Lots of zits...prednisone not working again

Well, the same thing happened this month as last. My hair continued to fall out of my scalp on the highest does of prednisone. It gave me body acne and a little weight gain. I was hopeful that the aloe vera capsules would be a little stronger and fight the inflammation, but I'm not sure if that is the case. I realize that even though I have almost gone through the recommended six bottles of He Shou Wu Chinese herb, it was at double the dosage. It hasn't been 3 months and it is supposed to take 3 months to work. So, maybe in another month and a half I'll start seeing some regrowth. Maybe my liver chi will be balanced out by then.

Skin never felt better

My skin has never felt better since I switched to the True aloe capsules last week. The small wrinkles around my eyes are not evident and it is no longer dry. I do have some acne appearing on my body due to the prednisone. That happened last time I took prednisone. After 8 days, pimples appeared on my back. I think once I stop the prednisone, my skin will clear up again. It is difficult to say whether the prednisone actually helped or not because although I lost hair, it could have been more. While the scalp hair left, the body hair mostly stayed, so I can't say for certain that it was entirely ineffective. Only time will tell if it all falls out. Even then, it isn't the end of the world.

Losing lashes now

I noticed two of my eyelashes on the shower wall this morning. I'm not thrilled. I had such high hope that the aloe vera would work. My skin has felt fantastic since I switched to the whole leaf capsules last week. However, I know the inflammation is still there. The prednisone didn't inhibit it. The reports of people who had inflammation from arthritis were that it took six weeks to get relief and then the relief was immense. If that is the case, then that is fine. We're headed into fall and I don't expect to have regrowth until Christmas. I'm realistic. You can't change your body chemistry overnight.

It is still falling out and it has been a long time

I guess it has been all summer that my hair has been falling out. I noticed it in May and started taking the Thymuskin, shortly thereafter getting the injections. I didn't start taking aloe vera until sometime in June. I started in on the oral steroids in July, but gave up on them after three weeks. They didn't seem to slow down the hair fallout at all. Last week, I switched from a liquid form of aloe vera to a capsule that is supposed to be more potent. noticed the patches of regrowth last week and decided it was worth it to try the oral prednisone again. However, I haven't noticed a decrease in my hair fallout. I still feel my scalp and notice symptoms of inflammation like heat and redness. I don't know if the aloe in the capsule is stronger or not. I'm assuming it is. It gives me diahrea. I will cut back the dosage in a couple days and that side effect should go away. It isn't bad though. Just some loose watery stools. I think the capsules are stronger because I do have that side effect. On the liquid aloe vera, I didn't experience that side effect. We shall see.

My sister's perspective

My sister has been alopecia universalis for five years. We have had different experiences in terms of alopecia. She has given up hope on the idea of her hair growing back. Injections did not work for her and they worked for me. She couldn't try prednisone because of her diabetes. I tried it, but it was not successful in arresting the hair fallout. I find it interesting that she has given up hope and doesn't see the cause as the same in both of us. She says it is her white blood cells. I call it inflammation because I can see redness sometimes and feel heat. But, white blood cells are behind the inflammation. For me, it is just a matter of getting that under control and then the hair will grow back. She has regrowth on occasion in small areas that usually falls out. She tried a poison ivy treatment that didn't nothing more than irritate her scalp and grow peach fuzz. There are lots of products on the market that she hasn't tried, yet she claims she has tried everything. Interesting how people have different perspectives.

More hair fallout

Tons more hair fell out in the shower this morning. I just ran my fingers through it and pulled out more handfuls of loose hairs. That is disappointing. It means that the aloe vera and oral cortizones aren't stopping the inflammation. What gives? I'm noticing that there are more bald areas on my right arm despite the ones on my left arm filling in. I'm going to try icing my head. That is supposed to help reduce inflammation. It is free. We'll see if it works. Although I doubt it.

More redness this morning...more will fall out

I noticed more redness on my scalp this morning. I know that area will fall out soon. I put the aloe vera gel on my head this morning. I am adjusting to the lack of sleep with the prednisone again, but I only have one more week worth of those pills. I still have more hope that the aloe vera capsules are going to help me in the long run. Natural therapies are always preferrable to steroids in my opinion. And aloe does help a sunburn heal. It should help calm the inflammation somehow.