Q: For the past 3 months I have a fungal infection on my face (left side below the chin). I consulted a skin specialist in India around a month back who gave me some medicines like Zocon 50 DM, Alivo, a multivitamin, lotion Tiben, and an ointment to apply on the infected area. So far I have not got any response from those medicines. My problem is that at the infected place I have lost my hair, it has become smooth and is around 1 cm radius. After using these medicines I got some very thin brown colour hair on that spot, but still one can make out the spot easily. I had one more very small spot but that went off without using these medicines. Please suggest what kind of treatment I should take?

A:It is quite possible you do not have a fungal infection at all. You may be having a disease called Alopecia areata in which people lose hair without any known cause. Of course the dermatologist who saw you, should be the best person to advise you but if you like to try you may apply Tenovate (in Dubai it may be available as Dermovate) cream once a day for about a month or so and see if you regrow your hair. You may write to us after a month or so.