ANA Discussion Forum

Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Stephanie on September 07, 2010, 12:57:09 pm

Title: Hair loss??
Post by: Stephanie on September 07, 2010, 12:57:09 pm

My surgery was 8 weeks ago then I had a CSF leak and that surgey was 6 weeks ago now. I have just found a spot on my head (size of a quarter or larger) that is totally bald and completly smooth. It is on the opposite site of the surgery and was not there before. Cold this just be stress? Luckily I have a lot of hair and not everyone can see it but it has me concerned.

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: Brewers7 on September 07, 2010, 01:53:34 pm

My husband gets this from stress.

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: iluuvpups on September 07, 2010, 01:57:24 pm

I just saw a Dermotologist the other day (about something else).  She said she was surprised that I did not have any hair fall out after my surgery.  She said it was pretty common for that to happen. 

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: martyc on September 09, 2010, 08:52:39 pm

That seems odd that it is on the unaffected area.  I'm glad to hear the dermatologist saying that it is normal to lose hair as I used to have very thick hair and now it is not thick, but reasonable. 
Hope the spot grows hair back!
Marty

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: texsooner on September 10, 2010, 05:58:41 am

I had this exact same thing happen to me about 15 years ago. It was a spot on the back of my head about the size of a half dollar coin where my hair just totally fell out, completely bald/smooth. At the time, we had just relocated to an international location for my job and it was a very stressful job. I went to a dermatologist and he said it was most likely stress related. He gave me a couple of cortisone shots in the affected area (which I remember didn't feel too good) and in a few weeks time the hair grew back, and I still have hair in that spot and a good head of hair (at least for now). I may have had the AN at that time, but don't think it was related.

Patrick

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: lamplight on September 10, 2010, 06:02:07 pm

In my non-medically-trained opinion it sounds like alopecia - I know a couple of people who've had this. Have a look at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopecia_areata
Generally I think they are somewhat stress related (auto-immunue but the stress exacerbates or triggers it) and the hair eventually grows back.

Maybe get it checked by a doctor though if you're worried about it or it gets bigger.

Hope it grows back soon

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: stevecms on September 10, 2010, 08:24:36 pm

hi i have the same spot i thought it was from the clamp during surgery.

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: opp2 on September 11, 2010, 08:33:34 pm

I'm on side with Steve. The surgeons use clamps, often a three clawed thing, to hold your head still. Each arm has a pin in it that is screwed down into your skull. I believe it is called a Mayfield pin. I have three small areas of scaring no where near my incision. They are all smooth and hair free, but not quite the size of a quarter. This could be the cause.

All the best, happy recovery!

Title: Re: Hair loss??
Post by: Stephanie on October 13, 2010, 06:42:04 pm

Hi - Thanks to all who replied. I found after a visit to the doctor that the hair loss is in fact from the surgery as a couple of you said. The doctor said they use donuts to ease the pressure of the clamps used to hold your head during surgery and the area affected is where he had a clamp. I was worried since it was two months after the surgery that it appeared but it was a sensative area since the surgery. I have some hair growing back already so I am happy.  Just one more thing I didn't expect. :)