Will it grow back?

[CurlsBazillion]

I have a huge thin spot and a straight line bald spot. The knowledgeable stylist gave me a touch up but left weave glue in my hair. Now I have this, over a year later. At first I relaxed around it but soon I decided to go natural. It has improved, no hair was there at one point but the hair that grows there is type 1b maybe. Its like super thin newborn hair. Has any of you ladies experienced a chemical burn and as a result lost some hair? How did your hair grow back? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[virtuenow]

Do you have any more non-blurry pics. I can't really see much based on the pic - except it looks like ur hair is parted. So did the glue take your hair out or was it a relaxer? I could suggest some ointments and massages and all that-- but I won't do that. The reason: I have a relatable problem in my crown area and I've done all of the above; and a year later my grwth is still stagnated. No topical growth aid or amount of massaging has helped much (as evidenced by lack of progress).

Right now I'm focusing on leaving the area ALONE, just stop picking at it or tugging it, parting it in every way on everyday just to "view" the progress (so to speak)...Just leave it alone, a watched hair never grows! I'm on a personal "get your hands out of your hair" (gyhoyh) challenge for the breakage spot.

So if you have already tried the topcial aids, and my guess is that you have in the year; then maybe you should try leaving the area alone for a while. That is, unless you can clearly see that you have a chemical burn; or follicle damage (or want to check w/a dermatologist to find out). I studied my spot and prayed enough to know its not a follicular damage problem or medical issue. But you may want to clear that as a possibility going forward

 

[CurlsBazillion]

virtuenow Thank you for the info! Unfortunately that is not a part. I used to get the hump in the front ponytail in the back style and with me having thin hair I always needed track to fill out my hair. Long story short I have a part like bald spot. I will take your advice and leave it alone. I will be making a doctors appointment very soon to see if there is something he/she can tell me. Saddest thing about this is when I was relaxed I would burn everytime and scabs were a normal thing to me so for a long time I ignored this believing it would grow back.

 

[howyoudoin]

when i was fifteen i used a perm that was too strong and burned a bald spot in my hairline, its never fully recovered and im about to be 33! The hair grew back but its really fine like what you described and really weak , i have to be extra careful with that part of my hair, i only finger comb it and i try not to put any tension on it. Unless your hair follicles were severely damaged ,it shoud come back gradually though.

 

[virtuenow]

No prob, so did u try the topical growth aids or vitamins djust wondering)?

Sent from my SPH-M920 using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[CurlsBazillion]

virtuenow, I haven't tried anything for fear of making it worse. I've been considering mixing sulfur in olive oil. Do you have any suggestions?!

 

[mzteaze]

There are a few good threads about how to deal with bald or thin spots. Many have had good success with topical treatments like:

Nioxin (brand) treatments
sulfur mixes (both homemade and store bought)
MSM (topical and internal tablets)
Garlic tablets
other topical mixes

Here are a few threads to read thru while you are waiting for your dermatologist appointment:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=138027&highlight=thin+hair

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=530581&highlight=thin+hair

For tips on using sulfur: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=510494&highlight=bald+spots

For more extreme balding/thin spots due to aloepecia or other issues: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=419438&highlight=bald+spots

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=462952&highlight=bald+spots

That should be enough to get you started. Good luck.

 

[virtuenow]

Eh, none of the topical trmts really worked for me...but the nioxxn biotin creme was my favorite

 

[Evolving78]

MegaTek all the way! just use it on the spots and it will grow back. you can mix a little with some castor oil.

 

[topnotch1010]

I probably won't grow back. I wouldn't even waste my time with any growth aids. Talk to your Dr but it's been over a year. If it were going to grow back it would've.

 

[*CherryPie*]

Please go to a Dermatologists. They have tests that can tell you if your follicles are damaged beyond repair, or if it's fixable. Leave the growth aids alone. I don't believe in them.

 

[smoothie696]

Sounds like alopecia to me. That is exactly what my new texture looks like when it first grows in. But trust and believe it will grow back regardless. I found sulfur products to be really helpful.

 

[Nonie]

I probably won't grow back. I wouldn't even waste my time with any growth aids. Talk to your Dr but it's been over a year. If it were going to grow back it would've.

