Alopecia: Taking Control: Bald and Beautiful
I would like to put in the disclaimer that this is page is not about getting attention for me, but simply sharing my story with others because I know others are out there that have gone through what I have gone through. I would like to share your photos and stories too.
Ok, now on with the sharing.
Do you have alopecia? I do and frankly, I am tired of the here today, gone tomorrow attitude of my hair! So I have taken control over my locks, or the lack thereof and gone bald. Yes...bald, by choice.
I reached the point of frustration with loving my hair, only to lose it as soon as I could do anything with it, that I won't take it anymore. I am 52 years old and my hair is not coming back like it used to.
This is a photo of the beginning of my hair loss. It took just a few days before all the hair on the top and sides of my head was gone, kind of in the shape of a butterfly resting on my head. In two weeks I had lost my eyelashes and brows, hair on my legs (hurray!) and arms.
My hair had grown in nicely and I decided to go for it and get a cute pixie like cut. I loved that cut until I got out of the shower one morning and ran my fingers through my hair, coming back to see hair clinging to my fingers.
I tried, as I always did , to cover it up but I was mad. I loved my hair and this always happened. This has been going on since I was 16. I ranted and raved at myself, venting at the loss, once again, of my precious red, curly hair.
Then it hit me, why keep going through this over and over? Why keep suffering such a moment? I was on my way to a doctor's appointment and quickly grabbed a wig out of my closet (I only have two wigs, both very itchy) and put it on. On my way I fumed about my hair loss, mourned it like a good friend and had gathered myself together by the time I arrived. I told the doctor about my hair starting to fall out and asked if she needed to see the damage. As she plucked a clump of hair off my shoulder, she shook her head no. She silently offered the hair back to me and I shook my head. It was then I decided to go home and shave it all off, never looking back. keep it shaved. That was my plan.
This is me now. I feel free!! No more bad hair days, no having to tuck hair into a wig or worrying that hair is going to fall out of the wig, no stress!! I have very minimal make up on in this photo as I wanted to show you first what I look like every day.
The biggest up keep is shaving off what little hair does grow back in, which in my case is mostly on the back of my head and at my side burns. I found a man's electric shaver to be very good and it is like getting a head massage!
I want to get an epilator and try that, but do not have the money right now. What?? That will make your hair NOT grow back! Horrors!! Well, after all these years of loss and the emotions that go with it, I am ready to just be bald forever.
My most embarrassing moment was when I lost my hair in line at Walmart. A little old lady handed me a large clump of my hair. I was a young mom and had to explain to my kids that the little old lady did not rip my hair off my head, it just fell out. My hair does that. Off course that led them to have nightmares about losing their hair.
My poor autistic twins almost didn't recover. They were little and had difficulty with change anyway, now mama is partly bald and that was wrong. They hated having their hair washed anyway, after that it was almost impossible without a huge struggle and a lot of bribing. But we made it through, they are grown and now just look at me sideways but are not traumatized at all. I think they are getting used to the look.
I think it would be awesome if other women shared their photos and stories here! I would post your stories and photos of struggles with alopecia if you wanted.
*******************************************************************************
I have gotten used to wearing the wig. (I can't afford more than one right now) though being one to get bored easily, I did buy a nice pony clip on that looks really beautiful. I wear scarves and head bands to cover the layers of the shorter hair and no one is any the wiser!
No comments:
Post a Comment