It sounds unwieldy, but by far the best way to shave is while you are taking a shower. You will greatly reduce the chance of razor burn (ouch!!!) and also greatly extend the life of your razor blades.

The best razor to use is a Mach III. The best shaving gel is Edge Gel. You may also want to purchase an inexpensive stick-on fog-resistant shaving mirror from a store like Bed, Bath & Beyond or similar store.

Once you’ve buzzed your hair down as close to your scalp as possible, you are ready to shave in the shower.

* Step 1 — Make sure you have the razor, soap of your choice, a wash cloth, and shaving gel in the shower.
* Step 2 — Start the shower as you normally would.
* Step 3 — Once in the shower, get your head wet and soap it down. Scrub it good with the wash cloth, then rinse with water.
* Step 4 — Put some Edge Gel in one hand and rub it evenly all over your scalp.
* Step 5 — Use the Mach III razor, starting somewhere in the front of your scalp, use long careful strokes to shave the gel away. Use overlapping strokes. There is no need to apply much pressure — let the razor do the work. Be careful to NEVER slide the razor sideways or you risk cutting yourself. Be careful around the tops of your ears where they attach to your scalp as well as the bony areas behind your ears. Once you have shaved all of the gel off, rinse your scalp and feel for places you might have missed. If you want to get an even closer shave, spread more gel evenly on your scalp and this time shave in the opposite direction, again making long, careful strokes, again taking great care around your ears. Rinse when you are finished.
* Step 6 — Soap your scalp down again, scrub once again with the wash cloth, rinse again and you are finished.

This sounds like an unwieldy process, but after you’ve done it a few times you will quickly get the hang of it. You actually shave the back of your head entirely by feel.

Even if you are unconcerned about the extending the life of the razor blades, shaving in the shower DOES really help to eliminate razor burn as long as you are using a good quality blade such as a Mach III. Personally I’ve never worn a wig, but I can imagine sweating in a hot suction wig would be unpleasant if razor burn was present!!!!!!!

Though some people with AU have eventually gotten all their hair back, most AU sufferers find that AU is a permanent condition that doesn’t go away, regardless of what they do.

Sometimes all forms of Alopecia seem to be brought on by large personal shocks, such as a severe accident or death involving a close loved-one. In other cases it simply seems to happen and there’s no logical explanation for it. Sufferers are always looking for answers, but the answers seem ever-elusive.

The only real alternative for female AT sufferers is to wear a wig or some type of hair bandana. Wigs come it two basic types — synthetic hair and human hair. Human hair wigs are generally the preferred type, but they are also the most expensive.

I noticed my hair thinning about 8 years ago, and went to a dermatologist, and he told me that I have alopecia, and that rogaine should help… well I tried rogaine for a while (a long while) and didn’t notice a difference in my hair at all, so after lot’s of money spent for nothing, I stopped using it. Years went by and I found a hair style that I could live with… Very short, parted on the side, framing my face. I didn’t have to look in the mirror much to fix it, because it is pretty simple… dry, spray, shape,
spray again and go. Recently I noticed it getting thinner and thinner, so I started looking around for a wig online ( my hair loss has kept me from going out as much because I’m so self conscious, even though I work with the public.. go figure..lol), I found one that I liked… It has a skin top, and a part over a little to the side, and it hangs down on my back… While I was looking at it, I couldn’t help thinking “ahhh, it would be nice to have long thick hair again”. So for the first time in my life I am wearing a wig. Am I still self conscious? You bet! I’m beginning to wonder if my self esteem will ever return! I hate this disease! I hate looking in the mirror, I hate washing my hair and feeling my scalp, and a little but of hair under my hands, instead of the hair that I use to have, and I hate going out and seeing women with full heads of hair having such a wonderful time with not a
care in the world… I really do try not to be bitter. By nature I am a cheerful person, but this alopecia really get’s me down. I am working up the courage to shave my head totally bald and tell the world to accept me as I am, but I feel that I need to lose a little weight first. If it’s not one thing it’s another . Today I took a picture of my head.. No styling, no thickening cream, just as is, to put in the photo album of an alopecia support group, and I broke down crying when I looked at the picture. I almost didn’t put it on the site, but I thought “If other people can, then so can I”. I guess I was in denial over how bad my hair loss had gotten. I asked my fiance why he didn’t tell me I was looking balder than ever, and he said that it didn’t matter to him, because he loves me, not my hair. My family feels the same way. They are great, but they don’t feel like I do. They don’t go through
bout’s of depression, or hate leaving the house for any reason other than going to work. Well, I think I’ve said enough for now.

