20201117 - Alopecia Update

 Yesterday, I received ginger shampoo (from The Body Shop) from my mom as well as mulberry tea.  I will be trying the shampoo and mulberry tea today.  I am supposed to drink the tea no more than once every 2 days.

Also, I received a prescription from the nurse practitioner (NP) at Wello for cortisone cream called betamethasone (0.1%).  I will be trying that today as well.  The NP said to try it out for 3 months before we expect to see any results.  I am supposed to follow up with an appointment in 3 months.

CC

UPDATE:  After 3 months, the hair had grown back.  Ginger shampoo was used regularly as well as betamethasone cream.

20201114 - Alopecia Areata

Today, CF noted that there was something up with my hair/scalp.  It turns out that I have a bald spot about 1" in diameter at the back/top/right corner of my head.

 

CF says that it is quite noticeable.  And since she cut my hair a couple of months ago, she would have noticed it.  It must have happened only a month or so ago.

It appears to be alopecia areata.  It may have been caused by stress, allopurinol, naproxen, or something else.  It may be hereditary, but it does affect people who have seasonal allergies more often (such as myself).  CF suspects that I do not wash my head enough.  I suspect that it is due to the allopurinol.  The small bald patch does not hurt but does feel a bit weird not to have hair there.  From what I read, the hair may take up to 12 months before it grows back (but it may not).  I think I am doing everything I can since I take multivitamins daily as well as calcium and omega 3 (fish oil).

I wanted to document this in case this is the start of my permanent hair loss or if someone else in my family experiences this.

CC