My Dirty Little Secret

So, if you've been following my blog you already know that I have two types of alopecia. Alopecia Areata and Cicatricial Alopecia (scarring alopecia). I am classified as having Alopecia Universalis which means I have no hair anywhere on my body.

The types of alopecia that I have is sometimes associated with itching, burning, pain, discoloration of the skin, and lesions. Most times I experience these types of discomfort on my scalp. But recently I experienced this in my pubic area. Ouch! As you can imagine this is quite a painful and uncomfortable condition which can last for weeks.

In the past I have only had alopecia areata in my pubic area since my original diagnosis back in 2007. I was quite surprised and scared to find the painful lesions, scaling patches, itching, and discolorations. In fact, I was so scared, I associated it with some other diseases and totally freaked out! I called my gynecologist immediately! She performed a painful biopsy on one of the lesions in the very sensitive area, and I anxiously waited for the results over the next two days.

To my surprise, it was the Cicatricial Alopecia! Well, I had some questions. Why had it reared its ugly head? Why now? Is the treatment going to be the same as the way they initially treated my scalp? Would I need steroid injections? How long would the condition last in this sensitive moist area? I was in extreme discomfort and a nervous wreck.

So, it turns out the reason it showed up after all these years is because I had recently had a tummy tuck which is a big surgery. If you have the alopecia gene and your body experiences any type of trauma, alopecia is likely to show at those times. With regards to the treatment, I was advised to use a topical corticosteroid cream. With scarring alopecias there is no way to tell how long an episode will last. You just have to let it run its course. At this point, I see some improvement, but I may require a stronger corticosteroid. I will just have to wait it out at this point. Ugh!

Having alopecia can at times send you through such an emotional roller coaster ride! While I feel embarrassed and emotional about sharing my story, I'm hoping that I am helping someone else who might be experiencing the same thing and might not know what is happening to their body and where to turn for help.

For now, I'll continue my treatment and hope that everything clears up sooner rather than later.

Wishing You All good health and peace.

Love,

Crowned Regal