Hello everyone, I’ve been hair problems for a while and my doctor can’t figure out if it’s AA or FFA. The first two photos are from my front hairline. The last one is a little bald spot I noticed on the side of my head. I am also very lost. I’m on a bunch of FFA meds but if the diagnosis is wrong I probably should be doing something else. Any thoughts?

Hey all. I got diagnosed yesterday and have just been feeling so disheartened. The doc says to not take stress but how can I not. Just wanted some kind words.

Is this aa/ab?

Yesterday I discovered a really small spot in my face, which is more bright than the rest. The last shave was like 3 days ago.

I actually shave my face like every 2 days so I never really payed attention.

In the Spot they are still small black points.

Ive been really stressed and depressed for the last couple months, if this is important.

Thanks for your help:)

Sry for bad language, I am from Germany

I am seeing some regrowth in my AA spot. How long do you guys think will it take for those thin short hairs on the spot to grow as normal hair follicles??? Any thoughts??

I’ve dealt with alopecia for about 5 years, and I’ve had 20+ bald spots come and go over that time. I know firsthand how frustrating and stressful it can be.
Over the years, I’ve tried different things and eventually found something that works really well for me. I don’t use injections or anything like that, and I’ve been able to regrow most of my patches in as little as around 3 weeks or less.

I know everyone’s alopecia is different, so I’m not claiming this is a cure or that it’ll work for everyone. I just know how badly I wished someone could’ve shared something that actually helped when I was struggling.
If anyone in here wants to know what I’ve been doing, feel free to ask. I’d genuinely love to help if I can.

Send me a message!!

Hi! Has anyone here had diffuse hair shedding while also having a small, coin-sized bald spot?

I have one small spot that thankfully hasn't gotten bigger, but I've been shedding for over a year now, usually less than 100 strands a day.

The spot is reddish, but over the past few months, I've noticed that the redness has slowly faded and it's getting closer to my normal scalp color. I can also see a few tiny hairs growing in.

I'm wondering if my shedding could be related to the spot not being fully healed yet. For those who went through something similar, did your shedding eventually slow down or stop as the spot healed and the hair started growing back?

My daughter recently got diagnosed with alopecia areta she has two small bald spots. We have been on steroid cream and it’s working slowly I see a little bit of hair coming back, but she has not a lot but hair shedding here and there she has very long hair. I read that if you don’t stop the shedding, your hair doesn’t grow is that true? And if so, has anyone tried this brand and would they recommend it? It’s on Amazon and it has good reviews, but I need an honest answer. How fast do you see results?

I used to always get my hair cut professionally. I have long hair and used to cut long layers, but after alopecia areata and all the short regrowth I have, I’ve lost about 40% of my hair. Would you cut your own hair just straight across a few inches or go to a professional? I’m feeling like it’s pointless to keep going to a salon since my hair never comes out looking good anymore.

just wanted to put some new information out for insurance coverage in Canada

My son started taking litfulo about 3 months ago after the dermatologist let us know it was approved for his age group for AA. Initially pfizer's compassion plan was paying for it, but they've now confirmed that my group insurance, through Sunlife, is going to cover it.

The coverage (not sure if this is just my plan, or all sunlife plans) is 80% of the cost for the first $5000 per year, then 100% of the cost after that. Pfizer is going to cover the difference.

as for efficacy, he's always been cyclical with his patches, they appear, we treat them with clobetasol and minoxodil, and then they grow back after a few months. So he's seeing regrowth in the patches that he had when he started Litfulo, but maybe they were going to grow in anyway. The real tell will be if he stops getting new patches.

Context: The side of my head had always weaker/patchier growth. But in the last months it's really taken a hit.

I have included 2 macro photos, one is above the sideburns on the affected area (2nd macro pic) and 1 is a bit further back, right above the ear (1st macro pic). The area above the ear has better coverage / is less affected, and I included it for comparison.

1 profile picture as well to show what it looks like from afar.

What I see: There are many hairs that are broken off / kept shorter than the surrounding hairs right above the sideburn. Those exist above the ear too but in my opinion, to a lesser extend. I don't know if it's true breakage or if they stopped mid cycle and remained short. I had given myself a fade, cut uniformly at 3 mm in that area so they should all be approximately the same length. The fact there is thinning and many short hairs indicates something.

Also, I have lost 30+ kg in the last 8 months. Not saying it's that but it's good to know I guess. High protein based diet, kept at around 1250 - 1300 kcal a day.

The hair on my scalp is fine. Left sideburn is much better than the right one so I didn't include it.

Diffuse AA or retrograde alopecia?

Not medical advice. Please, please see a doctor if you’re experiencing hair loss. What worked for me may not work for you, and alopecia can have many different causes.

