Hi all
I am 34 and last week noticed a large circular bald patch on the back of my head. I have very long thick hair that has always been my crowning glory and now I feel devastated and suicidal. I visited my doctor immediately - luckily he is very nice and ordered blood tests. I am in the UK by the way so our system is different here i.e. I can't pick and chose who I go to.
I get the results back Friday. I am confused because I have been reading everything I can on AA. I keep seeing stuff about hormone levels and iron and thyroid etc. but if these levels are wrong do they cause this circular patchiness? It seems as though a lot of people are saying that when they have these problems it causes thinning all over.
This seems to have happened so quickly although I am beginning to wonder if I just didn't notice a complete bald patch on the back of my head because it was hidden by all the rest of my hair. There is regrowth there though but since after I visited the doctor on Wednesday I found 2 other spots - one on my crown and one at the front. The one of my crown seems to be getting bigger already. The reason I found these was that I suddenly noticed a burning sensation in these spots.
Also I have noticed my head is extremely itchy although I have tried as much as possible to not scratch it. I find that it's much worse in the morning and calms down during the day. Within a week my hair seems to have lost condition. On Friday I felt like it was 'poisoned'. It's much drier than normal although today it doesn't feel quite so bad. I didn't have this problem before.
I see everyone keeps saying stress isn't a factor but I have just been through the worst year of my life and this is like the proverbial straw. Some nights I haven't slept because I know that if I lose my hair I will lose the battle with sanity. I have a therapist who I have contacted but this is a living nightmare. I'm taking extra vitamins etc. but so confused and frightened.
Does regrowth normally happen quickly like this? Can one part be regrowing and another fall out? Is the itching a sign it's all going to fall out? If it's my body's immune system gone into overdrive would antihistimines help? I hate orthodox medical stuff as it is and feel strongly that if my body were in balance that this would not be happening. However I am glad my doctor is taking the tests for me because then at least I can rule out major problems. There is no history of this on any side of my family and the men in our family don't lose their hair until they are very old (or even go grey in fact).
I haven't taken any medication of any kind for years, have no children and not on the pill. The only thing different in my life this year has been my anxiety levels went through the roof since March and I have been quite ill with it but not physically.
I would be so grateful if someone could reply and also if anyone else has had this and their hair regrew. I put a message on another forum and everyone who replied there said they'd lost all their hair. They were very kind people and I appreciated then replying but I wanted to curl up and die.
Thanks
Rowan
I am 34 and last week noticed a large circular bald patch on the back of my head. I have very long thick hair that has always been my crowning glory and now I feel devastated and suicidal. I visited my doctor immediately - luckily he is very nice and ordered blood tests. I am in the UK by the way so our system is different here i.e. I can't pick and chose who I go to.
I get the results back Friday. I am confused because I have been reading everything I can on AA. I keep seeing stuff about hormone levels and iron and thyroid etc. but if these levels are wrong do they cause this circular patchiness? It seems as though a lot of people are saying that when they have these problems it causes thinning all over.
This seems to have happened so quickly although I am beginning to wonder if I just didn't notice a complete bald patch on the back of my head because it was hidden by all the rest of my hair. There is regrowth there though but since after I visited the doctor on Wednesday I found 2 other spots - one on my crown and one at the front. The one of my crown seems to be getting bigger already. The reason I found these was that I suddenly noticed a burning sensation in these spots.
Also I have noticed my head is extremely itchy although I have tried as much as possible to not scratch it. I find that it's much worse in the morning and calms down during the day. Within a week my hair seems to have lost condition. On Friday I felt like it was 'poisoned'. It's much drier than normal although today it doesn't feel quite so bad. I didn't have this problem before.
I see everyone keeps saying stress isn't a factor but I have just been through the worst year of my life and this is like the proverbial straw. Some nights I haven't slept because I know that if I lose my hair I will lose the battle with sanity. I have a therapist who I have contacted but this is a living nightmare. I'm taking extra vitamins etc. but so confused and frightened.
Does regrowth normally happen quickly like this? Can one part be regrowing and another fall out? Is the itching a sign it's all going to fall out? If it's my body's immune system gone into overdrive would antihistimines help? I hate orthodox medical stuff as it is and feel strongly that if my body were in balance that this would not be happening. However I am glad my doctor is taking the tests for me because then at least I can rule out major problems. There is no history of this on any side of my family and the men in our family don't lose their hair until they are very old (or even go grey in fact).
I haven't taken any medication of any kind for years, have no children and not on the pill. The only thing different in my life this year has been my anxiety levels went through the roof since March and I have been quite ill with it but not physically.
I would be so grateful if someone could reply and also if anyone else has had this and their hair regrew. I put a message on another forum and everyone who replied there said they'd lost all their hair. They were very kind people and I appreciated then replying but I wanted to curl up and die.
Thanks
Rowan
Good Morning