Alopecia World
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Bald at work
I would be interested to hear people's experiences about going bald at work. I have a hybrid job which is about 50% IT with mostly guys and 50% customer service with mostly women. I'm working on an IT project right now where we work 12 hour days. As part of one of my regular updates on the project I explained about my alopecia and said that toward the end of the day I really needed to take my wig off (especially since we need to wear hardhats part of the day in certain areas .. that will really make you want to scratch your head)! So .. that's been pretty easy. When I feel like it I take my wig off but it's usually in the evening & just around "the team". It's harder to imagine doing this in the normal office environment of my customer service group. Somehow the "after 5pm" part makes it seem less like work. What has your experience been like?
Shera
Shera
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alexandra on
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I spoke to my boss about how she would feel about me shaving my head, since I'm doing it at the end of the summer (she knows about my hair loss). Since we're working in the beauty industry (makeup, hair, magazines, models, etc..) she's highly accepting and open to different looks and is, of course, used to everything when it comes to hair styles, therefore she said it wouldn't make a bit of a difference to her than if I had a full head of hair. She tells me that she likes that I have my own style and am "different", so she didn't even think twice. I asked her if she'd fire me or ask me to make changes to my appearance and she answered "Absolutely not! I would never do that."
I think it all depends on who your boss is and what industry you're working in. Even though what I do is marketing related, it's still for the beauty industry, and I'm working directly one-on-one with one of the professionals herself. She's used to seeing shaved heads, girls with wigs, girls with no eyebrows, girls with purple and green hair, etc..
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Permalink Reply by Yvonne~Yhoney on
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My experience of going to work without a wig was a process and I worked myself and the folks I work with into it over a few days. It was around the time of the first "Bald Girls Do Lunch" meeting that came to my area, so I was able to post flyers about that in my work lunch area which got folks curious to what alopecia was about and I was able to talk to whoever asked me about it. Which was my way of making them aware before the big revel. :)
Most of my work friends knew about my hair/no hair situation so it was no big deal to them, but of course you will always run across the nosy bitty types who only speak to you when they want something and of course that was the person who had to say something stupid to me the day I came to work bald.
I did it like this...Monday I wore a wig...Tuesday I wore a head wrap...Wednesday I went to work bald with big earrings. And that nut job had the nerve to come into my area and ask me why I didn't have anything on my head...My answer to her was, “Wow, I didn’t know I had to get your permission to change my style” and I gave her an article that I happened to have on alopecia for her educate herself if that’s what she really wanted to know. :)
I work with the public and see a lot of the same customers as well as new ones on a daily basis so I made a business card with my website address on it directing folks to read my story about my alopecia experience, which helps them feel at ease when they want to ask “What’s alopecia?”.
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Permalink Reply by BaldGirlsDoLunch.org on
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People naturally process information in different ways: some verbal, some graphic some by asking and others by talking or some hybrid of all. My organization creates information that you can give out and also reprint. Not only do they help those who want to read on their own, they specifically highlight the issues that resonate with women themselves - giving insight into their own feelings, conquering aloneness while cuing in non-alopecians to the unique situation of women.
Just let us know and we'll be happy to provide. Giving nonalopecians accurate information is invaluable.Giving them materials that clearly speak about women even more so.
Our website is also a rich resource of medical info and photographs which educate, peak interest among friends and give alopecians topical updates particularly on hot topics ( Latisse, research follow-ups etc.)
feel free to email me directly or fill out the Let us Help page and leave a message of any length.
Thea Chassin, founder
Bald Girls Do Lunch Inc
thea@baldgirlsdolunch.org
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Permalink Reply by Cheryl, Co-founder on
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I worked for a small publishing company as a office manager and sales representative. I also did it progressively. At the end of the day if I was going to the gym, I would change in the office, put on a scarf and leave the office like that. So they got use to seeing me without a wig during non-office hours. They were also aware of my volunteer work that included the support group leader for the Montreal Area and President of the Quebec Alopecia Areata Foundation as well as I was doing some TV, tradeshows and newspapers articles. So basically I made them really aware that I wore the wig for work only. The last step, was that I went to the office Christmas party without the wig and after that I stopped wearing the wigs.
