So I found ANOTHER bald patch.

[Wonderstuff]

I could cry. I don't want to go bald. The irony is I'm the hairiest person, but am only losing hair from my head!

Has anyone had steriod injections? They don't sound fun, but am considering.

I could cry but that won't help will it?

I wouldn't let it put you off, I teach at a fairly tough school and the kids are a bit spikey at first but once they get to know you and realise that you aren't going to leave after a couple of weeks 99% of them are lovely and very supportive of each other and staff. They are difficult to get to work but they are rarely nasty or personal. Hours are long, it can be stressful and the pay is so so, but it is the most interesting job and can be very rewarding.

Thank you, that is interesting. I know quite a few teachers and get mixed opinions about what it is like! Mostly positive I would say. My current job has been long hours and stressful, so I guess I am used to that part. I'm not totally convinced yet, am planning to try and go into a few schools for a few days to see what it is really like before making any firm decisions (guess I would need that experience to get into the trainiing anyway).

I have been losing my hair.I think it's not alopecia but hormonal. It happened after the birth of my sons and now I'm menopausal. Blood test tomorrow. I know I can stop the hair loss if I take the pill but never have because of headaches. I find my hair all over the place. It's very distressing. I want to take HRT. I've bought Nourkrin but waiting to have blood test before take. Don't know if it'll have any effect but worth a try. I'm anaemic because of heavy periods so HRT will stop that too. Bobbi Brown the make up artist suggests using eyeshadow that matches hair on the smaller patches then the contrast is reduced. I find doctors are not interested in hair loss no matter how devastating for you.

ChristieF, please excuse my ignorance, but, how does the pill stop your hair falling out?

I did a lot of research on it and I know my hair loss is hormonal. I looked long and hard on the web and in books and Dianette has the side effect of stopping hair loss if it's due to hormonal imbalance. It did work for me. I have what's called male pattern hair loss (in a saucer sized shape over the forehead). This is caused by a reaction to male hormones.It never came back to what it was but it did stop it falling out. The problem was that my doctor wouldn't prescribe for me because of my age. I've never taken the pill and she didn't want me to start in my mid-thirties. So I bought it online. You shouldn't do this I know but I was desperate. And it worked. My doctor's have simply told me that they have more important issues to deal with! So I sorted it myself.

Basically I have hormone balance issues. I've known this for a long time because I've had excess dark facial and wrongly placed hair since a teenager and bad skin until my forties. All due to hormones. I've got a great book by Elizabeth Steel called The Hair Loss Cure. It isn't a cure by any means but it does help you to some understanding. I'm hoping that HRT (as I'm perimenopausal) will sort a lot of the issues I have at the moment including excessive hair loss. You take two hormones. One that is basically the pill and another to counteract it.

I've always suffered with excess hair, ChristieF - I thought this was linked to hormone levels, but all my test results have come back perfectly normal.

What's tomorrow/today's blood test for?

Hi
I want to have hrt and they have to check that I'm in perimenopause (pre-menopause). I know I am as I've been having a shocking time for about 4 years plus. Hardly slept for two years with hot sweats. Crying all the time and ridiculous panic attacks. Lots of other symptoms. They do a routine thyroid test at the same time as thyroid problems mimic menopausal ones. I've always had shocking pmt and been a victim (or rather my DH has!) of my hormones. Regret never having been on the pill. I think it would have evened things out.

Wonderstuff, just wondering if you'd got blood test results back yet.

Do keep us informed.

Anyone know what's happened to Wonderstuff?

Hi,
No, haven't heard. I have been thinking about you all. How is your hair Wuxiapian? Mine is not falling out so much now, and there is faint regrowth starting in some of the earlier bald patches (I have been using steroid gel for 2 months now). I don't want to get too excited though, I know it could all change again any time.

I'm still shedding hair, MrsDinky. And receeding

Haven't been back to GP - afraid he'll think I'm wasting his time. Besides, I've seen an endocrinologist and a dermatologist, where else is there to go?

What exactly does your steroid gel do and are you still using the polish?

Hair loss / thinning is a symtom of polycystic ovary syndrome, as is excess body hair. It's caused by excess testosterone apparently.

PCOS can also cause irregular periods.

I've had excess body/facial hair for many years, IDOJ, since I was a teenager.

Had a laparoscopy about 6 years ago and pelvic capacity was in "pristine condition".

Excess hair can be a pain, but can be dealt with. Thinning hair has a greater effect and impact, I find.

