Anyone on DU have alopecia areata?

[SheilaT]

I have two sons with it.

Do you go to the conferences?

[hedgetrimmer]

1. for those who do not know... it is hair loss in patches

no i do not have it... i've known folks who were dealing with it through stressful times... never knew or met anyone with it all the time...

i learned about it in school... hope the boya sre handling it well..

[SheilaT]

2. It can be more than patches.

My two sons have it in its most extreme form, alopecia universalis. They have no hair anywhere. No eyebrows (one has eyelashes, the other doesn't), no facial hair, nothing on the arms, legs, anywhere.

And stress is not the cause. It's the biggest and most damaging myth out there. It's an auto-immune disorder, like type 1 diabetes, scleraderma, lupus, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and some others. Stress is a factor only in so much as it is in any disease process.

I actually didn't bother with a description on the theory that if you know what it is you'll also know the name. I shouldn't be that arrogant and inconsiderate.

What I often tell people is that any pattern of hair loss and regrowth that you can think of has happened somewhere to someone with alopecia areata.

[Deja Q]

3. Something similar

I tend to get little bumps on my scalp, with the surrounding area being dark red. They are tender. Then they grow. That's when they become painful. Then they burst with a clear liquid and a small amount of blood. Shortly after that is when the hair in the area (usually 1/4" inch but up to 1/2" in diameter) falls out. The hair eventually grows back, but it takes numerous months, up to 9.

I've got so many that any more would definitely show areas on the scalp that couldn't be sufficiently hidden by hair. I also hate getting haircuts because the person doing the cutting always gets startled when she/he sees little bald spots all over my scalp.

Oh well.

[SheilaT]

4. What you're describing

sounds nothing like alopecia areata. In aa the hair falls out in a smooth patch, typically the size of a quarter. No pain, no blood, no bumps, nothing but a smooth, sometimes shiny bald scalp. It can progress, the patch getting larger, other ones showing up and growing larger also. In the extreme cases, as with my sons, all the hair falls out.

You should consult a dermatologist. Several things come to my mind, probably none correct. But you ought to have this checked out.

[TNDemo]

5. My husband's cousin is a spokesperson for the association.

She is in her early 20s. I am sure she attends those things. I can hook you up with her if you need.

[SheilaT]

6. Who is she?

We've been going to the conferences since 1990, although not every single year. I'm actually one of the few people who has been to every DC conference and lobbied four times now on Capitol Hill.

I'm just curious to find out if there are any other alopecians on the board.

[Ellen Forradalom]

7. No, but

I did have a friend with alopecia who was a dead ringer for Mr. Clean. Very handsome, and successful with the ladies. Pass that along to your sons if they are worried if they will be cute when they grow up.

[SheilaT]

8. When my oldest first lost his hair

all I could think of was, Now he'll never have a date in high school.

The fact that he didn't date in high school had nothing to do with being bald. He's 21 and I think he's quite good looking. The younger one is 16 and doesn't date yet, but I can tell girls are interested in him. He goes to a very small school (same one his brother went to) and the kids there are more likely to go out in mixed groups rather than pairing off.

Still no one else here with alopecia. How interesting. Of course, I realize that in the few hours this thread has been up only a limited number of people have seen it. I may try this again in a few days or a week.