Saturday, July 13, 2013

My Treatment-Long Post!

First off, I want to thank NAAF for posting my blog on their Facebook page! It means a lot that they support me so that I can better support my readers (YOU)! Second off, I'm so sorry I'm late on this post! I am a college student and I have a lot to take care of before my blog, but from now on I will manage my time better!

So now what you have all been waiting for; my treatment choice. I am fortunate enough that treatment works for me, but it wasn't easy for my to find the right treatment option. It took me about a year and I saw at least 3 doctors. I finally found the right doctor in Wake Forest and they suggest cortisone injections into the scalp. My original doctor had AA, but it was too far of a drive for me to go every couple weeks.

SO cortisone injections into the scalp...sounds scary right? It really isn't. I started getting the injections when I was 12. The first nurse practitioner who gave them to me wasn't very gentle and was rude to me and my mother. She said I was overreacting and was being childish..well I was 12 and getting a needle put in my head..so yeah I might have been upset and crying. Needless to say, we didn't go back and at that point I was dead set against this treatment. A few months after this, I lost more hair and was so devastated that I told my mom we could find another doctor and I would try again. Luckily, this is when I found my wonderful doctor (who happens to be my friends dad). I now get my shots every 4 weeks and it works for me.

I want to share the process with you, so that if you decide to explore the option with your doctor you will know what to expect. Before I go to my appointment, I use numbing cream on my scalp. My doctor knew how much I hated needles (definitely my biggest fear), and suggest using numbing cream on my patches to make the process less painful. BELIEVE ME IT WORKS!  I use this, but your doctor might suggest something else:

I usually have someone (my mom or roommates) help me apply the numbing cream to the back of my head. When my mom helps, she uses a brown eyeliner pencil to mark each spot that has numbing cream. This helps us and my doctor to keep track of each numbed area! I also usually tally the number of spots in my phone and list where they are so it is a quick process!  I literally just use some eyeliner I found in my house, but I suggest dedicating 1 to just your injections or else you'll get numbing cream on your eyes and that just isn't pleasant.

So then I go to my appointment and get my shots (usually 20-40)! It still hurts, I'm not going to lie. It's painful for 5-10 seconds per shot and then its over. It is nowhere near as bad as you would expect. There will be blood but not a lot. I bleed minimally:
After my appointment I usually go home and take some tylenol or advil, because you will have a headache from all the pressure! You will also notice some divots in your scalp-totally normal from the needle pressure.

I know it seems scary for young girls (or anyone), but it IS an option. It has given me my hair and I'm thankful for it. It is about 5 minutes of pain all together, and if you want hair I think it is worth it. I would ease into it with younger patients, and would definitely make an effort to have a closer relationship with your doctor so that they feel safe.

One downfall, is that you cannot skip treatment with this. I skipped 3 months because my NP at school left UK's practice, and I couldn't get an appointment since everyone was overbooked. Skipping 3 months resulted in going from 10% hair loss to at least 25-35% if not MORE hair loss. It was fast and it made me realize that I had to find another doctor at school ASAP.


Here is a picture from after my injections, you can see the eyeliner but there is no blood:


I do realize this is only a viable option for those who have lost patches, but I will focus on other treatments and options later! I'm sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps and is useful to you! Feel free to email me if you have any questions!




Some of you have added me on Facebook or have emailed me and I love it! Continue to do so and I will respond as soon as I can!

Thank you for the support!
-Sammi




13 comments:

  1. m also living with alopecia

    totally shattered.. i hv no future

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    1. How long have you had alopecia for Sameer?

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    2. Sameer, you are not alone! Just because you have alopecia does not mean you don't have a future! You're unique and special, and hair doesn't define that! I'm always here to talk if you want to email me! Stay strong, I promise this is not going to ruin your life! It might make it difficult, but you have to push past that!

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  2. I get this too! And it works! It's amazing. =)

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    1. You are the first person I've ever met (well, talked to) who has gotten this treatment too! :)

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  3. You say Wake Forest. Is this NC? I have a 10 year old daughter recently dx with Alopecia. We just came back from vacation and noticed a lot of new hair loss. Her initial loss, before we could get her into a dermatologist was 50%. Devastating. Olux is seemingly working to get hair re-growing, just not as thick as it was. The new loss has her so upset. She is rocking a shaved head (her idea, but with the dramatic loss, really the only thing we could do) but is crushed thinking she'll never be able to have long hair again, or that she'll maybe loose it all.
    She's a strong girl. Has awed many girls and women around her with how she's approached this. We are hoping to avoid the injections, but thank you...If it comes to her needing them, I'll follow the advice you have laid forth here.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Wake Forest NC!

