Mayalopecia's Story

mayalopecia

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Hi there,

I was blessed (cursed?) with a head of hair that had no equal. Prior to my shedding, I had hair like Chaka Khan, like Diana Ross, like Rae Dawn Chong. Thick and curly and long.

In July of 2002, I noticed that I was losing a lot of hair in the shower. A significant amount, on the order of 200-300 hairs. This continued for about 6 weeks, when I finally went to see a dermatologist.

The first derm ignored my concerns, diagnosed telogen effluvium, and sent me packing. I wasn't satisfied with this diagnosis, but I did have a ridiculous amount of hair, so I didn't worry too much. Besides, both he and my GP surmised that the hair would return to normal in about six months.

Fastforward to January 2003. I got my hair cut and straightened. And I freaked out. My diffuse thinning was worse than I'd realized. This sent me into a spiral of depression. I started to look for wigs, because I was certain I was going to be bald by June. I also started researching hair loss heavily, looking for treatments.

I was reluctant to do so, but I began using minoxidil in February. In March, I found a new dermatologist. My hormone bloodwork had already been done, and I knew my androgens were high. My dermatologist diagnosed Androgenetic Alopecia, and shedding due to vegetarianism/anemia. She prescribed 100mgs spironolactone for the hormones, and florisene, as my ferritin level was 12.

So here I am, 8 months later. I've been using minoxidil 5%, taking 100-200mgs spironolactone daily, iron and other supplements. My hair has stopped shedding profusely, but I've not seen any believable regrowth.

Emotionally, hair loss has been a rollercoaster for me, but in the past several months, I have grown more accepting of my condition. I hope I can help people here determine the causes of their hair loss and help provide support.


-maya
 
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Guest
Welcome to the group Maya, and thank you for your story.

Laura
 
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