The hair follicles on my hairline above my scalp are swollen and red. It feels like someone is sticking needles into them. The pain comes and goes without specific cause but you can always see the redness. In addition, the hair in that area is becoming very sparse and receding. I am a 48 year old woman. I am on synthroid which was increased to 1.00 last year but has made no difference regarding my hair. This has been happening for about two years now. At the same time the hair on my arms fell out and my eyebrows thinned so much you can t see them. The endocrinologist said all numbers looked fine and that it was alopoecia. Does alopoecia also cause the swollen and painful hair follicles though?