      I have personally noticed that new environments (such as a vacation) and stress can cause hair loss to get worse. I'm not saying to avoid vacations, just letting you know that I've noticed this and I'm better prepared for the hair loss that way.

      More power to her for rocking the shaved head! I know how devastating it is, but the best thing to do is remind her that hair doesn't define you. It is completely superficial. I know alopecia is an unfortunate disease, but you will have to help her come to terms that her hair may never grow long again and that there is a possibility she could lose it all. 10 is such a tough age to have to have this talk but I would sit her down and let her know that these are both possibilities so that she won't be as devastated if they do happen.

      She seems like an amazingly strong girl, and I would love to talk to her (my email is in this post) if she would talk to me! Injections do seem like a drastic measure (especially for a 10 year old) but they do show tremendous results on almost all patients. I completely understand exhausting all other treatment options first (what I did!). I hope that this post at least gives some insight to how the injections would actually be!

      One tip I have to boost her self esteem: print out quotes about beauty or confidence or happiness (or religious scriptures if you are religious) and post them to her mirror or by her breakfast everyday before she gets up to help remind her that she is loved and special and most importantly BEAUTIFUL no matter what.

      If you ever need anything my email is posted!

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    2. Small World!! We use a doctor in Wake forest as well!

      I am loving the Seuss quote you put on today's post. I am printing that off. She's a gorgeous girl and a strong one and has awed many adults around her with her strength battling this, but we all need a little help and support. I'll be sure to have her email you. I know she'd love hearing from someone whose been thru it as a girl as well.
      I told her about your current treatment regime and she started crying and shaking. I told her that's a last resort for us, but if it works....it might be something we end up having to try, but we are not there yet.

      The doctor (Dr. Matheis at Wake Forest Dermatology) says that stress, good and bad, is obviously her trigger apparently. High school should be fun! LOL

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  4. forgot to mention...her treating physician is in Wake Forest, NC.

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  5. The most reliable medicine for the cure of Alopecia is Apolical. It is highly recommended by the skin and hair specialists for the patients of alopecia. It is composed of herbal constituents that include rhubarb, Indian long pepper, fevernut, Calcium sulphate and Gulancha. These are totally natural herbs that prevent the hair fall and increase re-growth. This medicine amazingly reduces hair fall and cover the bald patches with new hair. People facing problem of extreme dandruff and excessive hair fall should start using it without wasting time. They can get it from Herbal Care Products.

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  6. It affects both male and female. It can happen due to the stress, depression, anxiety and severe psychological issues. Apolical is highly recommended for Alopecia Treatment. It is entirely herbal medicine that has no antibiotic or steroid involved. It does not have any kind of side effects and it makes the hair grow spontaneously. It leaves the long term effects that do not allow the hair to fall again after maintaining follicles. It can be availed from the product line of Herbal Care Products.

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  7. The Alopecia Treatment is normally not needed as the diseases resolve itself. If needed then corticosteroids are used. One of the most effective medications is olceton an herbal product in which 100% natural formula is used. The effects caused by this disease are mostly psychological and secondary due to hair loose of that particular area.The surThe Alopecia Treatment is normally not needed as the diseases resolve itself. If needed then corticosteroids are used. One of the most effective medications is olceton an herbal product in which 100% natural formula is used. The effects caused by this disease are mostly psychological and secondary due to hair loose of that particular area.The surgical treatment which can be done is hair transplantation in which hair plugs from the area of skin is auto grated to the bald area.The Alopecia Treatment is normally not needed as the diseases resolve itself. If needed then corticosteroids are used. One of the most effective medications is olceton an herbal product in which 100% natural formula is used. The effects caused by this disease are mostly psychological and secondary due to hair loose of that particular area.The surgical treatment which can be done is hair transplantation in which hair plugs from the area of skin is auto grated to the bald area.gical treatment which can be done is hair transplantation in which hair plugs from the area of skin is auto grated to the bald area.

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  8. Get your appointment with the Satyam Centre, if anyone from you wants to get the perfect hair transplant in India to overcome the hair loss problem. We gives you desired look without any side effects.

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