Jonalee Schmidt Wins St. Rita’s Medical Center’s Mercy Club Award
LIMA — In 1984, after a cancer diagnosis and mastectomy, Jonalee Schmidt felt deformed. She didn’t undergo chemotherapy, so she didn’t lose her hair. But she lost plenty of her physical self and understood how that loss contributed to another loss of self esteem. Through her businesses and volunteerism, Schmidt has combated that loss and helped people diagnosed with cancer “look good and feel better.”
Schmidt, who recently won St. Rita’s Medical Center’s Mercy Club Award, sits on the Allen County Board of American Cancer Society and oversees the society’s Look Good Feel Better program for breast cancer survivors locally. Schmidt trains cosmetologists in the region in the program, which teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients, helping them combat the appearance-related side effects of treatment.
“What is hair? It is so important how we look, how we dress. It affects your immune system,” Schmidt said. “You want to go cry somewhere because you’re bald. You’re depressed, and then you don’t feel good.”
Read the rest of the story at the Lima News. To get in touch with Jonalee, visit her Lima Ohio hair loss provider website.
Cancer taunts from bullies frighten young alopecia sufferer
Schoolboy Nathan Fitzharris, who has gone bald aged ten, thought he was going to die after bullies told him he had cancer. Nathan, who suffers from alopecia and has lost his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, told his mother Mary-Ellen ‘I’m going to die’ after being taunted.
‘It was scary when my hair started falling out and I felt upset when people said mean things,’ said Nathan, from Renfrewshire, England.
Alopecia areata is a condition that causes round patches of hair loss, and can lead to total hair loss. The cause of alopecia areata is unknown. About a fifth of people with this condition have a family history of alopecia. Alopecia areata is thought to be an autoimmune condition. This occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue.
Alopecia areata is seen in men, women, and children. A major life event such as an illness, pregnancy, or trauma occurs before the hair loss in some, but not most patients
Forms of alopecia include:
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Alopecia areata — patches of hair loss, usually on the scalp, but they also can be in the beard or other areas
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Alopecia totalis — complete loss of scalp hair
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Alopecia universalis — total loss of all body hair
Most of the time there are no other symptoms besides hair loss, but some people may feel a burning sensation or itching. Alopecia areata usually begins as one to two patches of hair loss, most often on the scalp. It may also be seen in the beard, eyebrows, and arms or legs. Roundish patches of hair loss are smooth, and may be peach-colored. Hairs that look like exclamation points are sometimes seen at the edges of a bald patch.
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Loss of all scalp hair (alopecia totalis), often within 6 months after symptoms first start.
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Loss of all scalp and body hair (alopecia universalis).
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(Source: metro.co.uk)
Trichotillomania: What Is It?
The following description of Trichotillomania is copied directly from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002485/
“Trichotillomania is hair loss from repeated urges to pull or twist the hair until it breaks off. Patients are unable to stop this behavior, even as their hair becomes thinner.
Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors. Trichotillomania is a type of impulsive control disorder. Its causes are not clearly understood. It may affect as much as 4% of the population. Women are four times more likely to be affected than men.
Symptoms usually begin before age 17. The hair may come out in round patches or across the scalp. The effect is an uneven appearance. The person may pluck other hairy areas, such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, or body hair.
These symptoms are usually seen in children:
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An uneven appearance to the hair
Bare patches or all around (diffuse) loss of hair
Bowel blockage (obstruction) if people eat the hair they pull out
Constant tugging, pulling, or twisting of hair
Denying the hair pulling
Hair regrowth that feels like stubble in the bare spots
Increasing sense of tension before the hair pulling
Other self-injury behaviors
Sense of relief, pleasure, or gratification after the hair pulling
Most people with this disorder also have problems with:
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Feeling sad or depressed
Anxiety
Poor self image”
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According to MayoClinic.com, for some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the urge to pull hair is overwhelming and can be accompanied by considerable distress. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely.
An article on Trichotillomania at Wikipedia.org suggests that support groups and internet sites such as the Trichotillomania Learning Center can provide recommended educational material and help persons with trichotillomania in maintaining a positive attitude and overcoming the fear of being alone with the disease.
Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse control disorder and leads to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment. Teens and adults with the disorder may find coping with the disorder in every day life somewhat easier by consulting a trained hair loss professional who may recommend a wig or hair prosthesis to mask the resulting hair loss and allow the sufferer to interact normally in social and public situations such as work and school.
Female Hair Loss: How Common Is It?
According to Alopecia Studies & Hair Loss Alopecia Information, 40% of women by the age of 50 years old will show signs of hair loss. Female pattern baldness involves a pattern of hair loss in women that follows a particular cycle. Physicians attribute hair loss in women to hormones, aging, and other factors. Female pattern baldness may also be called alopecia, baldness, hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia.