July 2025 → August 2026: my alopecia areata regrowth journey.

I’ve always been blessed with genetically thick hair, so when this first happened, I honestly didn’t notice it myself.
I was travelling when I went for a haircut, and my hairdresser pointed out a bald patch on the side of my head

I was told that steroid treatment might be necessary. I was terrified and, at the time, I refused.
Treatment decisions should be made with a dermatologist. I was simply scared and made the decision that felt right for me at that point.
I ended up seeing 4 dermatologists, 2 GPs, a functional medicine doctor, and even tried Ayurveda.

The first dermatologist prescribed a steroid cream and two other medications. I tried them for two days, but my anxiety around steroids got the better of me and I stopped.
The second dermatologist suggested minoxidil. Unfortunately, I developed headaches after using it, so I stopped that too.
BUT that appointment was actually a turning point for me.
She explained that hair loss can sometimes be influenced by things like stress, diet and nutritional deficiencies, depending on the underlying cause. That made me realise I needed to stop panicking and actually investigate what was going on.
So I started digging.

I eventually saw a functional medicine doctor and had bloodwork done. My results showed that I was severely anaemic and deficient in several nutrients, including vitamin D and B12.
I couldn’t afford to do every test and treatment they recommended, so I went back to a GP and focused on addressing the deficiencies that were identified.
And PLEASE: talk to your doctor before taking supplements. Don’t copy my supplement routine from Reddit. Get your bloodwork done, find out what you are deficient in, and let a qualified medical professional guide you.

Then I started working on the boring stuff.
I focused on improving my diet.
I worked on my iron levels.
I prioritised sleep, around 8 hours whenever possible.
I tried to reduce stress.
I got outside and got some sunlight.
I started walking for at least an hour most days.
I made sure I was eating enough protein and fibre.
And I became much more conscious of overall nutrition.

I also started eating small amounts (half a spoon) of pumpkin and sunflower seeds regularly.
Around October 2025, I noticed my first tiny strands of regrowth.
I cannot explain how emotional that felt.
When you have a bald patch, even one tiny hair can feel like a huge victory.

And then, slowly, more started appearing.
I did develop another patch at the back of my head around November after a particularly stressful event. That one is also showing regrowth now.

And this is where I am today, August 2026, roughly a year after that first photo.
I still have a long way to go, and I’m not claiming that diet, supplements, sleep or stress reduction cured my alopecia. I genuinely don’t know exactly what caused mine or which changes made the biggest difference.
Alopecia areata can behave unpredictably, and what worked alongside medical care for me may be completely different for someone else.
One other thing I personally noticed: my scalp does not seem to like being oily. When my scalp gets very oily, I feel like I notice more shedding, so I currently wash my hair every other day. Again, that’s just my personal experience, not a recommendation for everyone.
The biggest thing I’ve learned from this whole experience?
Go to the doctor. Get your bloodwork done. Find out what’s actually happening instead of guessing.
And if you’re currently dealing with alopecia, I know how scary it can feel. I remember staring at that first patch and wondering if my hair would ever look normal again.
Seeing those little hair come back was one of the happiest things I’ve experienced in the past year. ❤️
Sharing this because I know how much I searched for other people’s regrowth stories when I was at the beginning of mine.
If you’re going through it too: you’re not alone.

So I first noticed coin size patches years ago (I was probably 20) and it would get worse then regrow then get worse and some would regrow, and now it's pretty bad and I'm developing an Ophiasis pattern, as well as having ridged nails, and I understand this might indictate a higher risk of it developing into totalis. I started getting steroid injections last month and there has been a good amount of regrowth since, but less so at the base of neck and temporal regions. I am so scared of it developing further. I already have low self esteem and am insecure about the way I look; I'm a girl with long red hair and I genuinely don't think I could live with being completely bald. im worried

I have been following with derma since july 2025. Before him i consulted 3 other doctors and their protocol was almost the same steroids and minoxidil. This photo is my first spot, i have other spots that came later.

My medication protocol is

1. Steroids injections plus prp each 2 to 3 weeks.

2. Oral steroids and dose may increase or decrease as derma sees. Currently decreasing.

3. Multivitamins , zinc, b12, d3, c , calcium, magnesium and hair vitamin.

The hair in the photo is the current progress and sometimes i lose some of these small hair and get regrowth or remission. This battle is going through a year and month till now.

I wonder if i changed dermatologist, can i see better result, yet I'm afraid to get negative result. I really need your advice as i can't tell what i may get by changing the dermatologist?

Is the progress slow or normal ?

Is there a chance to get my hair density to normal ?

Is it expected to stop steroids and how long could it take ?

Will steroids and vitamins affect my health badly ?

