Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carol on June 13, 2008 at 7:02pm

Hmmmm, good question! I'd say it's affected my personality slightly. I'm still the same person, I just look different and I think appearance plays a role on how other people react to you. So if you're hot as a blond and people pay more attention to you than yes, your personality would be slightly altered, I'm a terrible blonde. I know I'm very playful when I wear my bright red wig and people are amused to see that too so I have a lot of fun when I go out with it ... and they say blondes have all the fun!!! LOL

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Permalink Reply by kastababy on June 13, 2008 at 8:03pm

Hear hear! Whoever it was that said that blondes have more fun was lying!!! To me, redheads have all the fun, while the brunettes drive the getaway car!!!

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Permalink Reply by kastababy on June 13, 2008 at 8:02pm

I think they do affect our personalities to an extent. For instance, I have seen some of the most outgoing, vibrant people become mere shells of themselves -- withdrawn, moody, antisocial -- the moment they get behind closed doors and take their wigs off.

For me, I can't say that this has been true in my case. I wore wigs for a long time just to please my mother, but once I became an adult and finally recognized that I had to do what worked for me, I ditched the wigs and shaved what little hair I had left. I remained the same outspoken, gregarious, blunt nerd that I've always been, and actually have been told that if anything, I became even more radiant and vibrant a person when I finally started going bare-headed, as if an invisible weight were visibly removed.

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Permalink Reply by Kristen Ridenhour on June 14, 2008 at 4:59pm

I only wore a wig for 2 years and I only wore it while I was at school. The second I came home the wig came off. If I went out again, 99% of the time I was wearing a bandana. I wore a wig at school because I was ashamed of not having hair and I was scared of what people would say. But, when I wore my wig I was also quieter and kept to myself a lot. When I was with my friends that knew me very well I was the same person, wig or no wig. I guess I'm more outgoing without it because I don't have to worry about what will happen when people find out I don't have hair, they already know and I'm not ashamed anymore. If they don't want to talk to me because I don't have hair, they won't and I have no problem keeping it that way.

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl, Co-founder on June 15, 2008 at 10:56pm

I would have to say that my experience is similar to Kristen. I was not "myself" when I was wearing a wig. I always felt like I was personally hiding and worried about it coming off or having to tell a new boyfriend. I felt my wig stopped me from a lot of things and it was for that reason that I felt I had to let it go. Now like Kristen... "What you see is what you get", there is no more revealing my alopecia, just explaining what it is from time to time.

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Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on June 18, 2008 at 12:59am

Hi

I think it all depends on the wig. My daughter wears a vacuum wig and relates to herself with hair rather than without. I think it is down to how you see yourself. She doesn't hide her alopecia but prefers to present herself to the world as she sees herself. She didn't ask to have this condition - nobody has and for her she doesn't like to be totally defined by it, she prefers the choice. I think whether you wear a wig or not is totally your choice and with both choices there should be no shame or secrets about this condition. Whatever makes you feel comfortable should be the order of the day and whatever puts a smile on your dial and makes you feel authentic. Your choice to wear hair or not will not effect your personality - your personality may effect your choice somewhat though.

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Permalink Reply by Tyla on June 19, 2008 at 12:05pm

Good question, never thought about that side, that it affects more mood... I lost my hair in my teen years,so in my case I have experience,that it effected my personality. I'm thinking about my period of looking my identity. Mood is effected every morning then I have to put my wig on the head and every morning then I take it out...
Thanks for question :)

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Permalink Reply by Liz on June 20, 2008 at 12:55pm

Actually, I wore wigs a few years ago and I can't see that it made much difference in my life. I have gone back to wearing my own, extremely thin hair.

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Permalink Reply by claire on June 22, 2008 at 6:57am

i couldnt comment i only where bandanas or go bald, be proud of your dome...

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