I lost my leg, I lost my dream job, I lost my mind, and now I'm losing my hair (not necessarily in that order). In a matter of a few weeks I've gone from having a head of snowy white hair and a full beard to being completely hairless from head to toe, except for my eyelashes. Welcome to the world of Alopecia Areata!
From Wikipedia:
Alopecia areata is a medical condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, usually from the scalp. Because it causes bald spots on the scalp, especially in the first stages, it is sometimes called spot baldness. In 1–2% of cases, the condition can spread to the entire scalp (Alopecia totalis) or to the entire epidermis (Alopecia universalis). Conditions resembling AA, and having a similar cause, occur also in other species.
More after the jump...
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At the beginning of November I was surprised that my Alopecia Areata, previously limited to occasional bald patches on my torso, had expanded with a vengeance and had migrated to my head. Within a week I had major bald patches on my scalp and beard and gaps appearing in my eyebrows. These continued to expand in size until I reached the point when I was tired of (a) the all-around mangeyness setting in and (b) running to the mirror every five minutes to see if it was getting bigger.
During this time I checked back with the website for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) and I found a wonderful community resource for people with various forms of Alopecia called Alopecia World where I was able to get a lot of great advice and read about other Alopecians' experiences. One recurring observation was that finally shaving the head was a relief. So two weeks ago, after making sure my family and friends were forewarned, I jumped in and shaved my head, including the mangey eyebrows.
I haven't shaved my head in over 15 years. My head is smoother than I ever remember, although at least 50% of it has no hair all on it's own. But there's not that dramatic a difference between the "desert" and "forest" areas. Fortunately for me, my hair was almost totally white, so I don't have the five o'clock shadow problem that a lot of guys with Alopecia have on their scalp (think of a spotted cow or a dalmation).
I first noticed some bald spots on my chest around 7 or 8 years ago. When I had health coverage again about 5 years ago, I mentioned this at my annual physical. After checking my lab results for thyroid and other possibilities, the doctor blythely said "well, it's probably just some form of Alopecia". It was kind of left up to me to find out more--I knew what Alopecia was, but there was more to be learned.
Up until now, I dealt with it by taking the clippers to my chest and stomach, so I really didn't know how much the alopecia had progressed. The irony is that I hate body hair and as I was a hairy bear, I had actually used a combination of methods to reduce or eliminate hair in various locations (including the hated back hair). While many of my friends knew of my interest in reducing my hairiness, I told very few about the Alopecia, mostly because I was kind of ignoring it.
I'm now hairless from top to bottom, other than my eyelashes (which I hope will stay). Initially, it was a shock, but now I can't keep my hands off my head. LOL Plus it
doesn't hurt that I look ten years younger! Now that I've dealt with the initial shock, I realize that it's not so bad. Aside from my eyebrows (which I would welcome back at any time--they are actually very useful), I don't really care that I'm smooth as a baby. I estimate that I've now lost 50-70% of my hair, head to toe, depending on the area.
A few days after shaving my head, I attended my first support group a little ways away. There I met almost a dozen other Alopecians and heard Dr. Richard Strick, a noted expert on Alopecia, who was fantastic. This guy knows EVERYTHING there is to know on the subject and I got a brainful of info. Oddly, I was the only man with Alopecia there. The rest were women or kids. It's a lot harder for both groups dealing with appearance and social expectations.
Ironically, I stopped to get take-out from a favorite restaurant one night where I was sure the bald-headed manager was an Alopecian (the lack of eyebrows is a dead giveaway). I had not seen him since my hair on my head started falling out. Sure enough, he does have Alopecia Universalis and many years ago went to Dr. Strick (small world). He was very gracious in chatting with me for a couple of minutes.
It's been a roller coaster, but I'm becoming more and more at ease. I'm grateful to all the folks who have told their stories online--it has been my lifeline as my Alopecia has accelerated so dramatically. When all is said and done, I like the new me, although I'd love to have my eyebrows back and I'm dreading the possibility of losing my eyelashes. I always hated being such a hairy beast and loved having a shaved head when I tried it back in the day, but I had to get past the fact that I chose it back then and now it has been out of my control.
Now I just want it to be done with so I don't have to do so much shaving every day!
UPDATE--It's worth noting that there are a multitude of ways that Alopecia progresses. It's a common expression among Alopecians that "the only predictable thing about Alopecia is it's unpredictable!". It can advance in stages, and even regress. Some places may regrow hair, only to fall out again. The eyelashes may come back after an absence of years.
There are also many ways of dealing with it. Many, especially kids and women, use wigs, scarves, and hats to cover up a bare scalp. Permanent eyebrows are sometimes painted on (they're actually long-lasting, not permanent). Many, including some women, brazen it out and proclaim to the world "I'm a proud bald person". Those of you who have seen me in kilts or shorts with my artificial leg on full display can probably already expect that I'm definitely NOT the covering it up type! I am, however, not opposed to the judicious use of hats for warmth or sun protection.