@topnotch1010 she hasn't been doing anything to make it grow back so of course not much would happen. @vickyd (hope she sees this and comes to chime in here) had bald patches that were about 2 years old and she's an alopecia survivor. She didn't just sit and wait for a miracle. She even got steroid shots from a doctor but it wasn't one thing that worked. It was a combination of several things, including the oil concoction I used to regrow my bald patch.

Bald people have very tight scalps...so I believe massage to keep scalp supple and flexible is a good idea. Folks panic when they lose hair and avoid touching or messing with the bald spot but I think that is not the thing to do. I believe in massage, because besides keeping the scalp from being tight and frozen like that of bald folks, you also encourage circulation...and then if you're eating right so that your blood is only bringing useful nutrients and not junk to your follicles, then you are better off and stand a better chance than if doing nothing. Even if your hair doesn't grow, at least you know you did something positive and didn't just sit back and watch things fall apart. Massage IMO is always positive unless you have broken bones or torn ligaments or some type of injury that doctors say should be left alone. Guess it's best to ask a pro when in doubt. And when you massage, do not just slide fingers over the scalp but rather knead deep so you move the skin over your scull. I'll see if I can find the thread Isis posted years ago on how to do scalp massages.

BRB.

ETA The thread I was referring to by Isis, one of the most knowledgeable people on total health that I met on LHCF, is this one: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=15169

Here's the thread with my concoction for any newbies who haven't seen it (Sorry if it was already posted above. I didn't click on the links to see what's been posted so apologize for any redundancy ) :http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=39645
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=39645

 

[topnotch1010]

Nonie Hair growth is a normal occurrence. She shouldn't have to do anything to make it grow back. If someone has a bald patch in their head that isn't correcting itself then they should see a Dr because that's not normal. Experimenting with all these growth aids and massages is unwise if someone hasn't seen a Dr to find out the root problem first.

I agree with you, she shouldn't sit back and not do anything while things fall apart. She should go see her Dr.

 

[Nonie]

Nonie Hair growth is a normal occurrence. She shouldn't have to do anything to make it grow back. If someone has a bald patch in their head that isn't correcting itself then they should see a Dr because that's not normal. Experimenting with all these growth aids and massages is unwise if someone hasn't seen a Dr to find out the root problem first.

I agree with you, she shouldn't sit back and not do anything while things fall apart. She should go see her Dr.

topnotch1010, I agree hairgrowth is a normal occurrence and if it's not happening then something is wrong. What I don't agree with is the statement that if hair hasn't grown in a year, then it never will. I disagree with that because I've seen the opposite happen. If one was born w/o hair follicles--like me and my sorry eyebrows--they probably may never grow hair. But if one had hair, depending on the cause of the loss, there's always a chance that it could grow back. So I just meant she shouldn't give up w/o trying anything. I don't advocate using just any ol' growth aid. I personally don't believe in trying to change one's growth rate as many growth products are marketed to do, but I do believe in alternative medicine and good lifestyles like healthy eating, and do believe that a change in the right direction can change years of deterioration. So while I don't recommend using chemicals w/o a doctor's OK (And actually I don't even care for the steroids that I'm sure most doctors would recommend), I do believe in at least giving natural remedies a try. I advocate massage to start with and healthy eating--meaning cut out sugar (you don't need it when you're eating complex carbs that turn into sugar anyway) and cut back on salt (you probably get enough sodium from food w/o adding more), etc.

When I had my bald spot, Surge was the big hit on the forum, but I couldn't bring myself to use it regardless of the great reviews. Reason: The ingredients were not 100% natural and I wasn't about to risk using unnatural products that could become toxins that could make things worse. I wanted to keep everything as "organic" and natural as possible.

 

[topnotch1010]

Nonie Of course I'm no Dr but a year is more than enough time for the body to begin naturally repairing itself and to see some type of progress. The real question is why she hasn't gone to see a Dr within that time frame. She needs to go see what he/she says.

 

[Nonie]

Nonie Of course I'm no Dr but a year is more than enough time for the body to begin naturally repairing itself and to see some type of progress. The real question is why she hasn't gone to see a Dr within that time frame. She needs to go see what he/she says.

topnotch1010 I'm no doctor either but I know that doing the same thing and expecting to see different results is insanity. So unless one has tried a few things and determined that they don't work, I say never say never.

