I found out about it while getting a haircut at my regular salon when the stylist cautiously mentioned that there was a coin-sized hole at the back of my head. I looked in the mirror and saw a perfectly round bald spot where the skin was clearly visible, and I froze right there on the spot.
I did notice that my hair was falling out a bit too much when I washed it, but I never dreamed it was alopecia areata. I have been under a lot of stress lately because of a project and haven't been able to sleep properly. But seeing the physical signs immediately like this is so shocking and mentally draining. I’ve heard that if you leave it alone, the hair will grow back on its own like new skin, but there are also scary warnings that if left untreated, the bald patches will get bigger or spread to multiple spots, and it’s driving me crazy.
I have no idea if I should just buy some topical medicine from a pharmacy for now as a temporary measure, or if I absolutely need to go to a dermatologist and get a steroid injection.