April 25, 1999
Question
Alopecia Areata
Dear Spencer,
My boyfriend has a full head of hair except for a circular
spot the size of a golf ball right below his left ear.
At first we thought it was his mountain bike helmet rubbing against his
scalp.
He keeps his hair quite short, and he doesn't recall noticing it thinning. One day
it was just kind of there.
This has been going on for 9 months and his doctor doesn't know what it is.
He works a high stress job and I have heard stories in the past of people loosing
patches of hair due to stress.
Is this true?
He stopped wearing his helmet and nothing grew back. Now we sometimes notice small
hairs growing in (very thin however) but they never seem to stay.
What do you think it could be?
Answer
Sounds like Alopecia Areata. Do a search on the net to
receive more info.
I also forworded your question to Dr. Angela Christiano. Hopefully she will have to
time to respond.
Many cases of this disorder are transient and the hair grows back in time.
Tell your boyfriend to relax...stress only exacerbates this condition.
I'm very surprised that his doctor was unable to diagnose his condition. Seek
the advise of a dermatologist.
Good luck and let me know how things turn out.
Spencer
 Spencer David Kobren,
author of
The Bald Truth,
and
The
Truth About Women's Hair Loss,
has graciously agreed to answer your hair loss questions.
Although Spencer would like to answer all of your questions personally, we cannot
guarantee that he will be able to do so.
For more information about hair loss issues be sure to visit
The
HairBoutique.com Hair Loss Forum. |
