It has been somewhere around six months now since my last post, haha terrible! I had gotten so busy with looking for and moving into a new place, work, side projects, and everything else in life that I just kept putting it off; didn't think it would take me this long. For shame!
A few months ago, I noticed some very fine, super soft, almost baby-hair-like fuzzy growth in the biggest patch I had (the large one in the back). I got excited but tried not to get my hopes up for regrowth so soon, especially because I was still losing hair in other parts at that time. It kept on filling in, got fuzzier and fuzzier, and started coming in the other patches, too. Baby hairs, YESSS!! They continued to grow, and are now what I call my "teenager hairs." They are wild, curly, separate from the rest of my hair, stick up and fly around, and generally do what they want...but they are here! Now all my major patches are full of teenager hairs about two inches long (like in the photo above).
During the first couple months of regrowth, I was still losing hair in other places. No patches like before, just thinning in areas. Lately though, the loss of hair has been minimal. I still lose more than what is "normal" for me each day, resulting in the underneath areas on the sides being noticeably thinner if lifted. But overall, it's back, and I am happy about it.
From what I have learned about Alopecia Areata, there is a significant chance (about 90%) of it all happening again within the next year or two. Even a chance that it will be an ongoing cycle of loss and regrowth for the rest of my life, and a chance of it being worse in the future...but there's also a chance that it will never happen again. As I mentioned in previous posts, nobody can predict what course it will take. So for now, I am just happy that I have it back and will enjoy it while it's here!
I have to say I am SO GLAD that I decided not to pursue treatment. I have not done any kind of treatment at all since the day I was diagnosed and got those terrible shots in my scalp. It seems to have all come back 100% naturally and on its own.
I also want to give a big thanks again to everyone who has been here for me during all of this, especially when it was the most difficult to deal with. I would have never been able to maintain such a positive outlook and attitude if it weren't for the support I've had from my friends and family. I think about that every day. THANK YOU.
Having wild and crazy, disappearing and reappearing hair is just a part of who I am now, and I'm totally okay with that.
To quote a friend of mine from a conversation a couple months ago:
"Your hair is as sassy and independent as you are!"
Maybe it is : )