Balding in North Carolina,

Necie

Sincerely,
Norma Jean

In some people, Alopecia Areata will appear for a few months and then simply disappear, never to return.

Many times, Alopecia Areata can over time progress to other more aggressive forms of Alopecia, including Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis.

One thing AA, AT and AU sufferers will all agree on: AA, AT and AU are extremely unpredictable. It’s impossible to predict what will happen in any given individual case.

The leading theory as to the cause of AA, AT and AU is that the individual’s immune system, for whatever reason, begins attacking the body’s own hair follicles as if they were enemy invaders.

Therapies

Typical therapy for AA can include but is not limited to Cortisone shots directly into the scalp. The idea is to suppress the immune system’s inflammatory response. Many people report initial success in making the AA bald patch symptoms disappear, at least temporarily. Continued long-term use of Cortisone is not advised, since it can have bad side-effects, chiefly bone-softening. People report that the shots themselves can be very painful and can cause scarring.

Cortisone shots to suppress AA seem to be affected by the law of diminishing returns — that is to say, over time the shots seem to lose their effectiveness. They can buy some symptom-free time up front, but after a few years they can get to where their effectiveness at symptom suppression is diminished. The very real possibility of softened bones should cause one to think twice about long-term use of Cortisone.

Alternative Treatments

Many people try all sorts of different sorts of alternative therapies, such as vitamins, dietary supplements, unconventional topical treatments, etc. The usefulness of these therapies is always debatable. Unfortunately, AA can cause desperation, and desperate people can fall prey to unscrupulous people who just want to sell them something, holding out the promise of something “magic.” Unfortunately, the hard reality of AA is that it is completely unpredictable.

Conclusion

If the case of AA is mild, the solution can be as simple as changing one’s hairstyle so as to keep the bald patches hidden. If the case is more severe, then many women are able to supplement their remaining hair with an add-on hair piece like a “hair halo.” In severe cases they may be forced to shave off the remaining hair and get a wig. Both supplemental hair pieces and full wigs come in two different types, synthetic hair wigs made out of man-made materials and natural human hair wigs.

Male or Female Pattern Baldness (Androgenic Alopecia) is usually considered genetic in origin.

Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis, and Alopecia Universalis are generally considered to be the result of the dysfunction of the autoimmune system. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, preventing them from growing hair. Generally the hair follicles themselves are still present and could grow hair, if the dysfunction of the immune system could be corrected.

The show discussed the following information:

“About 70 percent of female hair loss is genetic. Other causes include stress, illness, medication and diet. Crash diets, tight ponytails/braids/weaves/extension, thyroid disorders, pregnancy, going off birth control and general anesthesia can all result in hair loss.

“Hair loss is an emotional problem for women,” said dermatologist Susan Taylor. “My patients have told me they don’t want to go out in public, they don’t feel good in relationships with partners. They are uncomfortable going to work, and don’t like to do anything with the public.”

Taylor said hair styling techniques using chemical relaxers, hot comb, weaves or extensions have had a marked effect on women’s hair loss, especially for black women. She said in the past 15 years, there’s been a 50 to 60 percent increase in hair loss because of styling.

Taylor offered the following advice for preventing female hair loss.
• Don’t ignore the problem. Get help soon.• Hair care should be gentle, not painful. If it hurts, it’s going to harm your hair.• Avoid tight ponytails.• Use gentle shampoos, nothing that itches.• Don’t skip conditioner.• Don’t over brush.”

I thought these were some good tips.

