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Here's to Your Health:  ANYONE KNOW ABOUT "ALOPECIA"?  |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9093 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9093 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 10:11:29 AM
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My neighbor has a small round bald spot that appeared on her head, you can't see it unless she moves her hair, she looked it up and its called "ALOPECIA". Has anyone had this or know about it? She said she will go to the doctor but she hasn't yet.
NANCY JO
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 10:26:07 AM
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My mother had that when I was very young. Hers was so severe that she eventually lost all of her hair and had to wear a wig for a long time. I think it is caused by a nerve condition. She was a very nervous person, so that would make sense to me. Her hair did eventually grow back, but she would occasionally have small bald spots throughout her life. I don't think every case is so severe as to cause complete hair loss, though. Your friend should see a doctor to see what she could do to either slow it down or stop it.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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joyfulmama
True Blue Farmgirl
1175 Posts
Debra
Silver Springs
NV
USA
1175 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 10:45:34 AM
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I lose hair badly.. my husband is a recovering alcoholic- we have had a very stressful life. About 5 years ago I started losing hair- lots of it- I would get widows peaks.. The only time I would stop losing hair so badly was when I was pregnant. thankfully I have very thick hair- the only places that got really bad was along the hairline.
Blessings, Debra
Psalms 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want."
http://myvintagehome.com
http://debbieknits.net |
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BotanicalBath
True Blue Farmgirl
1014 Posts
Elizabeth
Ohio
1014 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 11:17:40 AM
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I dont know if there is anything you can do for Alopecia. last time I cut my hair I did donate it to the org that make wigs for alopecia.
There are many reasons people lose hair, including poison, nervous conditions, vit deficiencies and many others. She should go to the Dr to find out why her hair is falling out.
E-
BotanicalBath@peoplepc.com www.Botanical-Bath.com www.BotanicalBath.etsy.com http://botanicalbath.blogspot.com/
"I can't use the cell phone in the car. I have to keep my hands free for making gestures." |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 12:07:19 PM
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| I was under the impression that alopecia was a genetic condition, but I guess it might be a blanket term that covers all kinds of hair loss. There is alopecia in my family. It skips a generation, at least in this case. My greatgrandfather lost all his hair at a young age. My aunt has been fighting it for years and now wears a wig. I don't have to worry about it, but if I have children they might get it. The kind of alopecia we are prone to is total hair loss (eyelashes and all), not just thinning hair. I haven't done any research on the condition, but I would recommend that your neighbor go to her doctor 'cuz it might be any number of things, especially if alopecia doesn't run in her family. |
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LadyCrystal
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Alicia
Rhode Island
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2007 : 2:09:21 PM
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Alopecia is a blanket term for bladness. Ther are so many cuases it is hard to say what could be causing hers.It could be genetic, a virus, a bacteria, an allergy, a thyroid problem, a vitmin deficincy etc. I would have her talk with her Dr.
http://fromcitytocountrygirl.blogspot.com/
follow your dreams |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2007 : 10:16:14 AM
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Alopecia is caused when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own hair follicles. It is suspected to be genetic and seems more common in families where other immune disorders such as lupus, shingles, diabetes and cancer are prevalent. There is no known cure or medical treatment although most cases can improve or go away over time. There are some experimental medical treatments which address the symptoms and can sometimes slow the loss of hair, however treating the hair loss doesn't do anything in the long run if you can't improve immune functioning. Alopecia totalis, where all the hair on a person's body falls out, is not as common as alopecia areata where circular patches of hair fall out on the head.
I researched alopecia when I developed it myself two years ago. I cared for my aunt while she died of breast cancer, and I exhausted myself emotionally, physically, spiritually, in every way possible. After she died, in a way I was relieved because I thought I had made it through the worst, then my body just collapsed. I had no idea I was losing hair until I went to get a haircut and my hairdresser found a large bald spot under my other hair. I had no idea alopecia even existed. I immediately went to my nurse practitioner, who is wonderful. She confirmed the diagnosis but also confirmed that there is no known cure or effective medical treatment. It was heartbreaking and frustrating because I felt fine but my hair kept falling out anyway. Luckily, I had a ton or hair to start with otherwise it would have become noticeable quickly. I continued losing hair for about 3 months and was afraid I was going to have to buy a wig. I did a LOT to reverse my condition and I don't know what did it in the end, but here are some of the things I did that I think made a difference FOR ME:
1) Brush hair minimally, wash minimally if possible, do not wear ponytails
2) Do not use shampoos, conditioners, or hair products which contain sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate or alcohols. You probably shouldn't use these products anyway, but if you have alopecia, they just encourage hair loss by drying and irritating your scalp. I continue to use shampoos and conditioners that don't contain these things. I buy them at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or other health food stores. Shampoos containing herbal aromatherapy oils such as rosemary, lavender and thyme may soothe stress and stimulate the scalp.
3) When under stress, the body depletes B vitamin stores. I take a comprehensive B complex.
4) Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sugars. We should probably avoid those anyway, but if you're trying to boost your immune system, it's even more important.
5) I started using flower essences and really believe they helped me a lot. They are believed to work on the etheric or energetic level as opposed to the physical level. I chose essences to to address some of my own emotional weaknesses and to strengthen my belief in my ability to heal myself. If you want to know more about them I would suggest looking at the Flower Essence Society's website or purchasing the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz. Not for everyone, but I also know many people who swear by them.
5) I took a lot of other supplements to try to strengthen my immune system and make up for any other deficiencies I may have had. Since each person is different, I suggest working closely with a health care professional of some sort before starting a regimen of supplements.
6) Of course, healthy eating, moderate exercise, adequate sleep, and water intake are important for everyone! Being stressed and losing hair caused more stress which caused more hair loss etc. It was a very vicious cycle, so I tried not to think about it at all. In my opinion, it's possible to become addicted to illness and hardship which can make it even harder to get better.
Anyway, I did a lot of research on the internet, talked to other people about it, saw a doctor, and totally committed myself to living healthy and getting better. Now that I've had it once, I've noticed that I start losing more hair than usual anytime I'm under prolonged stress or stop taking care of my body the way I should, so I don't think it's actually gone away forever, I've just got it under control for now...
Sorry this was so long!
Sarah
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9093 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9093 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2007 : 11:12:47 AM
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SARAH,
Thank you so much for all the info, I printed it off and will take it over to my neighbor, so nice of you to take the time to write this all down.
NANCY JO
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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Here's to Your Health: ANYONE KNOW ABOUT "ALOPECIA"? |
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ANYONE KNOW ABOUT "ALOPECIA"?
