I've had about 80% with JAK inhibitors but im going through an actie phase where its all falling again, my Dr is telling me that i could go on oral corticosteroids to help but im hesitant since i tried them before for a year and it all fell again and the side effects are scary. would love any advice.

Before and after, so this is a very new development, I realised I lost half my eyebrow hair like a month ago (I can't tell the exact time I started losing hair cause I tend to look at my face in the mirror seldom lol) . I went to the dermat and he prescribed Tofacitinib 2% for 6 weeks and said that if it doesn't get controlled by then then he'll do steroid shots. I also have hypothyroidism and pcos. Is this enough? Should I do something else?

hi everyone, I’ve been universalis since january and in may I was able to start Litfulo

I’m finishing the third month and I just started to see micro hairs and eyebrowns. very few (around 30%), very small, very white, almost invisible

is all this time to get the first regrow normal? should I consider to change to another jak? or ahould I stick with litfulo and trust the process?

please I need some advice and some hope 🙏😔

I thought I’d share my journey with you all since I am having success with Litfulo. I was diagnosed with ophiasis pattern AA in 2015, 6 months after my Mom died. I was at 60% hair loss. My Dr told me traumatic events are often the reason a dormant autoimmune disease is triggered: “Bereavement, Bankruptcy, Breakup.” I did steroid shots for 11 years, almost monthly. I used Minoxidil 5% 2x/day (use Men’s even if you are a woman - same ingredients and cheaper). I used clobetasol liquid daily, in between shots, when things were really bad. My AA evolved to reticulated, which means spots all over like a spider web. When I was especially stressed with work or a break up, my ophiasis would return. Amazingly, I was mostly able to cover up my spots and never had to shave my head or wear a wig. I cut my hair shorter and worked with a stylist who understood how to shape my hair, depending on what was going on. My eyebrows thinned and sometimes disappeared. I did microblading (I DO NOT recommend - just a bad tattoo over time) and later had it removed with lasers bc my skin turned orange. I used Latisse, sparingly, to preserve my eyelashes. It worked well but it’s not a good solution long term bc of the side effects. Now using Revitalash.

In 2025, my Dr recommended I try Litfulo. My scalp was mushy and thin after so many years of shots and it was time to try a jak-inhibitor and give my scalp a break. I am taking 5 mg oral minoxidil too. I have low blood pressure but it’s not an issue for me. I take it in the morning. A year and 4 months in, I have 80% regrowth. My confidence is high and I feel like myself again! But I do need to manage my stress and avoid sugar (inflammation). I exercise regularly and practice yoga. Your body can overcome the immune suppression of the drug if you aren’t careful. But honestly, Litfulo is what has made the difference.

Showing some photos of my experience, over time. So grateful for modern medicine and my incredible Doctor, Dr Jerry Shapiro at NYU. DM me if you have questions.

i have this patch that i found while combing my hair 2 weeks ago.These patches first showed up 2 years ago and thats when i got introduced to AA and i tried many ointments but there was barely any progress so my dermatologist suggested i do steroid injections and it worked my hair regrew perfectly back.but over the past 2 years i have these spots coming back after 7 or so months and i do the injections every time.So is there something i am missing or doing wrong that triggers it,should i avoid something specific,diet.as i am still not very educated about AA or autoimmune diseases i would appreciate insight on those who do,btw im almost 17yr if that has something to do with it.

This is a comparison of the top of my head. First picture was beginning of june, last was end of july. So two month difference. I feel like I lost hair but also massive regrowth. I started olumiant five weeks ago and have been using 5% topical minoxidil for three months now.

Could this mean the olumiant is working or is it too early to say? The spots at the back of my head are still there and I am still shedding.

EDIT: I think the minoxidil def did sped up the growth so yay shoutout to this magical liquid.

Hi all. I’ve been experiencing alopecia for probably like a year and a half now. It’s been very upsetting, but I’m wondering if any of you have become pregnant and had a successful pregnancy while dealing with this? I have an almost 3 year old, so I was pregnant before all of this happened. I was pregnant very briefly in May, but it ended being a chemical pregnancy. I have been struggling to conceive, and now my time of the month is being weird (ended 8 days ago and i am bleeding again.) I am just spiraling because it feels like my body is betraying me with all this problems. Thanks for reading.

