A Case Study: Helping a Woman with Multiple Types of Alopecia
Hair loss can be an emotional journey, especially when it involves more than one type of alopecia. This is the story of a woman in her early 60s who came to my practice after battling hair loss for over a year. Despite seeing top dermatologists and undergoing corticosteroid injections, her hair did not grow back. She was frustrated and looking for another way forward. This blog shares her journey and how we used a natural, whole-body approach to help her heal.
The First Visit: Understanding Her Story
When she came to see me, she had hair loss in the center of her scalp, the front, and the nape of her neck. Her dermatologist had diagnosed her with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA), a type of scarring alopecia, and she had been receiving injections for nearly a year without success. It was clear that we needed to take a different approach and look deeper into her overall health.
We began with a long conversation, going through her functional timeline, lifestyle, diet, stress levels, and medications. I also ran a functional blood analysis to understand how her body was functioning and performed a detailed scalp analysis on the three areas of hair loss.
What the Scalp Analysis Revealed
The scalp analysis gave us valuable insights:
- Center of the Scalp: Confirmed the presence of CCCA, which explained the scarring and hair loss.
- Nape: Showed a fungal infection causing hair loss, but no scarring was present.
- Frontal Area: Indicated androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a genetic type of hair loss. She shared that her father also experienced hair loss, which supported this diagnosis.
Another important finding during the scalp examination was the presence of biofilm, a thin, protective layer of microorganisms that can block hair follicles. This layer can prevent treatments from reaching the scalp and make it hard for hair to grow.
What is Biofilm and Why Does It Matter?
Biofilm is like a hidden barrier on the scalp. It is a mixture of bacteria and fungi that forms a protective shield, making it hard for treatments to work and nutrients to reach the hair follicles. Removing this biofilm is essential because it can:
- Block hair follicles and stop hair from growing.
- Trap harmful microorganisms.
- Make topical treatments less effective.
The Treatment Plan: A Whole-Body Approach
Once we had all the information, we put together a plan that looked at her health as a whole:
- Diet Changes: We focused on an anti-inflammatory diet full of nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens, berries, and healthy fats to reduce inflammation and support her liver.
- Stress Reduction: I suggested ways to lower her stress levels, including simple breathing exercises and gentle activities like yoga to help manage cortisol.
- Nutrient Support: Based on her blood analysis, we added supplements to fill any gaps and support her body’s healing.
- Scalp Treatment:
- Biofilm: Before starting any treatment, we addressed the biofilm buildup on the scalp. Removing this barrier was essential to ensure that the other treatments could effectively reach the hair follicles and support growth.
- CCCA: I used my cellular regenerative treatment to address the scarring and stimulate hair growth from all viable follicles. Once the biofilm was cleared, this treatment could work more efficiently to support hair recovery.
- AGA: For the frontal area, we implemented a holistic hair stimulation protocol designed to promote regrowth and strengthen the hair follicles.
- Fungal Infection: The hair loss at the nape was treated with natural, herbal antifungals, including tea tree oil and neem, to clear the infection and create a healthy environment for hair to regrow.
The Results: A New Start
After six weeks, she began to see changes. The hair in the center of her scalp started to fill in, and the hair at the nape began growing back once the fungal infection cleared. She felt more energetic and even said she felt “lighter,” which allowed her to start exercising again. By three months, her progress was even clearer, with healthy regrowth continuing. Although the front of the scalp (AGA) takes longer to show improvement, we were seeing small signs of growth and remained hopeful.
Addressing the biofilm was a key step. Once it was cleared, hair growth sped up, and she could see the benefits of the treatment plan more clearly.
A Journey of Hope
This case showed me, once again, how important it is to look at hair loss from every angle. Treating different types of alopecia means understanding not just the symptoms, but the root causes. By focusing on the whole person, from diet and lifestyle to scalp health, we were able to create a plan that worked for her.
For this woman, it was not just about growing hair, it was about feeling healthy, gaining energy, and having hope again. Her story is a reminder that even when things feel complicated and discouraging, there is always a path forward with the right approach and support.