related hair loss can trigger such a dramatic problem but it's best to ask your doctor to diagnose your condition according. All the best to you and I hope that you can recover from your condition.
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Permalink Reply by sarah bradley on
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i am in exactly the same boat. my name is Sarah and i am only 15 years of age. i have alapecia and have almost lost all of my hair.
it started in November 7th 2008, with a very small round bold patch. as the months went on i lost more and more... it all seemed to come out in big chunks in the shower and in the pool. i soon lost all my leg, arm, under arm and some of my eyelashes and eyebrows. i had long blond hair that was almost down to my but, but i decided to cut it all off because it was SO thin that it just looked like i was a hobo that had never had a hair cut, so i cut it sort, but not to short i couldn't put it up. it is now the 4th of august 2009 and i have almost no hair. every morning i get up and spend up to an hour in the bathroom doing my hair so it would be covered for school but it never works. i go to school feeling disgusted and extremely embarrassed and am always conscious of people looking at my head. it has gotten to the point that i have now organized myself into buying a wig (that looks like real hair). i know exactly what you are going through and just wanted to let you know that your not alone and your friends and family should understand that pain that alapecia brings to people. after all, we are special people (only 0.2% of the population have alapecia). try not to be stressed about it and just let it fall out because the more you worry about it, the more stressed you get. there are always solutions to every thing, like buying fake eyelashes and glue on eyebrows. ( i know it sounds silly but they all look real)
so just be happy and live life to the MAXX! =)
i hope that i helped you, please note that you are not alone and i totally understand EVERYTHING you are going through.
thanx Sarah
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