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Permalink Reply by Julie Hughes on
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Hi, My mum had alopiceia all her life. She never spoke about her hairloss to anyone not even my dad. Mum worked as a supervisor in a factory most of her life. I would say that would be the worst place to work with hairloss as so many people gossip... Then when she was made redundant mum and dad were steward and stewardess at a club. Once again working in this place with people who say to much after drink would be the worst place to work.But, Mum loved both her jobs so there could never have been any problems with her hairlosss situation there... Only time when she had a problem was when mum and dad attended a local social event and a young lad pulled off her wig... Mum never got over this as noone had ever seen her with out her wig not even my dad... But... The last laugh was on mum so to speak as all the people in the village supported mum and the boy became worse off...The point I would like to make on the job issue is you do not have to explain to noone about your hairloss ...MUM NEVER.. I have decided to open a wig donation site in memory of my mum who was so strong all her life with her hairloss..BLESS HER..x
Julie.
http://wigsinwalesuk.webs.com/
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I am concerned about how to go about introducing the idea of alopecia to my co-workers and my students (I am a high school teacher). When I first started losing my hair, I wore wraps, etc. to school and, of course, heard from all the local churches that students were praying for me. That was 8 years ago. I get a new wig style every August and wear that wig to school every day. Most of my students have no idea that I have alopecia. But my classroom is not air-conditioned and sometimes the sweat just pours down my face - I would LOVE to take my wig off!
I am considering getting a few wigs of different styles and different colors and wearing them interchangeably. Perhaps after that I may get the courage to take my wig off in public. Any teachers out there?
Sharon
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Do you think it would be a problem with the school if you introduced it like a lesson. Maybe opening it up to any kind of thing that would make a person look different. Something like a lesson on lookism or diversity? It may start a really interesting discussion. They may wiggle in their seats a bit, but perhaps in the end you will feel free and they will feel free to ask questions.
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Hi. My name is Mark. I am 53, single, never married and have had alopecia totalis for over 40 years. About 5 years ago, I took off my old dirty hairpiece and tossed it out. However, since then, because I had been so used to wearing something on my head, I started wearing a baseball cap. And when got a job back in Sept of 2004, I wore my cap to work the first day. My manager told me that I had to take it off because it was against company policy to wear caps in the work place. I was completely petrified. Later after I told her why I wore one, she finally let me keep it. And I wore it to work every day for the next 4 years I was employed. Everyone wondered why, and thought I was just strange, but I never told anyone why. I don't know why. I still wear a cap every time I go out, like right now, where I am at the library, and then downtown to work out at the Y. I feel naked without it. I am currently unemployed, as I was downsized from that job a few months ago. But every job I look for, that I see on the internet, I think, will I be able to wear my cap in the office, or the new work place. I have been thinking about getting permanent make up, eye brows, eye lashes, etc. But can't afford it until I am working again. I was also thinking of maybe getting a small earing (ear piercing) in one of my ears.
Maybe that would at least add a little something to my baldness and hairless face, from my neck up. I also even believe that I have been discriminated at some jobs because employers think I look strange, because of my hairless face, and or they thing I have some cancer or something. But that is for a different discussion maybe under, employment experiences. Well I have rambled in enough for now. later,
Mark Hansen thehansen@yahoo.com
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Hi Mark-
I understand how habitual it can be to have a shield around yourself. It's especially common when alopecia starts at a young age. However, you deserve to have a completely happy life and nothing less. To maintain the burden of secrecy holds a person back from living well. I strongly recommend learning to be nonchalant about having AA. Talk openly. It may be awkward at first, but it gets easier every time and the rewards for a happier, secret-free life are immeasurable.
This is really a self-confidence issue within yourself. It's not external. It's not "others" . Too often people with alopecia look for the answers to be found in " if only everyone else understood". That's looking in the wrong place for acceptance. The real solution lies in taking personal responsibility for ramping up our own self-confidence and own self-acceptance.
Knowing how to get the conversation started with both people you know a long time as well as people you are meeting for the first time is one of the strategies for success we talk about at BGDL....but I'd be delighted to share with you what I know works. This is not to say that this is the first thing you say at a job interview, but having some strategies "under your hat" are worthwhile.
Once a person has it in their mind that they want to reap the benefits of using all their appearance options you'd be surprised at how many opportunities you start to see where you can bring it up easily.
Wear nice glasses frames even if you don't need a prescription. Accessorize well. Wear the colors that go best with your complexion and eye color....all these things give you a positive self-image and others will feel more comfortable around you when you're most comfortable with yourself. It works...just like wearing the "power suit" or the "power tie" works for men in business. You're on the road to having your own fantastic alopecian style.
Thea
baldgirlsdolunch.org
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Hey Mark, I would suggest trying going without the hat in different places. Like I first started on my porch, where others can clearly see me, but I was at home. Then I ventured out to places like the beach, the park and eventually to do errands. In the end the ONLY place I was wearing a headcovering was at work and as soon as I got in the car I took it off. Eventually I came to the conclusion that, what was so different about the people when I walked in this door as all the rest of the people when I walked out? None. ;)
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Permalink Reply by ajif on
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i am working as a sales rep normally outside all the time.i wear cap try to b stylish always n those who know me knws about my diseas.so far i never had incomfortabiity during worktime.thank god for that.
some stupids were there in my school time.that was really a hard time.
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All of you are so BRAVE, and I so admire you! If I didn't wear wigs, I'd be gone from my job in a heartbeat!
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