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Gave in and had to purchase a wig
I am saddened to say I have fought long and hard to save all of my hair from falling out again. I finally had to purchase a wig yesterday. As the days progressed and whenever I showered it would come right out with the lightest touch. I work customer service at a gym and I am going to have an extremely hard time transitioning myself back to a wig. (Mind you I haven't had to wear one since I was 15). It has broken my heart to watch all of my hair that I've kept this long to just be gone again. I don't even look like myself anymore. I am hoping and praying (because that's about all I can do) that wearing this wig will help me stop stressing so much so my hair can finally grow back again. How has everybody else adjusted and transitioned them self into wearing a wig? How did you take it when people asked questions? This might just be the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on
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Hi Sarah
I know that often when people do decide to get a wig they do feel as if they have given in to their hairloss condition. I think it may be helpful if you try and think of this in a slightly different way.
You can't control your hairloss....that is the worse thing about all hairloss problems (other than the obvious loss of hair). If you can put that outside of yourself and not feel responsible for your hairloss, I think you may find this transition a little easier.
What you are doing now is taking control of the choices you do have. Wearing a wig is just one of many that you may eventually move forward with.
When my daughter first started wearing wigs, I always felt that honesty was the best policy for her. I don't mean bearing your soul in every conversation, but just being prepared with a stock answers.
Something like....I have alopecia and at this time wearing a wig is a choice that makes me comfortable. Or just I have alopecia and now wear a wig.
It may not seem like this is anywhere near acceptable to you now, as you may have spent the last few months doing your best to hide this condition from yourself and others, but in my experience the openess that my daughter has shown in the last few years has been very helpful for her and those around her.
If your choice is to keep this a secret (and that's ok if that suits you). I would be aware that the secret can become a terrible burden, which may make you concerned about people finding out continually.
Hope this all helps a little...take care and good luck with everything.
Rosy
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Permalink Reply by Amp81 on
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Hi Sarah
I saw your reply on my other post about the wig.
For me, I was so nervous about going to work and people knowing. But my hair loss was becoming impossible to hide.
Before the AA started I had long hair, it wasn't think or thin, just regular, never anything special but it was hair (something I never knew I would be without)
I got a shorter wig so I knew people would notice. Seems that most people think it was a haircut, if they suspect they haven't said anything and I have one close friend at work who knows and she says no one has said anything to her. If someone does ask, I will be honest about it.
It has truly lifted my mood though, I was so depressed, I was crying constantly, and I feel like my old self again with the wig. It has helped the stress so much because I am not worrying if I am hiding the patches.
I hope you like your wig, and it can give you some relief :)
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Elizabeth on
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Hello there!
Today is my first day making my transition back at work, I am only 40 minutes in but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Once I can fully make this transition I know I will be a lot happier and have a lot more confidence than I've had. My wig fortunately looks almost like my old hair, only darker. I decided to tell people that because I have such thin hair, I needed to get me my weave back again! (LOL) It sure helps a lot hearing input from others in regards to wearing a wig, it's able to make me feel no so alone anymore.
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I've recently started wearing wigs and I am having so much fun with it. I just smile and laugh when people ask what I did differently to my hair. I have been open with everyone that I know, saying yeah, this is a wig, my hair is falling out due to alopecia and I got sick of seeing my thinning hair in the mirror. Everyone is amazed at how good my wigs look and I've had nothing but support. I personally feel like if I tried to hide the fact that it was a wig, I'd be stressed about it. But if I get it out there, with confidence, then it's not a weird negative thing. Plus this way I can change up my style week by week. I have a long and a short one, both way longer than my bio hair was! Lol! I hope you can move forward with positivity. It's hard not to worry what others will think but the older I get, the less important everyone elses opinions seem. I'm 32 btw. Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Tallgirl on
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I just "own it." I consider whatever wig I am wearing as my own hair. I bought it: it IS mine. So there!
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Sorry that you are going through such drastic hair loss. I agree that a wig might help you to stop stressing about your hair as much, and that can only be a good thing. When I first started wearing a wig and running into people I didn't see every day, invariably they thought I had done something nice with my hair. It really was a confidence boost. I often used that as an opening to say it was a wig and I had alopecia, but that was just because I knew I would be more at ease not feeling I might be "found out," and because I didn't want my kids to think alopecia was a shameful secret. In the two years since I first got a wig, I have found that I'm not really a wig person for now, and I often wear caps or scarves. I'm a big fan of doing what is most comfortable for you and being open to letting that change over time. With any luck your hair will start to grow back soon. At least you know that it can.
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Permalink Reply by ErikaJane23 on
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I had to give in yesterday, too. I actually went with a topper instead of a full wig because I still have some of my own hair. It feels better than a full wig. Maybe that could be an option for you too if you don't always want to wear the full thing? BUT I think you are right.... now that we have these pieces, we will be able to relax about it and focus on regrowth rather than COVERING UP and stressing about what people are looking at. You know what I mean?
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My real hair is too scarce to be able to only wear a topper, unfortunately. You're right, wearing it does help me relax - only after I make my full transition, I will be able to focus more on living my life with more confidence and less worry. We're all in this together that's for sure!
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