To Hair, Hope, and Healing

Gina

The one thing I do know is that most companies will NOT reimburce for “wigs”. Medicare will NOT reimburce for “wigs” or “cranial or hair prosthesis” according to the current laws. I am totally amazed (more like blown away) that the insurance companies still see this as a cosmetic luxury rather than a medical need. I suppose that the insurance companies would rather pay for counseling and medication to help us cope rather than deal with the actual reason for our pain. However, my comments are coming from a layperson and not a professional in the insurance industry. Yet it would seem to me that if you deal with the source of the pain and provide hope and solutions the recovery time might be shorter and the expense less to the insurance providers, but again that is only the opinion of one.

I honestly believe insurance companies want to make hair reimbursement as difficult as possible. That may sound very callous and my desire is not to beat up on the insurance industry nor to come across as sarcastic. However, I deal with them a lot and hope the information below will help you file your claim and get any reimbursement your policy allows you to have. I have yet to see any insurance company approve the claim for a “cranial prosthesis” on the first submission, so prepare to be determined.

Here are the steps I have found to be most useful:
1. Your Dr must write you a prescription for either a “hair prosthesis” or a “cranial prosthesis” and state the reason for the need such as alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, or alopecia universalis, etc.
2. Ask your Dr to write a letter on their letter head to the insurance company stating your need for a cranial prosthesis due to a medical condition which could most likely to be a permanent part of your life. Should you be reading this and have hair loss due to cancer treatments ask your doctor to state that as your reason and that you will need hair for approximately 2 years due to the treatment. Some insurance companies require both the letter and the prescription, some require only one of them.
3. Call your insurance company and ask for someone who could help you concerning Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and what your policy specifically states concerning prosthesis. Once you have an expert on the phone from your insurance company and durable medical equipment ask them if they have any suggestions concerning submitting a claim for a cranial/hair prosthesis. Be prepared for them not to understand your question. Explain to them what you have and that you have a prescription from your Doctor for a prosthesis because your hair loss is not something you chose, but something you want to live with in dignity and respect. Stress to them this is not a wig for cosmetic purposes, but a medical need. Once they understand ask them for their help. I call this “making a friend” in the insurance company. Ask them if there is a specific code they need on the claim form for a cranial prosthesis. Also ask them if they could send you a copy of their claim form. Be sure to get their name and extension number incase you need to call them back (trust me you will probably have to call them back). Ask them if they have any advice for you concerning anything you can do to get this filed and processed easily.
4. The salon or person selling you the prosthesis must supply you with a receipt or invoice. The invoice must show exactly what you purchased and must use the terminology of either hair prosthesis or cranial prosthesis. It must also show you have paid in full either by credit card or by a check. If you paid by a check the check number must be on there. The owner of the salon must sign the receipt/invoice and state paid in full as well.
5. Keep copies of everything you submit to your insurance company, incase it gets lost or misplaced.
6. Send this information to the insurance company to the attention of the person you have been speaking with. Be sure you ask the person if it is OK for you to do this simply to try and speed up the process.
7. Be prepared for the claim to be denied.
8. Be prepared to call your contact concerning the denial and ask what more you can do.
9. If you are denied ask for a specific reason and ask them where in your policy that it states specifically that a cranial prosthesis is not covered. If they can not provide you with this information then you need to ask them to send you a copy of your policy if you don’t have a copy.
10. Some insurance companies do not cover cranial prosthesis at all, and it is stated specifically in their policy. NO companies cover “wigs”. Medicare will not cover wigs or cranial or hair prosthesis. I have seen some insurance companies who cover 1 cranial/hair prosthesis in a life time. I have seen some that will cover 2 a year. However, any of them that cover the prosthesis will usually deny the claim at least once. I have seen claims denied 4 and 5 times taking a full year to receive reimbursement.
11. Stay strong and see this as a journey. Know it can be frustrating. Don’t give up until you are either given a specific provable reason for the denial or you are reimbursed.

I would love to hear from you and hear your experiences. Let me know if these suggestions have helped you. Let me know if you get reimbursed.

Hairs to you

Gina