Apparently the steroid gel can't stop the hair falling out, but it can stimulate regrowth, it is called Synalar. I'm still using the polish, it is a confidence booster, I don't spend half the day checking my hair in the mirror like I was before. But it is a palaver to put on, I have to spend about 5-10 minutes dabbing the steroid gel on, let it dry and another 5-10 mins putting the polish on and putting the hairclips in etc. It might be worth trying to find a specialist wig shop if there is one near you, they might have other tricks up their sleeve. Or maybe try the GP again? I'm sure they wouldn't feel you were wasting their time, it is a very distressing condition.

I have an under-active thyroid and recently a host of other symptoms, including poor skin and thinning hair - lovely! I am going to make yet another appointment to see my gp but I have read from various sources that taking evening primrose oil helps:

"For hair loss, I routinely recommend multiple vitamins, and especially evening primrose oil. If there's any sex pattern to it -- if a woman is losing hair in partly a male pattern - -then, the problem is there is excessive conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone at the level of the hair follicle. Evening primrose oil is an inhibitor of that conversion. So almost anybody with hair loss probably will benefit from evening primrose oil."

I started taking evening primrose (for another reason) and multi vitamins (hair teeth and nail formula) in April, maybe it has helped, maybe not, but I do feel less tired and more energetic, as well as some hair regrowth, although that is almost certainly the steroid gel. At least feels as though you are doing something positive.

Still no Wonderstuff...

Hope she's ok.

Hi
Yes I'm fine, I had another blood count a few weeks ago, and keep meaning to go back, they are checking iron levels but they have already decided I'm not anemic, so likely iron levels fine, I think they need to check before they can refer.
Anyway, no new loss and life has kinda taken over at the moment so going to the doctors has become low priority (dh lost job, house on the market, upstairs plumbing leaked, had a bug, theres an oh poor me thread in chat)

Interesting about evening primrose, my alopecia isn't male pattern, but still may be worth a try. My second bald patch got really itchy yesterday, thought maybe its regrowing? But no sign of any hair.

Anyone dye their hair whilst having alopecia, I'm thinking it would probably be fine, but don't want to make it worse, grey is proper depressing.

hey guys, i started another thread 'bald patches' i hadnt read this.
I really empathise with all of you...as i said in the other thread-try Fo-ti oil..supposed to be good, ive just started it. Im also very hairy generally and apparently have a slight hormone inbalance where i have more testosterone than normal so this explains me being hairy but not the alapecia.
Wonderstuff-you said you got your period every 2 weeks? how long did this last as i got mine every 3 weeks the last 2 cycles which has never happened to me ive always been very regular.
anyways my patches seem to be getting bigger, trying not to get stressed about it or anything else..but got 2 small children so always run off my feet and always testing my patience!

Have been doing some more reading about hair loss since I last posted and apparently Regaine for Women is available on prescription now from the GP.

Have also found scarf hut which does good bandannas & I did see a lot of young women wearing them when camping (presumably not having their hair straighteners with them) and they looked funky.

Have also now seen my GP, who does not think it's connected to my underactive thyroid, but another autoimmune condition, rheumatoid arthritis and the tablets - specifically omeprazole - that I've been taking. I still think it's hormone related since I have got some facial hair in the last few months and have had erratic periods but we'll see. It's not falling out quote as much but I am also being more careful with it and taking lots of EPA. Doctor says 3-4 months and hopefully I should see an improvement.

And to whoever asked before about getting hair coloured, I had my hair done last week without any problems, used a colour a bit lighter than before because the darker it is the more obvious the hair loss it.

Hi WOnderstuff,
My bald patches itch (not so much since I started the steroid gel, but before they were very itchy). I found lavender oil gel (from Boots) very soothing.

I've been wondering about dying too, my highlights are very grown out now, I would normally have had them done months ago but have been feeling hesitant. Logic says no reason why not, but instinct tells me to leave it alone. Looks a right mess now, haven't had it cut for 4 months (usually every 6 weeks), so I am going to go for a tidy up as soon as kids are back at school

SaucyMoo that is really interesting. I was regular before dd but am still bfing and am sure I am not ovulating. I suspect I have always had slight hormone imbalance as have excess hair elsewhere. Only one 14 day cycle, but last one was 25 day and normally they are 30 day, very odd.

Hadn't thought of lavender oil gel, will look into it. Will also get arse in gear to go back to gp and get referal.

Thought i'd get back on this thread and see if any of you are still around and how you are all getting on? Some of mine is coming back properly now, although not in all the patches, and the loss has slowed down, so I haev my fingers firmly crossed.

hows the hair loss ppl its been nearly 2 years now since last thread you are either all bald or going through the process of it growing bck then going again...let me know if any of you are still on line?