My story of AA

My own story of Alopecia Areata
This passage is dedicated to my dear parents and friends, for them to know better about my disease, and to the people with Alopecia Areata elsewhere in the world, for sharing my experience. For those who do not know me well, first, I have to introduce myself. I am Anne, a 21-year-old female, a final year student in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. I have developed Alopecia Areata since April 2005.

In April 2005, I discovered that large clumps of hair started to fall out when I washed my hair. At first, I thought it was normal. After all, we all fall about 100 hairs per day, do we? However, after a week, I found that the amount of hair falling was a bit unusual. I can easily pull out strands of hair when I washed my hair. Fearing that I might get bald, I immediately went to examine my scalp in the mirror. To my shock, I had seen a bald spot in my scalp!

The next day, I immediately went to see my uncle who is a doctor. He said that there were three or four bald spots on my scalp, and he suggested that I have to relax, do some exercise, and get more sleep. Since at that time the condition was not so serious, I had not planned to visit my dermatologist. Sadly, the week following my visit to my uncle, the condition got worse. Each time when I washed my hair, at least 2000 hairs fell out (and this is NOT a joke). A very large bald spot appeared on top of my head, and I was scared to death.

The very next day, I paid a visit to my dermatologist, Dr. Lai Cham Fai. He confirmed that I had a very acute form of alopecia areata, which is probably due to stress. He suggested me to take 2 weeks of steroids, a medicine that is very harmful to our body. The medicine prevents the white blood cells in my body to further attack my hair follicle cells. He also gave me steroid cream which I apply twice a day.

After two weeks of steroids, the amount of hair falling out become less. However, new hair has not grown out yet. So Dr Lai prescribed me another 2 weeks of steroids.
After two weeks again there were still not improvements. So I have to take for anther 2 weeks again.

The hair has not grown until July. In July, the hair started to regrow, although there were still several bald spots left behind. And now, in September 2005, the regrowth of my hair is very good.

After having Alopeica Areata, I have discovered my new self. I have never thought that I can be that strong before. During the most desperate months, which are in June and July, rather than not facing the public and staying home crying all day, I continued to work in the laboratory for my final year project (FYP) in spite that I have to wear a hat every day, which is not very good looking though. I remembered a sentence in a book talking about Alopeica Areata,¡¦ who would ever looked better in a basketball cap?¡¦ This is true, especially for a girl. Before I had Alopecia Areata, I used to have a very beautiful long black hair. And it is all gone in ten days. This is very emotionally challenging. Especially I have to work in the laboratory every day, I am scared what others will think of me. Luckily, the members of my laboratory are all very nice and they accepted that I have this illness very quickly. I remembered one boy in the Department I am working asked me, ¡¥Why do not wear hats every day? Well, what could I answer him? Saying that I suffer from hair loss? And I felt odd too since I am the only one in the Department who wear a hat everyday. Nevertheless, the members in the laboratory, my dear friends and parents all support me greatly and helped me to overcome the very difficult times.

As an end to my story, I would like to give a heart-felt thanks to all of these people.
Many many thanks to my dearest parents, who gives me enormously support in these hard times. You cry with me, console me and give me money to visit doctor. Many thanks to my dearest friends, Ruby(Yan), Ma Ka Yan, Mavis, Carmen, Legend, for you to listen to me when I was not feeling confident because my hair loss. Many thanks to my FYP advisor, Professor. W.Y.Chan, for his guidance and support during these few months, and my labmates, Peggy and Jean and Wang Liang, for them encouraging me not to feel shame on my illness and teach me when I have difficulty in my lab work. Many thanks to my dermatologist, Dr Lai Cham Fai, without you, my condition will get worse.

For other alopecians, hope my story can encourage you! Alopeica Areata is not an easy disease. It is not like a flu which you can heal in 3 days. There are always people who tease you, but there are also people who always support you. Never feel alone.