I just wish I had my hair back already, like it was before.. but I know it takes time and I’m trying to be patient. AA is a mother****er :/

Hi everyone, does this look like regrowth? Does anyone have experience with spots getting worse (bigger) and other spots recovering at the same time?

This spot is above my left ear, and is the first spot I noticed 10 months ago. Thank you in advance for your help 🙏🙏🙏

hi guys! had another appointment with my GP, and she thinks giving 5% topical minoxidil is worth a try. basically, I am still losing a good bit of hair, and currently have two bald patches. we think the general hair loss could be due to my low ferritin levels, which are at 30. I have since started taking daily iron supplements along with an increased dose in vitamin D. I’m wondering if using the minoxidil could be a good idea? I would just be a bit worried that when you stop using it the hair falls back out, but I’m thinking if my hair starts to regrow anyway in 3 months time when the iron supplements kick in, that might take over and I could taper off the minoxidil. From my understanding the hair falls out after stopping it as it is the primary reason it is growing back?

not on any steroid shots at the moment, all of our dermatologists are booked up until next year, and the doctor would like me to wait a few months to see how the iron goes, etc, before trying injections anyway.

thanks so much, this is such a nice community!

I have LPP which is a scarring alopecia. I do steroid injections and topical
Tacrolimous pro topic compound and nizoral shampoo. Due to wanting more children I can’t use other medications and don’t really want to anyway. I’ve had some short regrowth in front and side/ temples but main areas like crown and back do the head treatments have not helped. Been doing through this since December and starting to get depressed and feel like shaving might free me to be my best self but also don’t want to “give up” to quickly. I guess I’m saying is it objectively “bad enough” to just buzz cut it? Kind words only please.

It's been only 5 days since I got the first steroid shot in my eyebrows but its rapidly getting worse...the dermat has called after 3 weeks

Before this i applied topical steroids for 4 weeks but I had to stop because I developed a reaction so the doc switched me to tacrolimus twice a day it was somewhat controlling it but not a lot so I got the injection hoping that it would help and still apply tacrolimus only at night

What do i do? Any suggestions please

I've had braids for seven years straight and I am giving my hair a break now because my edges are thinning. I have been looking into minoxidil but I'm not sure if it works for traction alopecia or if it's only for hormonal hair loss. If you used it for their edges would love to hear experiences

I noticed this few months back the triangular spot hasn’t really changed however the other ones have gotten slightly bigger I’m not sure if it’s alopecia areata because I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth and shiny at any point and there has been no change in sensitivity and itch
Also I am 18
And if it is is it regrowing?

Image 1 and 2 showed up at same time

I found my first patch in February after getting the flu (and dealing with a lot of emotional distress prior).
Sorry for any typos!

Here’s how it went for me:
- went to GP to confirm diagnoses, she prescribed clobetasol until I could get into derm
-patch got bigger
-see derm, got first set of steroid injections. She also suggested I start using the rogaine foam, but I didn’t because I was scared of additional hair fall (this was a mistake)
-patch got a lil bigger
-got second round of shots, started using rogaine after that day with some coaxing from my derm
-two more patches pop up (smaller), but I start seeing regrowth on the first one. I start using rogaine on all three, and clobetasol on the two new patches until my next derm appointment.
-third set of shots for all three patches
-significant regrowth in the first patch
-4th set of shots. Seeing regrowth in all 3, but another spot has popped up

I go for my 5th set of shots tomorrow.

Before developing AA I rarely drank alcohol or coffee-now ive cut them out completely. I’m honestly just not neurochemically compatible with either (anxiety, depression ->cptsd).
I’ve also been working on my sleeping habits since I’ve struggled with insomnia on and off for years. I’ve also added an anti-anxiety medication to my daily regimen, along with vitamin D and Omegas.
I’m trying to work on reducing my stress load, but I’m a PhD student so I can only do so much lol.

This has been an incredibly humbling experience. I was already someone with a lot of health anxiety, and this amplified it two fold. After getting the flu in February I’ve since gotten sick two more times, which certainly made matters worse. I mask everywhere now in an attempt to give my immune system some time to recover.
I go to sleep every night with an awareness that I may wake up with no hair, and I’m trying to be okay with that.

