I’m sitting in the bath, washing my hair; as I finish rinsing the shampoo out, I run my fingers through my hair. I am now holding a huge handful of hair, you see, I am going bold at the grand old age of 21 (on Sunday). It started about 3 months ago, I take everything to heart and worry about everything, something little set me off and I started stressing over it. Before I knew it I had a bald patch at the back of my head about the size of a 5p piece. 3 months down the line I have a few bald patches, the biggest about the size of a 50p piece. I dread going for a bath, because more than the usual amount of hair falls out.
Every morning its on my pillow, and everytime I brush my hair, huge clumps fall out. I was really paraniod about it, terrified someone would confuse me for someone undergoing chemopherapy. The past month, however, I’ve made my self get a grip and deal with it. Stressing over it is just going to make it worse. I decided to be bold not bald. At the minute, a well place pony-tail or bun can cover up the bald patch (I’m quite lucky that its right at the back of my head) and the other patches are barely noticable unless you go looking for them.
Since I’ve developed this way of thinking, the loss hasn’t been as much. There is very little treatment out there for women other than surgury. After all, hair loss is a male orinentated thing. I used to be terrified of ending up like a pre-cog from minority report, now I accept it as a possibillity.
Before I go on any further, I better explain what alopecia is:
Alopecia (/ˌæləʊˈpiːʃə/, from Classical Greek ἀλώπηξ) means loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia can mean baldness, a term generally reserved for pattern alopecia or androgenic alopecia. Compulsive pulling of hair (trichotillomania) can also produce hair loss. This condition is dubbed “traction alopecia”. Hairstyling routines such as ponytails or braids may also induce hair loss, as can hair relaxer solutions, and hot hair irons. In some cases, alopecia is due to underlying medical conditions, such as iron deficiency.[1]
Generally, patchy hair loss signifies alopecia areata. Alopecia areata typically presents with sudden hair loss causing patches to appear on the scalp or other areas of the body. If left untreated, or if the disease does not respond to treatment, complete baldness can result in the affected area, or alopecia totalis. When the entire body suffers from complete hair loss, it is alopecia universalis. It is similar to effects that occur with chemotherapy.[2]
I had it once before, as a teenager, but never to this extent. I’m actually starting to come round to the idea of having a bald head. As we all know, Gail Porter had severe alopecia and she held her head up high. If she can go on live tv, or just tv in general, with a bald head; I can sure as hell deal with a bald patch or two.
If your a sufferer of alopecia my tips are as follows:
- Be bold and brave, don’t be embarressed or ashamed. Embrace your new ‘punky’ look.
- Don’t worry about it, this will make it A LOT worse.
- A well placed pony-tail or bandana can hide any bald patches you may have.
- When washing, brushing or even running your fingers through your hair don’t look, even the strongest person will get unsettled by it.
- Always check with the DR, don’t self diagnose. Hair loss can be cause by a lot of things, including using too much conditioner.
- Embrace it, this might be you for a while; and it might get worse before it gets better.
- If your stressed about something, confront it or avoid it. Whilst the stress causer is hanging over your head, it isn’t going to get any better
- And the most important one, hold your head up high; be proud of who you are!
Celebrities who have suffered with alopecia:
Adrianne Curry, Britney Spears, Christina Hendricks, Chynna Phillips, Debra Messing, Dolly Parton, Elizabeth Berkley, Erin Moran, Fergie, Gail Porter, Halle Berry, Helena Bonham Carter, Jaclyn Smith, Kathy Hilton, Khloe Kardashian, Kimberly Stewart, Kim Zolciak, Lady Gaga, Lara Flynn Boyle, Lisa Marie Presley, Megan Fox, Naomi Campbell, Nicole Scherzinger, Pamela Anderson, Paula Abdul, Sarah Palin, Star Jones, Tiffany, Tina Turner, Tori Amos, Tyra Banks, Wendy Williams
Amy Whyley
@amywhyley
About The Real Supermum
I’ve got some cracking wigs. The confidence boost they give make it easier for me to handle. My family say my hair looks fine but with hair up you can see the haur near temples there is barely any left and have two towards the back x
I have one at the side, one massive one at the back and 2 smaller ones at my hair line near my ear. Wigs creep me out, so I think a pony-tail will do for now haha xx
Have you tried soap made from cowfat?
My wife had the exact same thing at age 14 when her father became ill. She started getting bald patches everywhere. Somehow they managed to get her hair back by rubbing her head with that. A local farmer knew about that and made it for her, from one of his cows that he was gonna slaughter anyway. She now has a full head of hair again.
I’m sorry. I made a mistake. It was soap from the galbladder AND fat from a cow.
Well done you for overcoming it. x
Wow so brave for writing this x
I know someone with this & just like u shes proud of what little hair she had, some times she were wigs but not all time xxx
Very brave hun well done x
My partner had alopecia when we met, the size of a 50p coin and it made him really conscious of it. It soon cleared up, and we joke that it was meeting me, the love of his life, that it went away
Hey my mum suffers with this and at the moment has two 50p size areas of hair loss she’s lucky at the moment as she has thick hair but the gp believes its because my mum stresses so much but she’s decided to take each day as it comes and has decided she will no longer dwell on the fact if she loses her hair she loses it she’s beautiful on the inside + out x
So brave for sharing with us all xx
We believe i suffer with this, but i hate people mentioning it, well done you for beig so brave, just wish i was x x
I’m so impressed with the way you write your post and with the way you face reality. It’s my first time to encounter someone as brave as you and I see you somewhat fashionable with the way you handle your hair loss problem. I wish that I can be as brave as you are.:)
Very touching article, I like the way in which you are handling this situation. Do the doctors know what has caused the hair loss at such and early age. Ifel for you.
very brave women thank you for sharing xxx
i wenyt threw this wen i was 14-16 though i didnt fully lose my hair i did have spots of bald patchs all my hair grew back and i love my hair, it is very thin n i cant dp much with it without it coming out but its stillmine.
you are a brave woman thank u for sharing xx