Durante años, John Picone vivió con una afección del cuero cabelludo que parecía decidida a arrebatarle cada vez más cosas. Lo que comenzó como unos bultos en la parte posterior de la cabeza evolucionó gradualmente hasta convertirse en una inflamación grave, nódulos dolorosos, secreciones y alteraciones extensas del cuero cabelludo. Actividades sencillas se volvieron difíciles. […]

Most people think about chronic scalp disease in terms of appearance. What they do not see are the countless daily adjustments happening behind the scenes. The routines. The compromises. The simple comforts that slowly disappear. For Robert, severe AKN transformed even the most ordinary parts of life into constant reminders of his condition. The Things […]

La mayoría de la gente piensa en las enfermedades crónicas del cuero cabelludo en términos de apariencia. Lo que no ven son los innumerables ajustes cotidianos que ocurren entre bastidores. Las rutinas. Las renuncias. Las comodidades sencillas que desaparecen poco a poco. Para Robert,AKN grave transformó incluso los aspectos más cotidianos de la vida en […]

Some people remember the moment their condition began. Robert doesn’t. As far back as he can remember, the scalp cysts and hairline bumps were already part of his life. While many people with Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) develop symptoms later in life, Robert’s journey began in childhood. The condition grew alongside him, shaping experiences that […]

Some wounds are visible. Others quietly reshape the way a person moves through the world. For Robert, severe Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) did both. The condition affected his scalp, but over time it also touched his confidence, his relationships, and even the places where he once found peace. The Struggle When people see advanced cases […]

Some battles happen in plain sight. Others unfold quietly, shaping the choices people make long before anyone notices. For Robert, Advanced Folliculitis Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) did more than affect his scalp. It slowly changed how he saw his future. Like many young men, Robert’s dreams were simple. He wanted a career. A family. A home […]

Severe hairline bumps from chronic folliculitis often begin quietly before becoming more noticeable over time. During his conversation on The BaldCast, Robert Peeters explained that his struggle with Folliculitis Keloidalis Nuchae began in early childhood. At first, the symptoms were relatively subtle and easier to hide from others. As he entered adolescence, however, the condition […]

Folliculitis keloidalis nuchae and cutis verticis gyrata patient story begins with a condition that grew far beyond simple scalp bumps. During The BaldCast, Dr. Sanusi Umar discussed the complex medical history of Robert Peeters, whose scalp disease had progressed into one of the most severe combinations a physician can encounter. Robert was living with advanced […]

Acne keloidalis nuchae patient journey stories rarely unfold in a single visit. Some take years. That is how Dr. Sanusi Umar introduced one of his longtime patients, Robert Peeters, during an episode of The BaldCast. Seven years earlier, Robert arrived at the clinic facing a severe case of Acne Keloidalis Nuchae, a chronic inflammatory scalp […]

Dr. Sanusi Umar introduced one of his longtime patients, Robert Peeters. Robert once had a very severe condition of Acne Keloidalis Nuchae, and has been in Dr. U’s care for 7 years now. What initially appears to be an introductory greeting for a new podcast series is actually a demonstration of the clinic’s approach to […]

“This is me. No more secrets. No more shame.” Diseases such as AKN are very often misunderstood. They may appear as hairline bumps or Barber’s Bumps. However, the underlying problem is chronic inflammation which will ultimately create scarring and long-lasting changes to the skin. For Anwar, the painful bumps that have consistently returned were only […]

This is another moment of great significance in Anwar’s life. Anwar has lived with what most would call “bumps on the back of the head” (a medical condition called acne keloidalis nuchae), but now he is dealing with an entirely new experience: showing the world as he wants it. With confidence, and yet some degree […]

It is time. Years of going through bumps on the back of the head and persistent acne keloidalis nuchae have finally come to an end. Anwar removed his hat and showed the world what he had been hiding. Dr. Sanusi Umar confirmed that it had worked; Anwar no longer had AKN, but there were some […]

In this chapter update, Anwar talks about what is perhaps most significant for him, but simple. He has been living with the consequences of chronic inflammation of the scalp, and it has made him feel seen in the worst of ways. What many people would describe as bumps on the back of the head or […]

The first inflammatory condition that was likely present in John’s case was chronic folliculitis of the nape (another term for AKN), an inflammatory disease with scarring and inflammation of the hair follicles in the back of the scalp and neck area. It is characterized by recurring bumps or thickening of the skin on the back […]

Dr. Sanusi Umar discusses in detail the unique and complicated combination of diseases that Robert had developed. Robert had the worst-case scenario of Folliculitis Keloidalis Nuchae (another term for AKN) in addition to developing Cutis Verticis Gyrata (CVG).  CVG causes the scalp to develop deep grooves and ridges. It was determined by specialists that the […]

Dr. Sanusi Umar, in this thought-provoking podcast segment, offers an inside look at what John experienced after he underwent surgery to have the scalp keloids removed from the back of his head. John discussed the way in which keloids due to AKN limited his lifestyle before undergoing treatment. While most people might view the scarring […]

John Picone’s journey began after years of living with a painful scalp condition called acne keloidalis nuchae that affected nearly every part of his life. What started as bumps on the back of the head gradually evolved into severe inflammation, limiting what he could do physically and damaging his confidence. A traumatic car accident in […]

Anwar has been on an emotional roller coaster for years, and so has his father, Aldwyn. Now, thanks to Dr. Umar’s innovative techniques, they both have reason to hope. “I am cautiously optimistic,” Aldwyn states. “There is always an element of risk, but I think with the research he has done and the doctor’s track record, this puts him in the 90th percentile success rate.”

Anwar has been on an emotional roller coaster for years, and so has his father, Aldwyn. Now, thanks to Dr. Umar’s innovative techniques, they both have reason to hope. “I am cautiously optimistic,” Aldwyn states. “There is always an element of risk, but I think with the research he has done and the doctor’s track record, this puts him in the 90th percentile success rate.”

“This is me. No more secrets. No more shame.” The words are simple. But for Anwar, they carry years behind them. Years of living with what many dismissed as hairline bumps or barber’s bumps. Years of dealing with folliculitis keloidalis nuchae (AKN), a condition rooted not in surface irritation, but in chronic inflammation that reshapes […]

This moment feels different. Anwar steps into the room carrying something new. Not just energy from travel, not just calm in the air around him. Something deeper. For years, he lived with what many casually call razor bumps. But those bumps had a name. Acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN). And they shaped how he showed up […]

It is time. Not just a moment, but the end of years. Years of living with bumps on the back of the head. Years of navigating acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN). Years of adjusting, hiding, managing. And now… Anwar reaches up and removes his hat. No hesitation this time. Just the truth. Dr. Sanusi Umar looks […]

Before the surgery, John remembers what life felt like. Heavy. Not just on his scalp – but on his choices, his energy, his sense of direction. The scalp keloids caused by acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN) were more than something visible on the back of his head. They shaped how he moved through the world. While […]

John’s scalp story did not begin with a dramatic moment. It began quietly. Small bumps appear along the back of the scalp. A little irritation at the neckline. Something easy to dismiss at first. But those bumps were not random. They were the early signs of chronic folliculitis of the nape, another name for acne […]