Well, here is my story. 2 Years ago at the age of 21 I was in a car accident. Around 3 months later was the first time i had ever noticed hair coming out of my scalp. It was all over the pillow sheets and my hands in the shower. I had so much of it though that the immediate dreadful reaction was pretty short in length. At that time i never read anything about hair loss or even knew that it is pretty common for people to lose hair after something dramatic like a car accident.
I grew my hair longer that year and did not really shed that much, although throughout the year i noticed hair on my hands, once again the first time ever noticing such a thing, but could be chalked up to that fact that I hadnt had long hair in years.
Fast forward to last winter. I graduated college and began work almost immediately. I also began to get extremely stressed out and developed an anxiety disorder. We're not talking normal stress here, i suffered from horrible panic attacks on a nightly basis for months and months on end. My stomach would feel like someone had it in knots for hours. It is also at this time that the shedding hit me hard again. Touching my hair would cause hairs to fall out all over...i stopped washing it as well and developed a really inflamed scalp. Finally i decided to man up and go to a hair specialist. She examined my head and scalp and diagnosed me with telogen effluvium and seborhic whatever...(that dandruff sh*t). I was relieved and yet apprehensive. My hair was very thick but i had "parts" all throughout my scalp. Looking back at pictures from around that time on the rare occasions i cut my hair, you could actually see lines along the side of my hair from where i guess the hair fell out.
This diagnosis was made in May of 04. So around 7 months ago. I have not had a real shed since then but I still suffer from very bad anxiety which also bring on tension headaches. So we are not talking about your average run of the mill stress here. The stress I have dealt with I wish on noone., but it is entirely due to my overwhelming fear of going bald. I recently went back to the doctor because I obsess over my hair and want her to see it everytime i get a haircut. She checked it again and assured me that if she was to compare her own hair density with that of mine i would have more. She also said it could take a year before my hair cycle goes back to normal after such extreme stress induced telogen effluvium , so i shouldnt freak out when i dont see areas getting better.
I am not in denial of any kind, in fact i am convinced that I have male pattern baldness. People insist I am insane and have OCD but my hair just feels like such sh*t and its impossible for me to not stress out 1. due to my anxiety disorder and 2. because my hair is still not getting better.
I have no idea what to do anymore. Im confused, depressed, angry....im a fuckin mess. Has annyone ever had experience with this sort of thing or known anyone who ever recovered from a bout with Telogen Effluvium. I feel like its different with men than it is with women who get this . BTW, my father is almost 60 with no signs of male pattern baldness and my mothers hair is enough for 3 people. My grandfather had his hair at the age of 92. My dad even has an enlarged prostate and yet no signs ever of losing hair. :cry:
I grew my hair longer that year and did not really shed that much, although throughout the year i noticed hair on my hands, once again the first time ever noticing such a thing, but could be chalked up to that fact that I hadnt had long hair in years.
Fast forward to last winter. I graduated college and began work almost immediately. I also began to get extremely stressed out and developed an anxiety disorder. We're not talking normal stress here, i suffered from horrible panic attacks on a nightly basis for months and months on end. My stomach would feel like someone had it in knots for hours. It is also at this time that the shedding hit me hard again. Touching my hair would cause hairs to fall out all over...i stopped washing it as well and developed a really inflamed scalp. Finally i decided to man up and go to a hair specialist. She examined my head and scalp and diagnosed me with telogen effluvium and seborhic whatever...(that dandruff sh*t). I was relieved and yet apprehensive. My hair was very thick but i had "parts" all throughout my scalp. Looking back at pictures from around that time on the rare occasions i cut my hair, you could actually see lines along the side of my hair from where i guess the hair fell out.
This diagnosis was made in May of 04. So around 7 months ago. I have not had a real shed since then but I still suffer from very bad anxiety which also bring on tension headaches. So we are not talking about your average run of the mill stress here. The stress I have dealt with I wish on noone., but it is entirely due to my overwhelming fear of going bald. I recently went back to the doctor because I obsess over my hair and want her to see it everytime i get a haircut. She checked it again and assured me that if she was to compare her own hair density with that of mine i would have more. She also said it could take a year before my hair cycle goes back to normal after such extreme stress induced telogen effluvium , so i shouldnt freak out when i dont see areas getting better.
I am not in denial of any kind, in fact i am convinced that I have male pattern baldness. People insist I am insane and have OCD but my hair just feels like such sh*t and its impossible for me to not stress out 1. due to my anxiety disorder and 2. because my hair is still not getting better.
I have no idea what to do anymore. Im confused, depressed, angry....im a fuckin mess. Has annyone ever had experience with this sort of thing or known anyone who ever recovered from a bout with Telogen Effluvium. I feel like its different with men than it is with women who get this . BTW, my father is almost 60 with no signs of male pattern baldness and my mothers hair is enough for 3 people. My grandfather had his hair at the age of 92. My dad even has an enlarged prostate and yet no signs ever of losing hair. :cry:
