About 4 months ago, I developed a bald spot about the size of a quarter
just above and behind my left ear.  I am a student with very shoddy
health insurance that won't cover any non-emergency treeatment.  

The bald spot is much like the skin on the palm of my hand: it is
smooth, completely hairless, and does not itch or hurt in any way.  
After doing a little research on my own (I'm not a med student), I
figured out that I probably have alopecia areata.  There are no other
such spots anywhere on my body, and I am otherwise totally healthy.  I
don't take any medications.

I can't really afford to see a dermatologist until the summer, when I
start working.  Can anyone out there offer me any advice on whether this
is dangerous or symptomatic of something else?  

Most of the treatment (Rogaine) I read about involved male pattern
baldness (alopecia androgenetica).  I am 25 with thick hair and no
receding hairline.  One of the articles mentioned that stress could be a
triggering factor, and this would make sense in my case.  

Should I just wait for it to go away by itself?  The hair around the
spot is still growing normally, and in a couple of months the spot will
be covered.  The spot has not changed for about two months now.  

Although having a bald spot was kind of embarrassing, I just explained
it to all of my friends and we have all just gotten used to it.  Should
I see a dermatologist right away?  (I'd have to pay with credit)  Given
the lack of consensus in what I've read, I'm afraid of having to pay
$500 for someone to tell me that they have no idea what's going on but I
could try some expensive drug that *might* work.  I just can't afford
that.

Please email me.  Thank you for reading this.

                                        Roger