Do I Have Alopecia?

[Harina]

So I have a completely full head of hair with the exception of this gaping issue with my left edges. Hair has sprinkled in and filled in in certain areas on the left side after rubbing castor oil and doing braids myself but not fully.

I know it might be hard to diagnose from pictures alone but do I perhaps have traction alopecia? This seemed to have started after going to an awful stylist to get my hair flat ironed back in February or so.

What can be done about this? Anything over the counter like Rogaine?

ETA: Don't know why the 1st picture posted sideways.

Gross but the dirt you see is from wearing braid extensions.

 

[ms.blue]

Was your hair always like that even as a child? If so then no but if not, yes you have traction alopecia.

 

[Smiley79]

If possible go to see a dermatologist just to be sure and get an accurate diagnosis and treatment suggestions.

 

[ajoke]

I have a similar issue. I have always had sparse edges since I was a child, but pregnancy with my daughter ( during which I had a weave which probably contained chemicals that "burnt" my edges) pushed this over the edge.

I went to a dermatologist 4 years ago and they did a scalp biopsy and said my roots were fine, but the edges haven't grown in in spite of that.

Sometimes I get pain on my edges in spite of the fact that I don't twist or braid the hair there. I wonder if I have some sort of auto immune disease specifically targeting my hair?

I would like to wear my hair with no extensions or headbands, even get a low cut, but my edges won't let me be great!

OP sorry for almost hijacking your thread

 

[Harina]

^Sorry to hear about.

Oh lord. Let me get to a dermatologist. Not trying to go out like some of female family members. Sorry family members. Thank god it's not awful.

And no my hair was not like that as a child. Though I've always had fine hair in general. What the hell is up with edges? Why does that area have to be so sensitive?

 

[snoop]

Since you seemed to have lost the hair recently, through the stylist, it's possible that it could grow back. Maybe try leaving it for a while. No braids. I find that growing my edged back takes LOTS of babying and LOTS of patients.

 

[Harina]

Since you seemed to have lost the hair recently, through the stylist, it's possible that it could grow back. Maybe try leaving it for a while. No braids. I find that growing my edged back takes LOTS of babying and LOTS of patients.

Installing braids gently myself are the only reason my hair has been recovering in the first place. Braids aren't bad. It's the installtion of them that's the problem.

 

[snoop]

Installing braids gently myself are the only reason my hair has been recovering in the first place. Braids aren't bad. It's the installtion of them that's the problem.

Touché.

In my head they drive me batty. I can't stop itching so I scratch myself a new hairline. I get jealous of those who can wear braids and weaves. (At one point corn rowing my own hair gave me the same issues. My edges were just that sensitive.)

 

[ilong]

@Harina your side looks like BETTER than my alopecia areas. It looks like you still have hair in those areas, if so the follicles are still alive. My areas are completely flat and shiny. I've read a lot of good info on Emu Oil and it's success in growing hair. Also adding Folligen (copper peptide) in conjunction with Emu seems to boost the efficacy of Emu.
Do a LHCF and internet search on Emu Oil, Folligen and/or copper peptide.

 

[Harina]

^I'll look into that. Thanks! I think also the flash made the area look worse. In person it doesn't look as bad or maybe the picture shows more damage than I can actually see.

 

[Keen]

@Harina your side looks like BETTER than my alopecia areas. It looks like you still have hair in those areas, if so the follicles are still alive. My areas are completely flat and shiny. I've read a lot of good info on Emu Oil and it's success in growing hair. Also adding Folligen (copper peptide) in conjunction with Emu seems to boost the efficacy of Emu.
Do a LHCF and internet search on Emu Oil, Folligen and/or copper peptide.

@ilong have these things work for you?

 

[ilong]

I just began application of the products 2 weeks ago - so it's too early to tell. Also, I am undergoing other treatments. I'll update the relative threads later today. In the meantime this is an excellent resource on Hair Loss and the treatments I mentioned. I read and did follow-up research on a lot of the material on this site, during the time I wasn't able to access LHCF.

 

[ilong]

I should have added, I've already used up an entire bottle of Folligen and Emu Oil and just received 3 more bottles of each yesterday.

I'm not using any other products on my scalp, the remainder of the year as I want to prove/disprove the impact of these two products. I will still seal with other oils.

 

[Smiley79]

^Sorry to hear about.

Oh lord. Let me get to a dermatologist. Not trying to go out like some of female family members. Sorry family members. Thank god it's not awful.

And no my hair was not like that as a child. Though I've always had fine hair in general. What the hell is up with edges? Why does that area have to be so sensitive?

Yes because in my case, my edges were similar to yours. when I went to see my derm I assumed she was going to simply tell me that I had traction alopecia but it turned out that i had Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). I was told in the past that I had a couple of small ball spots on my scalp, but the derm visit was a full check of my scalp and was able to really get to the root of the problem.
This isn't meant to scare you but rather to encourage you to get the full check so nothing is overlooked and all is accurate.

 

[Harina]

Yes because in my case, my edges were similar to yours. when I went to see my derm I assumed she was going to simply tell me that I had traction alopecia but it turned out that i had Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). I was told in the past that I had a couple of small ball spots on my scalp, but the derm visit was a full check of my scalp and was able to really get to the root of the problem.

But your hairline was able to recover correct? Was it on both sides? What treatments did you have to do?