Causes and Presentation:
The American Hair Loss Association explains that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an offshoot of the hormone testosterone, is a major contributor to many types of hair loss. Essentially, DHT attacks hair follicles and either damages the follicle or kills them entirely. Female pattern baldness has several different courses and presentations. The course of female pattern baldness may include an overall and gradual thinning of the hair on the crown of the head. When thinning hair occurs for women, it usually begins at the top of the scalp and widens through the center of the head. Hair usually grows at a rate of half an inch per month. Hair may grow from two to six years, fall out, and immediately re-grow. The hair growth process spans three cycles: growth phase (or anagen phase), resting phase (or catagen phase), and falling out (or telegen phase).
The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that the cause of female pattern baldness is undetermined. Potential causes may include: hormone imbalance, genetics, pregnancy, medical issues, and external causes. Complete baldness is relatively rare in women as compared to men. However, it may occur. Complete baldness occurs when hair falls out and a new hair fails to grow in its place. Although the causes behind baldness are not well understood, research demonstrates that baldness may be related to aging, changes in hormone levels, and/or a family history of hair thinning, hair loss or balding.
Female Hair Loss Treatment:
Once you’ve noticed hair loss, it is important to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to determine whether your hair loss is a disorder that requires medical treatment. If the doctor informs you that your hair loss is not resulting from a medical problem, consider that permanent hair loss could be a reality. It is important to remember that female pattern baldness is not a medical disorder.
Many women prefer to receive treatment in an effort to slow the course of hair thinning and baldness. Minoxidil is the only drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness. Minoxidil, which is most commonly marketed under the brand name Rogaine, helps hair growth in approximately 20-25% of women. However, hair loss begins once you stop applying Mixoxidil.
Hair has been called a woman’s crowning glory. To look good is to feel good. Female pattern baldness and thinning hair can be painful, devastating, and embarrassing. Beauty is but one of many elements that comprise a woman’s life, yet one of the most important by which she is judged. Hair is a huge component of female beauty. Hair replacement or hair restoration may be an ideal solution if you suffering from thinning hair or moderate to severe hair loss.
According to Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair Ltd. inToronto,Ontario, modern, state-of-the-art hair additions can be an extraordinary solution for female pattern thinning. “A hair integration system is a state-of-the-art hair enhancement that adds any amount of fullness, length and body to your existing hair. It is feather-light, secure and completely undetectable.”
Parting Thoughts
Female pattern balding is a reality that many women live with every day. Although the effects of hair loss can exact an emotional and psychological toll on women, there are resources available to help you solve your hair loss problem. If you are struggling to maintain your positive outlook on life in the face of female pattern baldness, we encourage you to contact a trained hair loss professional and explore the various state-of-the-art hair replacement and hair restoration solutions that are available today.
Chemotherapy and Female Hair Loss
Women recently diagnosed with cancer experience a host of varying emotions. Treatment for cancer is a scary, overwhelming experience, especially for the patient. Chemotherapy Related Hair loss is one of the most emotionally devastating side effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy affects all growing cells in the body, including hair follicles.
The Mayo Clinic reports that hair loss may begin as soon as chemotherapy treatment starts. If anxiety and dread about hair loss has gotten the better of you, remind yourself that hair loss is generally a temporary side effect of Chemotherapy treatments. There are ways to cope with the anxiety of hair loss before and after it happens. Here are some steps you can take before hair loss occurs.
- Treat hair gently: Before undergoing treatment, it’s important to treat your hair gently to prevent further damage. Aurora Health suggests using a mild shampoo in the shower and only washing your hair when absolutely necessary. Purchase a soft, wide-tooth hairbrush to use instead of abrasive brushes. If you’re accustomed to blow-drying your hair, try to cut back, suggests Aurora Health Care. Allow your hair to dry naturally after the shower and blow it dry for only a few minutes. When you use the dryer, place the heat on low-heat or cool as to not damage your hair. If you usually curl your hair, avoid using curling irons and other heated products. There are a number of different curling options that don’t rely on heat, so try to change your routine to protect your hair. The Mayo Clinic also suggests that you may want to consider sleeping on a satin pillowcase to avoid inadvertently pulling hair on rougher fabrics while you sleep.
- Protect your scalp: If your hair has already begun to thin, consider applying sunscreen to your scalp to protect it from harmful rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends purchasing shampoos and conditioners that contain UV protection. They also recommend purchasing products that contain Panthenol, a provitamin of B5, which will help repair hair breakage and retain natural oils on your scalp.
- Cut hair short: Cutting your hair short is a proactive way to ease yourself, your family, and your friends into the reality of your impending hair loss. Short cuts help your hair appear fuller, especially if you add height to the top of your hair by curling it. Short hair with bangs and layers creates the illusion of thicker, fuller hair and allows for a cute style. If your hair is thinning really quickly, you may try cutting your hair very close to the scalp. This style offers a sophisticated look that also masks the toll that treatment is taking on your hair. When you blow-dry your hair, tip your head upside down for a wavier, fuller body of hair.
