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Permalink Reply by Lori Van Decker on February 12, 2013 at 12:36pm

Definitely see your dermatologist. It could be Rosacea and you could easily clear that up in its early stages by taking a low dose antibiotic. I take the antibiotic on and off when I get break outs. Rosacea can manifest itself as something that looks a lot like acne...but it is not due to clogged pores or grease. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Crystal on February 14, 2013 at 5:33pm

I thought I was the only one! I have AA and my skin has gotten so bad too. I am trying coconut oil and it has improved my skin and it stops the burning on my scalp, too.

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Permalink Reply by Sheena Tha Cody on February 14, 2013 at 6:27pm

I have been trying castrol oil and olive oil cleansing I saw on Pinterest but it doesn't seam to be helping much its not getting any worse but it's not getting any better either and it's not Rosacea it's little blackheads and white bumps and there all over my cheeks and chin and a cluster under my jaw hardly any on my forehead or my head and I have no burning sensation on my scalp

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Permalink Reply by Becca74 on February 16, 2013 at 8:11pm

I have this same problem! I too never had any issues with my skin until I started with AA. I was diagnosed in 2011 and have now lost all of my hair on my head, my eyebrows are 95% gone and the hair over the rest of my body is thinning or not there either :(

I have tried different cleansers and nothing has worked.

If you find any answers please let me know!

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Permalink Reply by Marie on February 18, 2013 at 11:52pm

I have a similar issue. I never had acne in my life either. Then i get this head rash and end up staggeringly alopeciated months later. Since the hair loss i also break out in oily pimples and blackheads wich are in clusters on my head and face, especially around the ears and jawline. I saw a new doctor recently and he told me its not acne but a systemic fungal infection which probably happened because antibiotics i was taking for a long period of time and the steroid prednisone for asthma had weakened my immune system. So in my case it was the fungus that caused the alopecia areata. Idk if you have the same thing but ask a doctor. I went thru 3 crappy doctors who didnt even look at my head and thought i was pulling it out myself (theres a mental illness for that. which i dont have). And they gave more and more antibiotics just to shut me up i guess. And the more i took that the worse it got. Because what i needed was antifungal not antibiotic. I have a scrip shampoo nizoral 2% which i use twice a week.. But i like natural remedies. What helps so far is extra virgin coconut oil which is like 6 bucks from trader joes. Itz a natural antifungal and antiseptic which is very good for your skin. It tastes and smells good too. Aloe vera reduces redness and dries up the breakout when its flared up. Also i soak my head in a mix of equal parts apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide diluted w water. This helps big time in breaking down the oils and clears the follicles and pores very well. I pour this mixture over my head and scrub it in with my fingers and soak with a towel wrapped for about 15 to 30 min before i shower. Try these and see if it helps you. So far my hair is regrown a lot and the breakouts are decreasing in severity. Hope this may work for you too. Good luck and take care

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Permalink Reply by Jane Lucinda on March 8, 2013 at 2:24am

Marie,
It sounds like you have a doctor that thinks outside the box which is very good. I've been watching a show hosted by Doug Kaufmann and he believes that so much disease is caused by an internal fungus and the many antibiotics that people take, further exacerbates our problems. Deep down inside, I feel that my own autoimmune problems were triggered by this very thing. I hope things go well for you and I am very encouraged by your post.
Thank you for sharing what you've been through

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