Part of the mission of TBB is to educate. And today you will be educated about…eyebrows!
The oddest thing happened to me. I felt something odd in my eyebrows last week but never really noticed it until Wednesday night when I looked closely in the mirror. The hair in my eyebrows started disappearing! For those who know me you will likely say this is a good thing as I have used to have the thickest eyebrows of anyone I know. They looked something like this:
So thick in fact that I was contacted by some agency in Tajikistan to model my eyebrows only…who would want this face to be modeled after (maybe a zombie movie or Hostel 5)?
So…I look in the mirror and I see about a third to a fourth of my right eyebrow’s hair GONE!
And then I look in my left eyebrow and I see about a fifth to a sixth of the hair gone too! Why not the same for crying out loud? Out of ape like hair all over my body why only the eyebrows? Is this some type of cruel joke? Did the North Koreans finally get back to me for all the crap I have given them since Day 1 of this blog? Or did some bloggers I ranted about got together and came up with a sinister plot to taint some Vanilla Reload cards at the CVSstores I frequent with a substance that attacks…eyebrows?
So here I am on Wednesday night looking at myself in the mirror horrified and thinking “Holy Crap, what the *&%$ is going on here?” If this hair loss continues, by June 1st instead of being first at CVS buying and reloading vanilla ice cream I would be at some hospital going over options to get my eyebrows back! I would be walking down the street and hearing others say “hey look, it is THAT guy with no eyebrows!”. If I come out of the gym people may pass me and give me their change thinking I was someone down on their luck and whose drug addiction obviously messed me up big time! I could look like this, oh noooooo!!!:
So first thing Thursday morning I call my doctor’s office and frantically ask for him to drop everything and make time for me because this is, obviously, a very urgent matter! In a typical fashion, the lady at the doctor’s office says “Doc can see you Friday morning”. But lady you don’t understand, I am losing my eyebrow hair fast, maybe I have been poisoned or something. She raises her voice and says that the earliest is Friday morning. I was too distraught to pour on my charm like I usually do with gate agents and hotel front desk clerks. All day Thursday I kept checking my eyebrows and I noticed that the hair loss continued. Or perhaps I was just getting too paranoid. Doing some research online about the possible causes contributed to my pananoia!
Here are the three possible causes in case this happens to you:
Alopecia areata: An autoimmune condition where a person’s own antibodies attack hair follicles, can create patches of hair loss on the scalp and can affect eyebrows and other areas where hair grows.
“Hertzoge’s sign”: Loss of hair on the outer third of the eyebrow. This is sometimes associated with low thyroid conditions (hypothyroidism) or endocrine imbalances.
Telogen effluvium: A temporary condition where excessive hair falls out, can affect eyebrows as well as scalp hair. This is a normal “resting” stage of hair growth that can occur periodically. It can also be precipitated by medications, stress, trauma, or medical conditions. It can be a fairly rapid type of hair loss. It is more noticeable when hair is also being lost through normal aging.
As usual, the visit with my doctor was a waste of time. He said he has not seen this in over 25 years! Gee, thanks a lot doc for confirming I am becoming a freak! He, again, punted and said “you need to see a specialist”. He prescribed a cream for Alopecia areata and told me “to watch it”. Great. Only positive of my visit was the nurse who took my blood pressure told me it was excellent. So, appointment with specialist is set for June 7th. Will I have any eyebrow hair by then?
So I have applied the cream several times since I got it at Walgreens. I used the Walgreen loyalty card and I got 500 bonus points (on top of what I earned for buying the cream!). I am seeing some hair is growing back but I have a long way to go to get my eyebrows back to its former state!
My gut feeling is that this is the third cause, Telogen effluvium. Why? Because it is indeed rapid. And I think stress may had something to do with it. Running a part time blog is no part time endeavor! I hope it is nothing medical and I sure hope I have eyebrows left or I see myself doing this:
Until June 7th rest assured I will be applying the cream and looking in the mirror closely several times a day getting depressed about any more hair loss or jumping up with joy after seeing former bold areas growing back some hair!
In other news, I went on a long bike ride yesterday and when I got back I fell asleep on the couch like a baby. And darn it I forgot to apply the cream! This morning I think I noticed a tiny bit more eyebrow hair loss. And it looks like the hair (whatever is left) is getting so soft and dry they may just fall off suddenly! Or maybe I am hallucinating. Sometimes I just don’t know anymore…All I ever wanted was to get my eyebrow back and get back to my Tajikistan modeling career:
I will leave you with two words.
Google Wallet.
Thank you for reading my blog.
