Is this nothing?

[hairscared]

Please can someone look at this pic ( in my profile section) of me and tell me if this is something to worry about.
I am in pain,
This just happened over the last 3 months. But I just really looked at it 2 days ago and took the photo.
I want help but don't know what to do or what kind of help there is and can I just cover this up until this all gets sorted out?

I am 55 years old and my whole head is going bald.

[Angela]

Hi,
I looked at your photo and it looks like Alopecia Areata. I have AA as well as scaring alopecia and from the photo you posted, it reminds me of what my hair looked like when I would have a flare up of AA.
Oh, and DAMN WOMAN! You look great for being 55 years old. What kind of tea are you drinking? LOL

Have you been to a doctor about this yet?

[hairscared]

Hi Angela,
Thanks for posting and for the compliment. I don't drink tea enough so it can't be that.
The women live a long time in my family. I just lost my grandmother 4 years ago and she was 105 but looked 70...
I have never had anything like this hair loss thing. Its just awful. I have not seen a doctor yet. I called my GP and on the phone I told him something has to be wrong I am losing all my hair.
I washed my hair this morning and OMG I have lost even more... I guess I am not done losing.
I don't know why I didn't get a clue sooner.
I think it started about 8 months ago, but maybe much longer. I have been putting eye shadow in the bald spots for some time but about 4 days ago I though this is crazy I am putting eye shadow all the way to the back of my head on both sides. Then I looked and found all this hair loss. I started to think about it and realized that I had made some comments long ago about how much more hair is in my comb. I thought it was old age.
Anyway the doctor ordered some blood tests be done 3 days ago. I haven't gotten the results. He didn't order any of the hormone tests I 've read about.

He ordered a CBC and thyroid. I have taken thyroid meds for 15 years and I was just tested 3 weeks ago and 3 months prior to that and the results are all fine, no change was needed in the synthroid dose.
I am trying to read as much as I can about this. So much info. I have an appointment with Dr. Vera Price in San Fran on the 15th. I sent her the pic that you saw and she thinks what you think, but she said she has to see my scalp.
What am I do about getting some kind of hair piece.?
The other forum I joined said to call this women named Flora, she just e-mailed me a minute ago and wants me to call her.
Will my hair come back? Did yours?
Thanks for listening/
XXOO
hairscared

[Angela]

So the doctor didn't actually see your hair loss? It was through a phone consult? How cool is that. LOL I wish we could just call up a doctor and BAM get blood work done.
If you have AA it can be as small as a dime (the area of loss) or it can progress quite rapidly.
I will try to get back online later and finish up this post (my grand baby just started crying again)...but to answer you question about my hair loss, yes, it seems to be in remission. It is growing in quite nicely. You can go to my page and see my photo album.
Ok, the child is screaming, I gotta go. Sorry. :>

[hairscared]

Hey Angela,
That is so funny you mentioned how cool it is to be able to call up the doc and have him order blood work without seeing me.
I was just telling my hubby that today.
I am and have been in some very serious pain for several days with what I believe is in my ovary.
So I called the doc today and asked if I could come by and get a written order for the hospital to do an ultrasound and he DID IT! I picked it up went to the hospital but it
didn't do me any good cause I ate as banana 15 min. prior.
So I have to have the ultrasound done tomorrow. But get this... I call the doctor back and say I can't get my ovary ultrasound until tomrrow so I need some vicodin called in, and he did it!!!

I have to tell you though I have been going to this guy for over 10 years and I have some very serious immune issues so he knows I know my body very well and he knows I know all about drugs. he also knows I hate drugs and would never ever consider taking pain meds... but I am in so much pain I actaully needed the vicadin. he knows I must be bad to have asked for that.
But still I did comment to the hubby how lucky we are to be able to do this.
Ok back to hair. Sometimes I wonder if my ovary problem could be related to the hair loss.
Did you or do you wear a hair piece? I am not sure that a hair attachment will work for me cause I have no hair to blend it in with and I don't want a wig that gets glued on my head for 6 weeks! Or for 1 day.. I would think a wig would be hot.
If you are going into remission does that you'll not have hair loss again? Have you gone into remisson before?
Did you take any meds for this? Do you know why this happened to you?
Ok enough questions for now. I can't thank you enough for helping me through this.
xxoo

[hairscared]

I just looked at your beautiful videos, you shine from within and your beautiful with or without hair.
I am not any where near being at peace with this. I cried all day... I am not feeling well today so I am really throwing a pity party for myself.
Your family is beautiful and I just loved seeing that little baby. I have no children.
But I love the many that have crossed my path.
I have a dog who is my life and I have a wonderful husband.
I book marked the page for the company you used for the videos,.
Very cool.
Also I see you live in NM...we talk about NM every single day, we want to to retire in Silver City.
hugs

[Angela]

I used to wear a lace human hair wig. No one knew it was a wig. I shaved my head and wore the wig instead. Last year I decided not to hide the fact that I was an Alopecian anymore and went out for the first time in July 08 bald. I had been dealing with hair loss for five years at that point with only one period of almost two years with no hair loss. I was able to get my hair pretty long, but then I had a flare up and it all started to fall out again. That's when I shaved it. One of the triggers to hair loss for me is mold. I'm very allergic to very common household molds. Another trigger is hair dyes and hair chemicals.
We moved out to New Mexico where it's dryer, and I started to see new hair grow in that hasn't grown in years. It came in white, but it's growing. I have to update my photos with some new ones. I also have permanent hair loss, and in those areas my hair will never grow back. Fortunately AA is not permanent and my follicles just decided to wake up. LOL
There is no guarantee that my hair loss will stay in remission. I could lose it all tomorrow or slowly over the course a few months. It comes quick when it happens.
Here's a picture I took a few days ago:
http://forum.womenshairlossproject.com/picture.php?albumid=11&pictureid=91

[hairscared]

Wow you got hair all right. You look so beautiful without hair. I am very ugly without hair. But then I am old. See I am not ok with this. In fact it sucks big time.
This is weird, but I am also very very allergic to mold. Its has put me in hospital a few times.
I don't know if that is part of my problem and will prolly never know.
oh of course my husband wants to know if you love NM... man this guy is OCD big time about NM.. we've got 10 years before we move there. I am trying to teach him you bloom where your planted.
I really appreciate all the info about your hl journey.
Its really opened my eyes.
xxoo- my new kindred spirit friend :)

[Angela]

If you are allergic to mold, get your home checked for mold. I have been hospitalized because of it as well. There's no way to "prove" that the mold is causing it, you need to know the cycles of mold growth. Are you in a very humid area of the country?
We knew it was mold that was causing my hair loss problems because the mold usually grew in the spring, through the summer and into the fall and that is always when my hair loss was the worst. When we would move into a house that had less mold, (we made the mistake of taking our contaminated things with us) my hair would start growing in again. Then BAM it would fall out again.

You'd be surprised how many women look beautiful bald...at any age. I love wigs too, but I prefer no hair at all. One thing I almost never did though when I was bald, was go out without accessories and make up on. It is a part of the "look" I created for myself.

Do I love NM? Hell yeah! At first I didn't know what I was going to do because NM was the last place on EARTH that I wanted to live. But it has really grown on me and I think I'm a "lifer" here. :D
I haven't been to very many places here, but I really love the north. I went up to the Santa Fe area (and beyond) and I would love to live there. I am in Rio Rancho right now and I guess I'm content with the location. Going north would be better though.

If you do move out here and your hair loss goes in remission, you'll know it was because of the mold. LOL