- According to Frederic Fekkai, famous celebrity hair stylist, the concept of beauty revolves around the way a person moves through the world rather than the style of her hair. According to Fekkai, “Nothing is as beautiful as someone who loves being alive just as they are.” Although hair loss can bring sadness, depression, and anger into your life, you are in control of how to navigate the process of cancer and chemotherapy treatment, especially when it comes to your preferred hair style.
Alopecia Areata: Questions and Answers
Perhaps you may have noticed a small, round bald spot on the back of your head while you were washing your hair. Or, as you were preparing to shave your legs, you saw a patch of smooth, hairless skin on your calf. Both scenarios and many others could be the first indications of alopecia areata. If you or someone you love has unexplained hair loss, it could be alopecia areata. There is a lot of misinformation online and elsewhere about alopecia areata, which can increase anxiety for the people affected by this disease. Keeping yourself informed is a critical component to self-care, especially in the early stages.
What is alopecia areata and who gets it?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease that results in hair loss anywhere on the body. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation reports that 2% of the population, approximately 4.5 million people, will be affected by alopecia areata at some point in their lives. For some, alopecia areata presents as a small bald spot on the scalp and nothing else. Others experience complete scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis). Some report complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis). The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) reports that men and women of all races and ethnicities are susceptible to alopecia areata. However, individuals who have a family member with alopecia areata have a greater chance of being affected by the disease with first onset usually occurring sometime during childhood.
What causes alopecia areata?
According to NIAMS, hair loss from alopecia areata is believed to be caused by a person’s autoimmune system, specifically the white blood cells, attacking his or her hair follicles. The autoimmune system is designed to protect the body from viruses and other harmful bacteria. However, in the case of alopecia areata, the white blood cells mistakenly attack a healthy part of the body. When the hair follicles are attacked, they become smaller and reduce in production, which manifests as baldness or slow hair growth. Hair re-growth is possible in most cases since white blood cells usually fail to attack the cells that provide the hair follicle with new stems.
The National Alopecia Areata Foundation explains that alopecia areata is not a nervous disorder. While reducing stress may help to improve overall mood, science demonstrates that it will not impact the course of alopecia areata.
How is alopecia areata treated?
There is currently no cure for alopecia areata. According to Dr. Draelos, hair will re-grow and the symptoms of alopecia areata will disappear temporarily or forever in approximately 50% of cases. When hair fails to re-grow, men and women may consider undergoing one or more of the many available treatments. Treatments range in effectiveness from person to person. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation reports that treatment is primarily based upon the age of the person and the type of alopecia with which he/she presents. As is the case with chronic medical conditions, treatments vary widely and are often prescribed in combination. Steroid injections, creams, and shampoos are often prescribed.
When hair loss is more severe, a high quality 100% human hair wig or hair replacement system may be a solution. Wigs have received a bad reputation. And in many cases they deserved it, not having been designed, manufactured, or styled to the highest standards. Unfortunately, the hair replacement business is one in which you only notice bad workmanship. Quality craftsmanship is never seen, because it looks so natural. Fine quality human hair wigs and hair prostheses will look and feel totally natural and allow the alopecia sufferer to resume a full, normal social life without the emotional stress and self-consciousness associated with Alopecia.
Alopecia Areata: It’s Up to You.
If you are coping with the impact of alopecia areata, remember that you are not alone. Alopecia areata is not life threatening and is not linked to any life threatening diseases. Men, women and children with alopecia areata live fulfilling, productive lives every day even when hair loss is total and permanent.
Resources:
Nutritional Tips from BreastCancer.Org
Nutrition — giving your body the nutrients it needs — is important for everyone. When combined with exercising and maintaining a healthy weight, eating well is an excellent way to help your body stay strong and healthy.
If you’re currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer or have been treated for breast cancer in the past, eating well is particularly important for you. In this section, you can read about healthy eating and what and how to eat during and after treatment.
What Does Healthy Eating Mean?
Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that give you the nutrients you need to maintain your health. Find out how to balance your diet and manage your portion sizes.
Childrens Alopecia Project
September is National Alopecia Awareness Month. And as it happens, I stumbled upon a Facebook post about the Children’s Alopecia Project, and just thought I would share it, so here goes:
“As you know, Alopecia Areata is a disease that causes partial to total hair loss in children and adults, there is not a known cause or a cure for this disease. It is not life threatening but it is life altering and that is why the “Children’s Alopecia Project” or “CAP”, was incorporated as the only non-profit devoted specifically to children with this disease. Our goal is to generate awareness of the disease, build self-esteem via support group participation for children and provide support to the CAP Kids and their friends and family.”
The Childrens Alopecia Project has many functions and events in place to promote awareness, raise self-esteem in kids and to raise the funds to make it all happen. http://www.childrensalopeciaproject.org/