TBB
P.S. Wife discovered United awards website and has been playing with it trying to help me burn my stack of miles/points. She is taking daughter to Paris, something I promised them some time ago. Flying Lufthansa Business on the way, United coach (it’s okay) on the return in late August. Looking for recommendations for Paris hotel! Got major points with Club Carlson, Starwood and can always get Hyatt. I am not sure Hilton is in the picture since the phenomenal ADT hotel is no longer a Hilton! Location is paramount to see the sights! No status with Hyatt. Gold with CC and Starwood. Looking for the best bang for the points!
It’s cliché, but the Park Hyatt Vendôme is pretty spectacular, and your first award stay they have been granting you free Internet and free breakfast (which runs an obscene 44€, but is quite nice and very French). Can’t go wrong at only 22k/night. Only problem is availability. There are a handful of new Hyatt’s too, but I’d probably go with a Radisson Blu (and the free night from the credit card).
Stay healthy. Play more soccer, watch more soccer. Who’s your team BTW?
It is 7 nights but they are thinking of going to London for a short time to visit a cousin so I do not have the dates set yet. Yeah, I know about the Vendome, I would like to experience that one myself:-)
Looks like Radisson Blus all the way. Got way too many CC points and maybe I can work around the free nigth at both ends (with middle of the trip going to London).
Yeah, LOVE soccer! For MLS I like Columbus Crew as I have been to a few games. National teams I like Greece and USA. I tend to like smaller underdog teams and not the big mega money clubs in Europe. I was with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Final and NOT for the mega $$$ (from tax evasion) Bayern Munich with that expensive jackass Roben:-)
Just stayed at the Radisson Blu Metropolitan..stayed on points and was given room with view of eiffel tower..really cool. The room was very small but very nice! When we travel, we dont need a hotel suite, we just want a clean comfortable, low cost place to stay. The cost was perfect.. $0 and 50k club carlson pts/nt. 5 min walk to Trocadero Metro stop… Didnt eat/drink in hotel since we are the type to wander and find breakfast in a cafe…crepes…Would stay there again with points…
JohnnieD
How close was the Eiffel tower view? I am looking for the best located CC hotel! This one sounds like a good deal. We only eat at hotels when it is free (lounge or certs)!
Thanks.
I have a fourth possible reason for you to add to your list: Karma.
It does work in mysterious ways…
It does, doesn’t it?
Look at what just popped up in my RSS feed! Maybe there’s hope yet..
http://gawker.com/would-you-pay-600-for-this-mans-radical-virgin-hair-509921473
LOLOLOLOL…What a find! I am still laughing uncontrollably. Them New Yorkers again:-)
Yes it’s me the Legendary actor and heart throb. I love your blog and would like to help you out on this face thing. I have a guy, Dr. Zorba who is the best plastic surgeon here in Hollywood. He is a magician with a knife. Nobody will even know you had plastic surgery, just ask my Hollywood pals who used him, Bruce Jenner, Carrot Top, Kenny Rogers and Mickey Rourke. He formally trained at Benihana for 10 years and with one word from me I can get you in. Let me know. Love Burt.
Burt buddy, thank you so much. By next week I may be calling you;-)
Googlewallet, only one word per day.
Lol, thanks for the correction:-)
Do you have an eyebrow pencil?
No. Am I about to turn to Boy George now or what:-)
Karma Chameleon or I’ll tumble 4 U ? Your choice
Karma Chameleon…Lol!
My old pal Groucho Marx used grease paint, I think anyone every noticed.
I have to stop drinking this early in the morning…… My old pal Groucho Marx used grease paint, I don’t think anyone ever noticed.
From eyebrow rogaine to paint to Boy George tactics…TBB has fallen, not sure if he can go any lower…
Millions of points that you tell us you don’t bother churning much, yet your wife and daughter are flying coach? Something doesn’t seem right with that picture.
Obviously the Vendome is best value in Paris. But you could consider the W Opera if your one of those silly people who have SPG
Actually she wanted coach so she can go on more trips. I insisted they fly on Business. We compromised half way. Coming back is day flight. They are both petite and can sleep anywhere. Going over the pond they will sleep just fine on LH Business.
With a family of four you learn to extend them miles because they go….fast!
Yeah I have about 80k Starwood points left, mostly from the 60k I won recently.
I agree with this, business class to Europe and coach back during the day. However, it is harder to find business class going there than back…..
She kept searching and found them! Of course I told her not to bother searching Delta:-)
Sorry to hear about your eyebrows. You sure a vacation (… I don’t know, to Paris?) wouldn’t help with the stress?
That’s some impressive specialist if he can’t see you until June 7th. Let me guess, dermatologist? When you see him, ask for the full Brezhnev back.