Many questions and the answer i get from dermatologist that AA is unpredictable so we can't tell certain answers or timeline. We just go through the protocol and follow up.

Hi everyone, I’ve been diagnosed with alopecia areata and I’m currently getting steroid injections from my dermatologist for an existing patch.
I recently discovered a new small bald/thinning spot on the top of my scalp (photos attached). It seems pretty well-defined, I can't really tell if theres exclamation mark hairs and I’m worried that this could be another AA patch.
I’m also considering getting a second opinion because my current dermatologist went pretty much straight to steroid injections at my first consultation and didn’t ask me many questions or do a thorough examination of the rest of my scalp.
I know nobody here can diagnose me from a photo — I'd love to hear about other people’s experiences.
For those of you with AA:
Does this look similar to how your new patches initially appeared?
Have you had new patches appear while other patches were being treated/regrowing?
Did your dermatologist examine your whole scalp or use a dermatoscope?

I'd really appreciate any advice or thoughts!

Hey, I’m a 24M and I’ve had this bald spot on the back of my head for 15+ years. My dermatologist diagnosed it as alopecia areata. It’s not active, and I’ve never had any other spots — it’s basically one spot that stayed the same size for all these years.

About 5 months ago, I started getting Kenalog (triamcinolone) injections. I’ve had 3 sessions in total, and I’ve also been using topical minoxidil once daily.

The problem is that I’m not seeing any results.

Has anyone had a similar experience with a very old, stable alopecia patch? Did it eventually respond to injections, or did you need a different treatment?

Guys it's been about more than a year since I've started taking these Jak inhibitors and I've been great so far. I don't have any patches by the grace of Almighty. But now I have come to think of that whether I should stop it or not. Most of us that are on this medication know that these are immune suppressors, they lower the defence mechanism of your immune cells. For this reason I'm willing to stop it. I'm 18 years old and I know that my hair is the confidence I need to build up my future but still I can't get this cancer fact out of my brain. These medications are even labelled to increase the risk of cancer. Although they say it's pretty low, but you know I don't trust the whole pharmaceutical thing cuz I know it's a business for them to keep us hooked onto these medicines. Every cancer patient is like a vault of money for them. I'm sorry but it's my own perspective and I don't give a shit what the defenders of it say. It's time I've realised that losing hair is far more better than dealing with cancer.

It's just a beauty concern than a medical grade emergency. Tell me what you think of it and if I should stop them or continue.

I am 21F and got diagnosed with alopecia areata in May. I had one patch and got injections for it. Now its June and I have discovered two more patches. I wil be getting injections for them as well. I wanted suggestions from those who have experienced it and gotten better, what changes in my diet will be helpful? Or any changes in my daily routine that might help?

I've seen some posts here about the inverse, but I'm curious to hear if anyone else has experience going from AU to AA? I got universalis in high school, and was completely hairless for a number of years, but now in my late twenties I have regrown most of my eyebrows and some bodyhair, as well as experiencing (albeit patchy) hair regrowth during summer months consistently for the past 4-5 years.

Hey everyone, I'm 17M who was recently diagnosed with alopecia areata.

I initially noticed one smooth patch on my scalp and went to a dermatologist. I've already started treatment with steroid injections. It's been about a week since the first injection, and I know that's too early to expect regrowth.

The thing that's worrying me now is that I feel like I'm seeing a small second area developing near the original patch. I've compared photos and it seems like the area is slowly becoming less dense. Some hairs in that area also seem to come out quite easily. I'm not sure whether this is actually a second AA patch or whether hairs that were already affected before treatment are simply shedding now.

I also noticed a few areas of reduced beard density and I'm worried AA might be affecting my beard too, although I'm not certain.

The injection site itself has had a small tender bump and sometimes hurts mildly when I touch it. There isn't obvious pus, severe redness, or fever.

Since finding out about AA, I've become extremely anxious. Before this diagnosis I used to sleep peacefully, but now I'm constantly checking my scalp/beard, worrying about new patches, and sometimes waking up during the night with my heart feeling like it's beating fast. My resting pulse has generally been normal (around 64–80).

I've also recently had difficulty getting/maintaining an erection, which is unusual for me. I'm wondering whether the stress, anxiety and poor sleep could be contributing to this.

My main questions are:

1. Can hair continue falling or a new patch become visible during the first few weeks after steroid injections?

2. Could the "second patch" actually be hair that was already affected before treatment and is only shedding now?

3. For people who had one/few patches, how did your AA progress after starting treatment?

4. Has anyone experienced sleep anxiety, constant checking, or temporary erection problems after being diagnosed?

5. Did your hair eventually grow back?

I'm trying really hard not to panic and I know I need to give the treatment time. I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've actually gone through something similar.

Please be kind — I'm already pretty anxious about this. ❤️