BitterAlmonds
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I'll make this quick:
I have sensitive skin and have dealt with dandruff and eczema/psoriasis (they could never diagnose what it was) all over my body at various points. I'm 22 now, but since hitting 20 I haven't had any issues with skin or scalp. I've always had thin, fine light red hair (straight, not curly) most of my life.
Then, I got an upset stomach from eating what I think was a bad egg, and that triggered a bout of eczema on my forearm and wrist. One week later, I noticed a LARGE bald patch on the top of my head. Given that it is believed that eczema is an auto immune disorder after some research, I assumed it was Alopecia Areata, particularly because I had no thinning elsewhere on my head.
Here's the timeline:
On August 7th, I noticed a patch of baldness when getting out of the shower. It was off-center near my scalp, circular (with clear definition, an obvious hairline around it) with thin dark hairs within the patch, and some fine white/blonde hairs as well. It's about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide, maybe 4x3 at the most. I had not noticed ANY hair loss prior to this, and had a regular haircut about once every 1-2 months, so this entire process fell out within 2 months or less. There is no thinning on the rest of my hair.
On august 8th, I started topical minoxidil. The box said 1ml twice a day. I immediately got flakey, red skin with some minor itching that quickly went away. I also stopped shampooing daily (only every other day).
By August 13th, I started getting more tingling, and reduced the dosage to .5ml once a day, mostly because I was getting drips running down and believe that the full dosage was causing the irritation. I've noticed that when my scalp tingles, I lose more hair than usual. The flaking went down, but the itching stayed. I began using shea butter out of the shower also to help heal the scalp.
By August 16th, I stopped Minoxidil entirely. I began to use more of my shampoo (Giovanni's Tea Tree Triple Treat) because tea tree oil works as an anti-inflammatory. I found that it SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the tingling and redness after use, particularly if it let it soak under a shower cap. I am back to washing my hair daily now.
Now, today, August 19th, I am getting itching all over my head, particularly in the back. However, the tingling doesn't seem to coincide with more hair loss over the last few days (fewer hairs falling and being shaken out, which is good. Is it just a side effect from quitting the minoxidil?
What I want to know:
1. Was starting minoxidil a bad idea, and could it cause more irritation and inflammation, aggravating the AA?
2. How long after AA is noticed does it take for hair to start growing back?
3. Does hair grow back without treatment with AA?
4. How do you tell if its AA vs other forms of baldness?
5. Is it unusual for tingling and itching to persist like this?
Fact is, I am not having male pattern baldness and really don't see a point in using minoxidil, I impulse purchased it because it was listed as an OTC treatment for AA. At best, it's going to cause significant shedding and then thicken my hair, which is already otherwise fine except for the bald patch. At worse, minoxidil is going to cause inflammation that will aggravate the AA and cause me significantly more hair loss than what male pattern baldness does. If the hair will grow back on its own, I do NOT want to deal with the inconvenience and side effects.
I have not seen a doctor yet, and I wont' be able to for a while because of an issue with my college's student insurance.
I have sensitive skin and have dealt with dandruff and eczema/psoriasis (they could never diagnose what it was) all over my body at various points. I'm 22 now, but since hitting 20 I haven't had any issues with skin or scalp. I've always had thin, fine light red hair (straight, not curly) most of my life.
Then, I got an upset stomach from eating what I think was a bad egg, and that triggered a bout of eczema on my forearm and wrist. One week later, I noticed a LARGE bald patch on the top of my head. Given that it is believed that eczema is an auto immune disorder after some research, I assumed it was Alopecia Areata, particularly because I had no thinning elsewhere on my head.
Here's the timeline:
On August 7th, I noticed a patch of baldness when getting out of the shower. It was off-center near my scalp, circular (with clear definition, an obvious hairline around it) with thin dark hairs within the patch, and some fine white/blonde hairs as well. It's about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide, maybe 4x3 at the most. I had not noticed ANY hair loss prior to this, and had a regular haircut about once every 1-2 months, so this entire process fell out within 2 months or less. There is no thinning on the rest of my hair.
On august 8th, I started topical minoxidil. The box said 1ml twice a day. I immediately got flakey, red skin with some minor itching that quickly went away. I also stopped shampooing daily (only every other day).
By August 13th, I started getting more tingling, and reduced the dosage to .5ml once a day, mostly because I was getting drips running down and believe that the full dosage was causing the irritation. I've noticed that when my scalp tingles, I lose more hair than usual. The flaking went down, but the itching stayed. I began using shea butter out of the shower also to help heal the scalp.
By August 16th, I stopped Minoxidil entirely. I began to use more of my shampoo (Giovanni's Tea Tree Triple Treat) because tea tree oil works as an anti-inflammatory. I found that it SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the tingling and redness after use, particularly if it let it soak under a shower cap. I am back to washing my hair daily now.
Now, today, August 19th, I am getting itching all over my head, particularly in the back. However, the tingling doesn't seem to coincide with more hair loss over the last few days (fewer hairs falling and being shaken out, which is good. Is it just a side effect from quitting the minoxidil?
What I want to know:
1. Was starting minoxidil a bad idea, and could it cause more irritation and inflammation, aggravating the AA?
2. How long after AA is noticed does it take for hair to start growing back?
3. Does hair grow back without treatment with AA?
4. How do you tell if its AA vs other forms of baldness?
5. Is it unusual for tingling and itching to persist like this?
Fact is, I am not having male pattern baldness and really don't see a point in using minoxidil, I impulse purchased it because it was listed as an OTC treatment for AA. At best, it's going to cause significant shedding and then thicken my hair, which is already otherwise fine except for the bald patch. At worse, minoxidil is going to cause inflammation that will aggravate the AA and cause me significantly more hair loss than what male pattern baldness does. If the hair will grow back on its own, I do NOT want to deal with the inconvenience and side effects.
I have not seen a doctor yet, and I wont' be able to for a while because of an issue with my college's student insurance.