Alopecia World
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Is it time to shave!
Hayy all,
So ive had AA since i was 18 months old.
Since then the Alopecia has done its typical course Ive had my hair grow back, then fall out, then back, then out ect..you know how it is. Well since about 2008, when my hair was doing good and had grown back in quite a bit, its now been for the past 2 years the worst its ever been. Not only is my hair almost completely gone, but now my eye brows are gone and just last week i noticed that my left eye lashes are starting to fall out. In the 22 years that ive lived with AA, i have never experenced my eye brows and lash to fall out. And now that I only have the little bit of hair that I have left, Its been a really hard time when thinking of shaving my head. Im usually a really strong individual but im starting to slowly break down. I dont even know what to do any more. Its going to kill me if I have to be bald again.
Any suggestions?
how did you coop with shaving your head?
So ive had AA since i was 18 months old.
Since then the Alopecia has done its typical course Ive had my hair grow back, then fall out, then back, then out ect..you know how it is. Well since about 2008, when my hair was doing good and had grown back in quite a bit, its now been for the past 2 years the worst its ever been. Not only is my hair almost completely gone, but now my eye brows are gone and just last week i noticed that my left eye lashes are starting to fall out. In the 22 years that ive lived with AA, i have never experenced my eye brows and lash to fall out. And now that I only have the little bit of hair that I have left, Its been a really hard time when thinking of shaving my head. Im usually a really strong individual but im starting to slowly break down. I dont even know what to do any more. Its going to kill me if I have to be bald again.
Any suggestions?
how did you coop with shaving your head?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pat Latina on
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Hi-I'll tell you at first I wanted to hold on to my hair for dear life. I mean what I called hair and everyone else in my immediate family called strands. But I didn't wnat to shave it off - I couldn't put my head around being completely bald. But I was so tired of the hair piece I choose, so when I found Freedom Wig (FW) it kinda put the thought of being bald on high speed. What I mean is that once I found FW I knew that it was the best solution for me BUT I had to be completely bald to wear it. I struggled with it for over 1yr and than finally one day I made the call, made the appt and the night before with the help of my loving husband shaved my head completely. OMG!!!! I remember the feeling of FREEDOM - no longer did I have to sweep up the hair off my bathroom floor, no longer did I have to look in the mirror and hate what I saw, no longer did I have to hear my husband complain of the drain when I showered. I read many posts here (AW) about this feeling once you shaved but I couldn't understand it, but that day I did and today I DO! I love my FW and love being bald. Don't get me wrong I miss my own hair so much and wish I didn't have AU but there are other things that I can have that could be worst. So shaving it off gave me a sense of FREEDOM that I cannot put into words. But, everyone has to make the right decision for themself. Also, wanted to say that although I'm bald I wear my FW 7 days a week. I hope this helps.
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Permalink Reply by Mary on
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Hi Laura,
Check out my photos - the night before I shaved and the day I shaved. I felt SO much better after taking control...just as Pat says - no more sweeping up hair, and watching the bald areas get bigger. It's 3 years ago right now that I rapidly went from AA to AT to AU....good luck and hang in there.
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Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on
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Hi
Hugs for you. This is a difficult thing to manage and it really is ok to feel upset.
My daughter's experience with shaving was very positive. For her in felt like taking control back from the condition. This happened when she was 12 and now she is 20. She continues to shave her head (actually at the moment she is AU again) so no shaving required.
It might be helpful if you can try and start focusing on things you can control. Like the choice you now have on how to present yourself. Mary is a wonderful advocate of no hairpiece choice and has a great understanding of what this choice would mean to you. Pat and Aimee have decided a Freedom Vacuum hairpiece does work for Pat and will hopefully work for aimee. There are other choices as well, scarfs, hats, other types of hairpieces. It's all just about how you feel most comfortable, how you want to present yourself. What matters to you. You can't control your hair and what it does - you have alopecia areata :( but you can control how you present yourself and that can sometimes become empoweing and fun.
If I can ever help with anything just pop in and say hi. :)
Rosy
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Hi Seedraiser - welcome to Alopecia World. If you hate wigs, I wish you could still be free of them. But, you expressed very well how it is to go around bald, and you also expressed my feelings about accepting who I am as a hairless woman. I lost my hair almost 3 years ago, and tried - really tried hard - to wear wigs for almost a year.
I finally realized that I had a choice between suffering physically (being miserable and hot) or suffering emotionally/mentally (people staring, not able to be anonymous). For me, it's easier to be mistaken for a cancer patient than be terribly hot all the time. I chose to be free of the physical discomfort.
I firmly believe that this is an issue of equal rights - men who lose their hair don't have to wear a wig. They just shave their heads and go on with life, and no one looks twice at them. THAT makes me angry! As I've said repeatedly on AW, the only way this situation is going to change is if WE make it change: bald women won't become more "unremarkable" until there are simply more of us out there. But, I know how hard it is (read my recent blog about traveling in Indonesia).
If you can tolerate a wig, Laura - wear one and have fun with all the different looks. I just can't wear them. Whatever happens, you will still be YOU, and you can be healthy and active and do everything you want in life!
Mary
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Permalink Reply by Angie P on
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Mary! Get outta my head! ;)
This --> " suffering emotionally/mentally (people staring, not able to be anonymous)"
Story of my life!
Not gonna hijack ... must write when I get home. :)
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Permalink Reply by Laura M on
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You are all wonderful- you all have no idea how much you have helped me and have given me strength.
With having AA for 22 years Ive never met or talked to anyone else who has our condition.
I have an amazing support system with my mom and friends but even then I still felt alone.
As much as I poured my heart out and explained how I felt, no one could possible full understand what I was going through.
I feel like I have spent my 22 out of 23 years trying to hide my AA. I had a bit of hair that I was able to hind the bold spots and when it got worse I wore hats. When I was younger my hair came and went constantly, and for every birthday candle blowing wish I was able to make I had always wished for a full head of hair. As I got a little older (around 12) I found myself constantly praying to god that I had gorgeous hair for prom. That was pretty much my only concern for years on end. It was my dream to look like the princess I felt like on prom. Around 3 weeks before prom me and my mom went and picked up my very first wig! Let me tell you, I felt and looked like the princess I had dreamed about for years. Since then I have always worn a wig. I didn’t and still don’t have the courage that a few of you have expressed, specially you Mary- Your courage and out look on life is admirable. In grade 10, my hair had gotten really bad, pretty much where it is today, and somehow at the age of 15 I woke up one morning, walked into the bathroom and just shaved it off with out even giving a second thought about it. Now, 8 years later- ive been contemplating it for months. Where was that courage I had so young? Let me tell you all something though, since finding AW (LESS THAN A WEEK AGO) and reading all your support you have so kindly posted and even seeing a lot of photos of everyone with their bald heads :) you have all given me the strength more superior then I have ever had. You all remind me that I am not alone. We are all going and have gone through so many of the same concerns, experiences and contemplations. I thank all of you for helping me more than you may think.
I would like to say that I have made the decision to shave my head and embrace BALD IS BEAUTIFUL!
I have asked my amazing boyfriend to shave my strains, which he is more than supportive to do.
I have also made a decision to get the word ‘Strength’ tattooed in script on the bottom right hand side of my new bald head! This will be my first and only tattoo that I will get. This is something that has sooooo much meaning and will also remind me just how strong I am. We tend to look at all the negatives associated with Alopecia, its easy because there are so many, but we often neglect to see the positive. Alopecia has gifted each and everyone one of us with tremendous strength. Always remember!!
The shaving and tattoo is being booked to happen in about 2-3 weeks.
I will upload pics when its all done :)
Love you all xo
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