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Alix

Alopecia Totalis / Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata moving more recently into Alopecia Totalis

Click on an image below to see an enlargement / scroll down to view the case notes.

11/25/2008

02/15/2008

12/04/2007

10/01/2007

07/02/2007

Elias, you are a genius and have given me hope for the first time in
years.

See below for a photo of what I assume is the kind of initial growth
you mentioned - is it?

There may be a couple of other patches with some regrowth around the
edges as well - does regrowth usually begin from the outer edge?

Thank you so much, I have really taken heart today!

Alix.

07/02/2007

Alix has a job whereby she can not follow the instruction of how best to use Calosol. Unfortunately she had a reaction to the product after using teh 4H and oil together and wearing a wig for 14 hours at a time.

We moved Alix onto the fast-track and Elias adjusted the products that she was using and also how they were to be applied - at night only.

Like so many of our customers, she began to doubt whether Calosol was actually going to bring the desired results. This was compounded by the fact that she has a medical background and the formulation seem a little too simple.

07/02/2007

Alix was considering a medical treatment for the alopecia and then have a rapid change of heart when she saw the first stages of regrowth. Initial signs of regrowth vary from person to person AND severity of their alopecia. In general "AA " patches will have an average response of three months. (By response we mean the regrowth of some vellus hair) while " AT " can have a response any time between 6 weeks to six months).

07/02/2007

04/23/2007

I am female, 41 yo, and have had AA for a number of years.

At age approx. 24 I lost a small patch of eyebrow and eyelash hair,
which grew back in a few months. I then had no problems at all until
approx. 5 years ago, when I lost half an eyebrow. This regrew within
about 6 months.

04/23/2007

Nothing further until about 3 years ago, when I began
to suffer small (approx. 1cm diameter) patches on my scalp -
initially only one, which responded to intralesional steroid
injection, but then over the next 12 - 18 months, became gradually
more numerous and bigger. My eyebrows were also affected
intermittently to a small degree. By December 2005 I was no longer
able to cover the patches on my head with various creative
hairstyles, and began wearing a full wig. I was getting no response
at all to intralesional steroid by this time. I also tried topical
sensitisers and topical tacrolimus.

04/23/2007

I have continued to wear a wig since then, although I don't think
that any new scalp patches have developed since. I have however lost
increasing amounts of eyebrow hair, and have almost no eyebrows left.
Very recently (last 2 months) I have lost almost all the top lashes
on my right eye. I have intermittently noticed patches in other
areas, most persistently an area over the left side of my face and
now upper lip (not noticeably hairy before, but the skin texture is
very different when all the hair is gone).

04/23/2007

I enclose photos of top, back and sides (excuse mess in background!).

Please let me know if there is any other information that would help
you. I look forward to receiving my Calosol and beginning treatment,
and am prepared to be very dedicated in application of the products.

Thanks,

alix

04/23/2007

>>The prognosis looks good and I feel that we should be able to help you.

I will try to brighten up the pictures if I can and pop them in the gallery. However I would appreciate you taking them again outside in the daylight and to enclose a close up of the eyebrows, plus one taken of the top of the scalp ( for example if you sat on the floor ). Similar a close up of the left hand side of the neck would be appreciated.

Please advised how long you used topical sensitisers and topical tacrolimus. Also how long tacrolimus was used .

Finally if you could let me know how your wig is affixed ( for example double sided tape ) and if it is removed overnight.

Regards

Andy

Thank you so much for your email and offer, I really appreciate it.
I am holding out a smidgeon of hope that Calosol may help.
I will retake the photos, but won't be able to do so until the weekend as it is dark when I get home from work. I'll send them as soon as I retake them.

To answer your questions, I used topical DNCB over about a 4-5 month period. It made no difference whatsoever. I didn't even have a localised irritant reaction to DNCB, even when I used the stronger concentration daily for a few days. I also didn't like the thought of using a substance with a positive Ames test (just shows how desperate we alopecia sufferers get).

I used topical tacrolimus for probably a week, and was then struck with acute zoster (shingles) in the right ophthalmic region - very close to the scalp region where I had been using the ointment. Obviously I had to stop it then (and fortunately got antivirals onboard quick enough to stop the horrendously debilitating pain). I would not try it again!

I have tried many types of wigs - from the basic net types that are not attached at all, through "NASA inventions" (haha, more about this if you wish) that were to be 'glued' to the scalp for up to 6 weeks at a time, and have finally settled on a suction base wig as being the most natural, least obvious and whilst I wouldn't say comfortable, especially in our summer heat, least uncomfortable option. I remove it at night and whenever I am unlikely to be disturbed, basically! The minute I get home at night, it comes off.

Thanks again for your offer, I must say it is very uplifting to even see photos and hear stories of people in similar positions such as those on your website.

I will forward the new photos as soon as I can,

Alix.

04/23/2007

Alix hi,

I am following you case also along with Andy, the quality of the photos makes it difficult to have a clear view of the areas around the nape, I have noted the presence of what appears like atopic dermatitis, have you had a diagnosis made? what if any treatment? Date of onset?
Is it itching? do you go through the itch-scratch- cycle? is there a secondary infection?

It appears like "seborrhoeic dermatitis" but on closer look (I need a better photo) it also appears like "Lichen simplex of the nape" some people also call them "stork bites".
Best wishes,
Elias

04/23/2007

Hi Elias,

Thanks for your interest - I am looking forward to receiving and using my Calosol.

I will retake the photos - was going to do so today but the camera wouldn't work properly, so there'll be a slight delay.

I get occasional 'spots' for want of a better word around the nape of my neck, which I do scratch. I think I had just scratched them before the other photos were taken. They then scab, and I often scratch the scabs off and so it continues.

I have noticed also that whereas on my scalp I would become exquisitely tender in the areas that - I later learned - were about to lose hair, with my eyebrows and eyelashes, the prodrome to hairloss is intense itch to such a degree that I am forced to use steroid cream just to settle the symptoms. Is this common?

Hopefully will be able to send you some better photos in the next couple of days.

Regards,

Alix.

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