You ask a good question: why she hasn't seen a doctor before now. Maybe she was hoping for the body to start repairing itself...but that doesn't always happen if there's something amiss in the body. People develop cancer because something goes wrong in their body. They can just take what the doctor says "They have 6 months left to live" or they can stop its progression by doing something different, like changing their diet or combining a number of natural/orthodox remedies (You've all seen the ads or might know someone for whom this rang true). So I just don't believe in giving up just because someone said you had to.

So all I'm saying is, it may not be too late to start doing something about the hair loss (or it may be). Even diet sensitivities can work against you. But you will never know whether or not you're one of those for whom it isn't too late until you try what has worked for others and find out for yourself. In short, don't give up before you've tried anything.

BTW, even if a doctor says it's too late, I don't know if you can go by that. I've had "experts" tell me something was a dead cause, but I guess where there's a will, there's a way because I've gone and proven them wrong. So I guess that's kinda why I don't believe in giving up. But I do believe in doing your research so that you don't just jump on the "Blessed Juice of Wonder" that Ms. Benita comes on the forum to rave about whose ingredients you don't know or don't seem to really have the ability to do what you're told they do. Keep in mind, a nutrient deficiency could affect one's scalp health...so just coz X worked for Jenny, doesn't mean it'll work for you...because probably X provided the mixing piece in Jenny's jigjaw which isn't the same as what you're missing.

 

[virtuenow]

I probably won't grow back. I wouldn't even waste my time with any growth aids. Talk to your Dr but it's been over a year. If it were going to grow back it would've.

This is my point exactly


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[Evolving78]

it doesn't hurt to try. think positive. i had two spots that were there for six months before i did something about it. my mother too. so there is hope. but she should go to a doctor soon.

btw, this is why it helps to read the whole post. she said hair has grown back, baby fine. so it is possible that she can get some more growth there with help. i had to go back and read the post myself.

 

[Missigirl]

I posted in the "I'm A Survivor Post". I have pictures in my blog just click on the link below and take a look at my spot. Please leave a comment and I will get back to you.

 

[mzteaze]

While I agree that going to a doctor is a STARTING point, I won't disregard using growth aids either.

In my personal case, I also had a similar type of bald spot at my crown. A trip to my dermatologist yielded a basic diagnose of traction aloepecia. BUT, she also wanted to remove a flap of skin to study the follicles. I refused due to a previous skin removal that left me with a scar. So I left the area alone for about a year and just creatively combed. A trip to Hair Club (yes the infamous place) helped me. During my free consultation, the person looked at my thin/bald spots. She took pics then did a follicle check on the spot using a high powered camera. She was able confirm that as long as I used a system, I could reasonable expect to get hair growth IF the follicles were stimulated. Long story short, I left with hope. After researching products and routines that work, I was able to come up a few "growth" products that I tried and found worked. Another year or so later, and I have hair where there was skin and shorter hair at the crown. It took more than two years..and yes the crown is one of the hardest places to get growth restarted.

Now, I would never suggest blindly running from magic potion to sparkly growth elixirs without understanding what may or may not work for YOU. However, I wouldn't discount them wholly without suggesting that you do your research. Really evaluate what will work.

For those who wonder where I was starting, one of the links to another thread has the pictures I posted of the bald spots and a few progress pictures just a few months after I started using a purported growth aid.

 

[mzteaze]

topnotch1010, I agree hairgrowth is a normal occurrence and if it's not happening then something is wrong. What I don't agree with is the statement that if hair hasn't grown in a year, then it never will. I disagree with that because I've seen the opposite happen. If one was born w/o hair follicles--like me and my sorry eyebrows--they probably may never grow hair. But if one had hair, depending on the cause of the loss, there's always a chance that it could grow back. So I just meant she shouldn't give up w/o trying anything. I don't advocate using just any ol' growth aid. I personally don't believe in trying to change one's growth rate as many growth products are marketed to do, but I do believe in alternative medicine and good lifestyles like healthy eating, and do believe that a change in the right direction can change years of deterioration. So while I don't recommend using chemicals w/o a doctor's OK (And actually I don't even care for the steroids that I'm sure most doctors would recommend), I do believe in at least giving natural remedies a try. I advocate massage to start with and healthy eating--meaning cut out sugar (you don't need it when you're eating complex carbs that turn into sugar anyway) and cut back on salt (you probably get enough sodium from food w/o adding more), etc.