Today’s lack of transparency and near-criminal “changes we think you’ll like” – the UA route map lists Ponce, PR, as a destination served by one of United’s partners. But only JetBlue flies there! This is an outrage! I’m going to go to FT and combine this with an anecdote about poor IRROPS as PROOF that Smisek hates business travelers/elites/mothers/apple pie/me!
harvson3
Full Brezhnev back, lol!
I think all legacy airlines are on a slow path to Spiritization:-)
yeah, I can sure use a vacation…or clone myself!
Totally understand your freaking out. Hope the cream works and the specialist gives you a reason and a plan. The whole issue is a weird one: too often we want hair where we don’t have it and want it gone where we do have it. Personally I like thinner eyebrows on men and women. Hang in there!
“too often we want hair where we don’t have it and want it gone where we do have it”
So true, so true…
InterContinenal LeGrand is what you need. Stunning building and perfect for pretty much everything except the Eiffel Tower. Shuttle bus from CDG stops outside.
Swap some Carlson points on FT! 50k PC per night.
Was there on points last year and got a room with a small balcony with an Eiffel Tower view. Good location. I also miss the Hilton ADT. Our next stay is at the Westin Vendome, hopefully using the suite night upgrade. Have also considered the newly remodeled Prince de Galles, but Westin is less points and good enough.
Actually, after checking, we have around 200k PC points left hooray! Now thinking of doing the IC LeGrand, then they go to London visit cousin, & doing the Radisson Blu Metropolitan for free night…
Great, thanks!
George, come to Munich and I’ll treat you for a game of 1860 München against another minor league team in the kickass Allianz Arena next season 😉
I need to tell you a story. The year was 1989 (or 1988 or 1990…can’t remember). I did a European Travel Study trip and we were staying in Paris when Bayern played Porto in the Champions or Cup Winners or UEFA Cup Final (can’t remember..again!). I left the group and made it to the stadium hoping someway somehow I can get it without a ticket. Well, hanging around a family was going in and somehow they had an extra ticket and the guy gave it to me!!! I was elated. And then what do I do as I had plenty of time before the game started. Seeing desperate people asking for tickets and paying big money, I sold my ticket and then I bought another one from a desperate fan looking to unload his and then did it again! I sold total tickets 3 times that night and then I managed to find myself without a ticket as the game was about to start, oh no! Luckily, I found one more to buy and got in right in the middle of the Porto fans! We are talking very near the guy with the drums and trumpets! I was the Greek via USA fan of Porto FC! I LOVED it. Porto came back and won the game in the 2nd half! Then I had to run FAST to get on the last metro train back to the hostel our group was staying because we were off very early next day to..can’t remember:-)
One of the oddest and unforgettable experiences of my life. Since then I am a Porto fan. And not too fond of Bayern Munich as I never saw so many drunk and violently pissed off Germans as I did that day:-)
I love Dortmund. If they won it would have been good for the game. Again, mega bucks won in Europe. Isn’t the German Bayern Munich owner arrested for…tax evasion anyways. If it wasn’t for the French and the Dutch player…
What a way for the German coach to go out, huh? Replacing him will likely prove to be a dumb idea!
George, you eyebrow meds must be fogging your brain.
1860 Munich is NOT FC Bayern, its the other Munich club that plays in the second league, but uses the same stadium as FCB. FCBayern is the club people outside Munich and the new rich support, 1860 is the club the locals go to.
PS: Uli Hoenes, the tax evader, is on the board of FCB, the club is a normal corporation, but not publicly traded.
No need for my eyebrow meds to fog my brain at all:-)
Yeah, sorry about that. Totally forgot about 1860 Munich. I was still on Champions League mode!
My story took place in Vienna, not Paris
Yeah, Uli Hoenes, tax evader. Must have some Greek blood in him lol.
One of the major complaints about travel bloggers is that “spill secrets” and make it easy for the masses to overload a deal and wind up killing it prematurely.
And yet some bloggers do show a bit of discretion, they know things that they don’t write about (thank god!) precisely because some things shouldn’t be spilled onto the internet.
The tricks get exchanged in person at events, not posted on their blogs even though posting would get them clicks and eyeballs and ad views.
And then there are jerks like MrPickles that are told things and asked not to post them online, but he goes ahead and posts it anyway. Because he’s selfish and greedy and just cares about publicity.
What a douche.
http://first2board.com/themrpickles/2013/05/27/secrets-that-travel-bloggers-dont-want-me-to-tell/
That’s an MMS staple
The MMS “tutorial” on pointsbreak hotels anyone?
I found the “keep secrets” sessions at FTU to be totally ridiculous!
I also agree MrPickles should not be doing these types of posts too! Not sure what his thinking is behind this.
Non douchey people can do douchy things…I probably murdered the spelling, excuse moi!