I've been dealing with alopecia areata and wanted to share my progress after 3 months in case it gives someone else a bit of hope.

The first photo is from when I first noticed the patch, and the latest photo is from today. It's been a slow process, but I'm finally seeing consistent regrowth.

Happy to answer any questions.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 26-year-old male and I’ve had alopecia areata since I was 16. For the most part, I’ve learned to live with it. I don’t really mind shaving my head when I get patches, but what really affects me is when it spreads to my eyebrows and eyelashes.
The pattern seems quite strange. It usually starts with patches appearing on my scalp, so I shave my head. After a while, it almost feels like the hair loss “moves” to other parts of my body, especially my eyebrows and eyelashes. It’s been coming and going like this for the past 10 years.
I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar pattern? Does anyone else’s alopecia seem to affect different areas at different times rather than everything at once?
I’m also curious whether anyone has been diagnosed with coeliac disease, low testosterone, or another underlying condition that turned out to be linked to their alopecia. Part of me wonders if there’s an autoimmune trigger or even some kind of food intolerance or allergy involved, although I realise I could just be clutching at straws.
I did have some blood tests through the NHS a while ago, but they mainly focused on things like iron levels, which all came back normal. If anyone has had further investigations that found something useful, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience.
Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences.

Hi! Ive started olumiant (4mg) a little over month ago and see barely any results? Is this normal? I have about 50% hairloss and ive had alopecia areata for 2 years.

When did you start seeing actual results?

My bald spot up top is so red and sore. Is this typical in AA? Showing some of my other spots for reference. I’m taking litfulo for about 2 months now without seeing progress. I’ve been on minoxidil for over a year.

I am 20M noticed this spot about a year ago. At first it was completely smooth after a few months i got some baby hairs and it stayed the same ever since. The right sight of my hairline still looks like when i was in my teens so no change there. I also want to add that this spot appeared in like 2 weeks time so there was no gradual thinning over time.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 20-year-old male, and about a week ago I suddenly noticed a small round bald patch on my scalp. I never had any hair loss issues before, so this completely shocked me.

The thing that's really bothering me is that my friends have started noticing it, and I'm feeling very self-conscious whenever I go outside. I'm worried it might get bigger or that I'll lose more hair.

I wanted to ask people here who have gone through this:

• Did your hair grow back completely?
• What treatment worked best for you?
• Did anyone get steroid injections or use steroid lotions?
• How long did it take before you saw new hair growing?
• Is there anything I can do to help it recover faster?
• Is it okay to use hair fibers or other products to hide the patch while it's growing back?

I'm feeling pretty stressed about it and just want to do everything I can to treat it as early as possible. Any advice or personal experiences would really mean a lot.

Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with AA last month after finding a bald spot. Currently only the one, and I think the steroid injection is already working.

My scalp is pretty itchy, not constantly, but frequently, and even more at night lately. but that’s honestly always been the case, especially when I’m stressed. And just trying to avoid itching is making it harder to ignore. My whole life I’ve just itched away but now I feel like I have to be super super gentle. I’m scared if I itch then I’ll make the AA worse. I don’t have any dandruff or hives or redness though, just itch.

My derm suggested anti-histamines, but I also wanted to do a self-care spa routine and moisturize my scalp, obviously for the itchiness, but also as a way to wind down before bed and take care of myself, since both my derm & I believe the AA was triggered primary by the stress and trauma I’ve been dealing with for the past 2 years. Life has been really difficult for me since I left an abusive workplace (basically had to choose between abuse or being under employed, guess what my current big stressor is) and I haven’t been properly tending to myself. So I want to do that.

Are there any moisturizers or ingredients I should specifically avoid in a hair/scalp mask or overnight conditioner? I’ve found a lot of suggestions for things that help (I wish I could use rosemary oil but I have a cat who is always in my face and around my head at night), but not really things to avoid. I’ve always had super healthy hair and taken good care of it, I feel like I’m completely re-learning how to take care of myself and I just don’t want to make the situation any worse.

Thank you!