When I had my bald spot, Surge was the big hit on the forum, but I couldn't bring myself to use it regardless of the great reviews. Reason: The ingredients were not 100% natural and I wasn't about to risk using unnatural products that could become toxins that could make things worse. I wanted to keep everything as "organic" and natural as possible.

I fully agree with the bolded.

One of the biggest (and best) suggestions I found in my research dealt directly with working at the problem in holistic overall ways. So yes to healthy eating, scalp massages, regular exercise to increase overall blood flow and drinking lots of fresh water. Also, simply and regularly keeping the scalp clean, avoiding heat and unnecessary manipulation all played a HUGE part in getting my body back to a state where it could help grow hair.

I think the biggest problem is, we, as consumers, want it now. We don't stop to think that we can improve things with any change but need to keep in mind IT TAKES TIME. Nothing is instantaneous, esp with our hair.

 

[Nonie]

I think the biggest problem is, we, as consumers, want it now. We don't stop to think that we can improve things with any change but need to keep in mind IT TAKES TIME. Nothing is instantaneous, esp with our hair.

.... This is especially true because a lot of damage happens over long periods of time so would take a while to undo. Even instantaneous damage (like a burn by heat or chemical) can cause damage to cells that took time to develop to the stage they were, so healing would mean starting from scratch and giving the cells time to return to where they were, or new ones to be born and nurtured to that level.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I understand all that was said in this thread because they were my own thoughts as well. When I was relaxed I always got burned, would scab, and when the scab was gone there would be a bald spot. Back then they always grew back so with that in mind I just waited knowing it would grow back but this time is very different and very large. I havn't been to a doctor because this hasn't bothered me until I began my HHJ because like i previously stated I was used to chemical burns (even tho I used a lot of base). I will go see a doctor, I will be positive, I'll do some reading, and I will have faith.
And thank you @Nonie @smoothie696 shortdub78 @virtuenow @mzteaze @Cherrypie your responses were the reason I started a thread and put my self out there.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

@topnotch1010 she hasn't been doing anything to make it grow back so of course not much would happen. @vickyd (hope she sees this and comes to chime in here) had bald patches that were about 2 years old and she's an alopecia survivor. She didn't just sit and wait for a miracle. She even got steroid shots from a doctor but it wasn't one thing that worked. It was a combination of several things, including the oil concoction I used to regrow my bald patch.

Bald people have very tight scalps...so I believe massage to keep scalp supple and flexible is a good idea. Folks panic when they lose hair and avoid touching or messing with the bald spot but I think that is not the thing to do. I believe in massage, because besides keeping the scalp from being tight and frozen like that of bald folks, you also encourage circulation...and then if you're eating right so that your blood is only bringing useful nutrients and not junk to your follicles, then you are better off and stand a better chance than if doing nothing. Even if your hair doesn't grow, at least you know you did something positive and didn't just sit back and watch things fall apart. Massage IMO is always positive unless you have broken bones or torn ligaments or some type of injury that doctors say should be left alone. Guess it's best to ask a pro when in doubt. And when you massage, do not just slide fingers over the scalp but rather knead deep so you move the skin over your scull. I'll see if I can find the thread Isis posted years ago on how to do scalp massages.

BRB.

ETA The thread I was referring to by Isis, one of the most knowledgeable people on total health that I met on LHCF, is this one: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=15169

Here's the thread with my concoction for any newbies who haven't seen it (Sorry if it was already posted above. I didn't click on the links to see what's been posted so apologize for any redundancy ) :http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=39645
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=39645

@Nonie This really makes sense because that area is tight and I have very thin hair growing, the hair in my thin spot is 2 1/2in long and today my mother looked at my bald spot and saw fuzz, sounds pathetic now that I'm typing this but hey it is what it is. I am going to do the scalp massages starting tonight with a mixture of wheat germ, sesame, coconut oils. THanks!

@shortdub78 I'm scared of Mega Tek, but after I go to the doctor I might man up lol.

 

[virtuenow]

be very gentle (for your hairs own good)