Hair Loss, Sore Scalp, Thinning Of Hair

[kcotton]

I am haing issues with my hair, I had used perms in my hair for over 30 years and within the last 5 years I've noticed that my hair starting falling out, slowly but surely. It was falling out by the strands, it started increasing only this time when it fell out, I noticed white balls on the end of the strands. I decided 2 years ago to stop getting perms and I started getting extensions which did not work either. I went to a dermatologist and was told not to perm, braid, twist or color my hair. I went home and cut out the rest of my perm and I have went natural. I was not satisfied with the dermatologist so I went to another and I told him how my hair had fallen out, it is thinning in the top and at both temples. I also noticed that in the back my hair grows extremely thick and very noticeable. My dermatologist has me taking tetracyline twice a day, he said I have an infection in my scalp, I am also taking spirodactone to stop the shedding and my shedding has stopped tremendously, but I am still suffer with my scalp being very sore especially after I was it. It is sore to touch as well. I apologize if it seems I am all over the place, but I am typing as I think. I am so frustrated, everyone loves my natural look, but they have no idea what it takes to try to mask the thinning and balding spots. I am alsso using Cordran Lotion my scalp which is quite expensive $40.00 per bottle. I am having pain right now in my scalp I do not understand what is going on with my scalp, has anyone even remotely have had these symptoms? If so please let me know, if I can get my hair to regrow in the top and in the temples would be so great. What can I do? Thanks for your help!

[4evernappi]

Reading your story is like reading my own, almost. I know your pain and I'm still struggling to get "back to normal". Finding a good dermatologist that you trust is the first step. After years of being in pain and being told everything from, "your hair is too oily" to "its in your head--you're imagining it" I decided to go back home to Michigan to a family dermatologist who started me on steroid injections in my scalp (monthly) and washing my hair with loprox shampoo and the best thing, in my opinion, was an oil called Derma-Smooth. You apply the DS on damp hair and cover for a min. of 4hrs or overnight. Then wash out and go on with conditioning and styling. Using the DS religiously 2-3 times a week is what finally brought me relief. I also think the steroid injections helped also. After about 4 or 5 months I could no longer afford to go to MI on a monthly basis and stopped. I still had my shampoo and oil and used it until all my refills were gone. It really helped until earlier this year. I had breakouts again. I found a group of ladies, dermatologists, in my area, who seems to be on the same page as my MI dermatologist. Although, they are white, as there are no black dermatologist in my area, I trust them...so far. Maybe you can ask your doctor about DermaSmooth. As far as my outbreaks on my scalp...they seem to be under control again. I've been taking Biotin pills for 6 months and has seen some hair growth. But I just found out that my alopecia is spreading further back on my head, so they will do a biopsy to see where we go from here. HTH