For Eleojo, a surgeon with training in hair restoration, a passing glance in the mirror changed how she understood her hair loss. In this Baldcast conversation with Dr. Sanusi Umar, she recalls the thinning, scalp sensations and concern about scarring alopecia that prompted her to seek specialist care. Her account is shared in the context of lichen planopilaris.
The Mirror Moment That Changed Her Thinking
Eleojo first noticed thinning around the edges of her hair. Life was busy and stressful, and the pandemic was underway, so she initially thought stress might explain what she was seeing. During that period, she was working from home, an unusual arrangement for a surgeon.
One day she walked past a mirror and realized she could see through her hair. “That really disturbed me,” she recalls. She could also see her scalp shining. For Eleojo, the change suggested something beyond ordinary shedding. “This might be a scarring alopecia,” she remembers thinking.
Symptoms She Had Previously Dismissed
Looking back, Eleojo recognized that she had also experienced itching and a burning sensation. At times, she says, cold air or wind made her scalp and even the roots of her hair hurt. She had not initially connected those sensations with the changes in her hair.
The combination of visible thinning and an itchy scalp with hair loss made the situation harder to dismiss. Her description is personal: it explains what she experienced, rather than establishing that every person with similar symptoms has the same condition.
Why Hair Restoration Training Mattered
Eleojo says she questioned herself and felt that her general practitioner did not understand what she was describing. In her view, basic medical training in England offered limited exposure to hair conditions. Her own training in hair restoration gave her the confidence to insist on a referral to a dermatologist, which she received.
Dr. Umar responds to her account by observing that, in the language of hair loss, a shiny scalp is concerning. Eleojo agrees. Their exchange highlights the moment she moved from attributing the changes to stress toward seeking a specialist assessment, without claiming a diagnosis can be made from appearance alone.
Eleojo’s account ends here with the referral and the discussion of what she noticed. The next chapter of her story remains for the series to tell.
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Medical Disclaimer
This article describes one person’s experience and is for educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for individualized medical advice. Symptoms and treatment needs vary; consult a qualified clinician for assessment.
Further Reading
- https://dru.com/eleojo-lichen-planopilaris-pattern-baldcast/
- Umar S, Kan P, Carter MJ, Shitabata P, Novosilska M. Lichen Planopilaris Responsive to a Novel Phytoactive Botanical Treatment: A Case Series. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2022 Jul;12(7):1697-1710. doi: 10.1007/s13555-022-00749-3. Epub 2022 Jun 8. PMID: 35674981; PMCID: PMC9276860.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9276860/
