I have a patch of hair missing on the back my head, size of a quarter. The spot is not shiny or totally missing hair, there is some hair growing but not alot. Is this still a sign of Alopecia Areata. OTC methods?
Thank you
This is often the way alopecia areata presents, but you could have other causes such a ringworm, as well. Get to see a dermatologist and have it evaluated. There are no over the counter medications to treat what you do not know you really have.
How soon after chemo is it safe to dye the hair??
If the hair has not fallen out and you have passed that critical phase where it would normally fall out, then you can use a gentle semi-permanent dye to color your hair. Semi-permanent dyes that are acidic are made of small molecules which can pass through into the cortex of the hair. As all of these dyes are water soluble, they can be easily washed out. They may last for between 1-6 weeks depending upon what dyes are used, but they lose their effectiveness with frequent washings. These are generally safe and can be used at home. Since these do not contain bleach they can not lighten the hair, but darkening gray hair is reasonable.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
i recently was browsing the internet looking for information about dupa and i came across this Canadian site which basically confirms DUPA is caused by DHT:
Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA)
DUPA is an uncommon variation of Androgenetic Alopecia in which the hair all over the head is sensitive to DHT and there is thinning everywhere. DUPA affects more women than men but the majority of women with AGA do not have DUPA. DUPA should be suspected if there are miniaturized hairs in the normally safe donor area. Hair transplantation is not an option for DUPA because there is no safe long-lasting donor hair.
I have my doubts that DHT is the cause of DUPA (diffuse unpatterned alopecia). I believe that there is a strong genetic influence behind DUPA, but if it was caused by DHT, it would be responsive to drugs like finasteride (Propecia) or dutasteride (Avodart). I have tried both on patients and the response has been very poor. So at this point, I will have to respectfully disagree with the opinion that DHT causes DUPA.
The typical female diffuse alopecias that impact all of the hair (including sides and back of the scalp) are not DUPA, but a genetic process which happens to have the same pattern (phenotype) as DUPA in males. It also does not respond to these drugs.
As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts, medicine is a descriptive science that often does not give us much insights to the cause of what we are seeing.
Doctor, when a patient have DUPA, his/her ANF (Anti-Nuclear Factor) is positive? I have no balding parents nor relatives (until the 4th generation above myself), but I think I’m suffering DUPA and it began just after a heavy stressing period
The diagnosis of DUPA (diffuse unpatterned alopecia) is made by mapping out your hair and scalp for miniaturization. A good examination is critical. Hair loss in men comes about for four reasons:
To avoid confusion, ANF and ANA are the same thing (see Wikipedia for more info). I am not familiar with a positive ANA factor as a participating cause of DUPA. Conditions like DUPA can occur with a variety of autoimmune diseases of which some of them may have positive ANAs.
If a person has alopecia areata on his legs, will they most likely show signs of it in their scalp or can it be just isolated to certain areas of the body?
Alopecia areata can be found in many body parts. Most of the areas can be localized and there is no way to determine if it would move from your legs to your scalp. Visit the National Alopecia Areata Foundation for more information.
Im a 30 yr old male who just recently discovered a small round bald patch on my beard about 3-4 months ago.
I am an asthmatic and suffer from Seasonal Rhinitis (Hayfever). for the allergies, i take various antihistamines daily, namely Loratadine (Claratin) or Pseudoephedrine based ones…
My hayfever has been pretty bad over the last few months and i am taking a pill at least once a day round about the time this patch formed…
What started out as a little round patch grew over the last few months into a golf ball sized patch with no hair at all and im starting to notice very small dots forming on other parts of my beard as well as a small one on the front of my hairline.. Im really starting to get worried. I went to see a dermatologist who gave me topical steroid cream and minoxidil 5% as well as a zinc and vitamin C supplment which ive been using religiously over the last 3 weeks, but it has not slowed down the growth of the alopecia.
Last night i read on the leaflet for the antihistamines i take (Loratadine) that some of the adverse reactions to it is Alopecia. Ive also read on tihs site that a few people complained about the same thing, losing hair because of Claratin. I have not found much conclusive evidence online which link antihistamines with alopecia, but as of yesterday ive stopped taking the antihistamines and continuing treating the patch with the oiintments etc.
Is there any proof that there is indeed a link between antihistamines and alopecia..?
There is no proof there is a link between antihistamines and alopecia. Many drugs can cause hair loss as a rare side effect, but by far, the most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic balding. What you’ve described is patchy hair loss (even around your beard). This may be alopecia areata, but I would follow up with your dermatologist for a diagnosis. I did write about Claritin and pseudoephedrines before here.
I have recently been diagnosed with DUPA. I have received a prescription for Propecia and will be using it as instructed even though I am aware that it is not always effective for someone with my condition. If Propecia is effective for me will it have an effect for thinning areas throughout the scalp or only at the top of the head where the balding is usually restricted to.
Propecia is the only drug that MAY work for DUPA. It is worth a try, but you won’t know for a good year or so. No one really knows if and how it works, when it works.
I was brought to your site by asking the question about missing facial hair. I am a 31 year old Male, I have first stage chyrosis of the liver, I was born with biliary atresia, other than that I have been very healthy throughout my life and lead an active lifestyle. Up until about Easter of 2008 I had a full face of hair, then a small spot appeared about the size of a pencil eraser, now I have three patches about the size of a silver dollar all located by the chin bone. Should I see skin specialist of just ask my Internist if this is related to my disease. Thank you.
It sounds like you are a fortunate man, as so many people do not live a good life with biliary atresia (see Wikipedia). I would imagine that you should first consult your primary doctor, then a good dermatologist. Patches of hair loss can reflect a wide variety of problems and I am uncomfortable with evaluating you for them over the Internet without examining you.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
(female)
I used to have very thick hair, but I suffered bulimia which caused my hair to thin over the years. Both my parents have full hair. I have been cured now and back to a regular healthy
diet. I was wondering is it possible to get my hair back to the way it used to be?
When one loses hair from dietary deficiencies, it could trigger some element of the hair cycle such that the hair evolves into an ‘older’ type of hair. Genetic factors can also be triggered and these may not be reversible. You should really see a professional who can analyze your hair and look to other causes of hair loss. Just because you lost your hair from bulimia, does not mean that this was the only cause. Get a thorough check up by a good doctor.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
Hi.
I’ve heard about increased ACNE due to finasteride usage. This doesn’t sound completely wrong since we all know what finasteride does to the hormones.
My question is, could increase in T and decrease in DHT in any way affect my early signs of rosacea?
I am not sure. Rosacea is not acne. Are you experiencing acne? If Propecia (finasteride 1mg) does affect your rosacea, would that cause you to stop using it? Moreover, acne probably is a very rare side effect that you may not even experience.
Maybe you are over thinking this whole thing and losing sight of why are you are (or will be) using the medication? Please consult the doctor who is prescribing your Propecia and get his/her advice. For more information on rosacea, please see The National Rosacea Society.