Frugal Travel Guy made millions on his blog, cashed out selling to internet brands. Are we supposed to be impressed by his self-congratulations over donating $506?
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2013/05/strategy-shift-cashback-to-charity-and-then-the-churns.html
Yes we are supposed to. Come on, this is why they label everyone as “angries” and get away with most of the shit blog posts that get fed on a daily basis.
I am not impressed:-)
And I sure am not angry lol.
TBB…. see post #27
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/external-miles-points-resources/1469742-who-writing-lufthansa-series-mms-blog.html
Yep, I have been following that thread
Buzz I’d bet my last toupee that it’s just the same person or couple of people prolonging this so called MMS scandal. If Drew worked on it with him, good. Drews a smart dude, I would hire him if I was MMS. I believe the 80 hours, but who cares, maybe it was only 66 hours and 45 minutes. Who care. Clearly this is prolonged attack by someone with a personal agenda. That link he posted only had 3 separate (maybe) writers (which I doubt since he constantly comments under different names). Only Fox News (whats wrong with IRS targeting conservative groups who want tax free status) can top this with one off their dubious political controversies trying to turn it into Watergate…………….The real scandal is who is the douche with the agenda? Who are you Mr. Hate? Bet you listen to Rush Linbaugh et al. all day.
I think it is more than or two.
I have received no response to my question yet.
Tough spot.
Moral of the story: If you are going to use ghostwriting, don’t get caught? 🙂
Rush Linbaugh is a douche:-)
You sure you want to bet your last toupee? 🙂
My favorite Boy George song was the Duet he did with Michael Jackson “I’ll Beat It For you”
“…the Duet he did with Michael Jackson “I’ll Beat It For you”
ROFL
thanks!
Prior to this authorgate, I don’t know if we had heard of Macomber. Anyone else familiar with him by any chance? If he agreed to just keep quiet about this whole thing, then I doubt his “smartness”.
For all his claim to not be intimidated, MMS sure got intimidated this time around, hence the comment deletions and other reactions. The silence is deafening. A lot of people are curious and care. One of the worst stories in the blogosphere this year, whether it is fair or not.
Blaming it on “one guy with an agenda” sounds like evasion. Hopefully he is not busy listening to Limbaugh and Fox 😉
Circle and Arrow that “Bert and Loni”, Circle and Arrow that 😛 (Yes I know).
@ Bert and Loni – I know it was a parenthetical, but are you that ignorant on the IRS scandal? It is one thing if you say that across the board but to say it is ok to target conservative groups who are applying for tax free status and not liberal groups is completely hypocritical. Now back to bashing bloggers ;)…
MMS and/or Macomber need to come clean and put an end to the controversy! And I told him so. If not true, come out and say so. If true, apologize and institute some new policies about guest/ghost writers! Oh, donate all proceeds from the LH card to charity may help too:-)
I posted this on MMS today but I wanted to put it here just incase he deletes it. Seems like he might be taking something under the table….
My comment:
Weird… last month you take a trip on Lufthansa and barely mention it outside of one picture on your FB page and then all of a sudden you’re doing a 10 part series on Lufthansa Miles. Something isnt adding up here. What havent you told us? Is Lufthansa paying you to write this series? Are you getting a kickback? Too many red flags on this one.
No Einstein. it’s the latest 50,000 mile card out there. An okay deal for some and the Bloggers are touting it to make a commission. That’s how they make a living Sherlock. We live in a free country, thanks to those who died and sacrificed. It’s called capitalism.
AFAIK LH has better use of their cash than pay bloggers on how to book weird trips in the pacific… this is someone promoting the brand to get people to sign up for the 50k Barclaycard (which LH gets cash from to be their card for the US ;))
What Oliver2002 said.
And First2Board becomes First2Lie or at least First2Break promises. New disclosure:
“DISCLAIMER: Some links to credit cards and other products on this web site will earn an affiliate commission, and this web site has a financial relationship with several credit card-issuing banks. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the card issuer.”
As seen at http://first2board.com/themrpickles/
For all of the grandstanding over credit cards.. it’s been all of three months and they’ve sold out? Just proves the only reason they weren’t pimping credit cards before is because they couldn’t get issuer approval (which we already knew because they were pimping crappy ‘travel deals’ on their deals page, and feeding banner ad links via BentOffers).
Wow…not even three months.
Oh boy I have so much material for tomorrow’s post I may need to hold off and break it up in two..or three separate posts:-)
George,
make it an eight part series. If its too much trouble, hire a ghostwriter, I hear they do a pretty decent job 😉
This blog has no revenues to pay ghost writers. Maybe I should join the circus so I can afford to hire them so I can roam the world in First Class for free then:-)