Minoxidil for alopecia Areata?

[Eldl19]

Hi, I have suffered alopecia Areata on and off for the past 12 years I am currently having a really bad episode has anyone used minoxidil for bald patches and did it work? I have read it’s more for thinning but my patches are nearly meeting and they are biggest I’ve had. Did anyone ever notice anything that caused their alopecia to flare up? Or any vitamins that helped ? I’m feeling really low right now I’m only 31 and it’s really affecting me mentally. I’m worried I lose all my hair eventually.

Hi - I'm 35, having the same issue, and I completely and utterly empathise.

I've just (3 weeks ago) started using minoxidil and I can't report any changes as yet, but the consultants (at the Belgravia Hair Loss Centre, supposedly the experts) said it could take a long time to see improvement. I've had it on and off similarly in the last few years. It started in 2019, a few months after a breakup so surprising and devastating that I genuinely think the shock triggered it. I've tried to map whether it flares up during periods of particular stress in the interim years, but it's really hard to tell since in that time we've had the pandemic (stress) and I've moved house (more stress!).

I'm finding it a total drag on my mental health, and I also share those fears of total hair loss. It's patchy at the moment but it feels like more spots keep appearing - and even if they're not, I think I imagine they are!

I totally understand what you're going through, so if you need to talk about it and if you have any more questions about the minoxidil I can try and answer to the best of my ability as the course progresses.

Sending hugs. You're not alone!

Hi @francopan thank you for replying. I am currently waiting to see a dermatologist it’s just getting me so down. I have also tried to work out if it’s due to stress etc but sometimes it fits and other times it doesn’t. I currently have 3 patches on the top of my head I’m trying to hide. Every episode I have had in the past has eventually grew back but it still worries me, especially incase the whole head of hair falls out! Do you get several patches at a time? Is it constant or does it grow back and you have a year or 2 in between flare ups? I wish I knew what triggers mine but I’ll never know. If it’s stress then the bald patches cause me more stress! Vicious circle. I haven’t tried the minoxidil yet I’ve been to scared incase it hurt my scalp lol I did get a steroid cream off the dr but it made my skin very sensitive.

Hey, yep I currently have 5 active patches of varying sizes. Two behind ears, two above nape of neck and one on top. I’m not noticing pain from the cream – I previously also had steroid cream and that did the same for me as for you – but I am getting a bit itchy. I don’t mind that so much if it does the job. To be honest, my biggest concern is not being able to see whether I’m applying it accurately, but living on my own I don’t have many options!

I had my first AA hair loss last year - it made me miserable. It regrew, but I'm worried about recurrence.

In the US, medication ('JAK inhibitor') has been approved to treat AA. The UK is considering approving one such medication:

www.alopecia.org.uk/blog/jaks-where-are-now-and-where-might-we-be-heading
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11037

So more options may be on the horizon.