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Comment by Mary on April 11, 2009 at 2:43pm

Hi everyone,

You may have already seen it, but I just posted a new discussion "National Bald Out!" Here it is just in case (I still don't understand why some discussions show up on the Home page and others don't):

You've heard of the "Great American Smoke Out" - the day when everyone is encouraged to stop smoking for just one day?

What if, for ONE day, all the bald women in this country (or whatever country you live in) came out in public with nothing on their heads? Imagine the effect! People wouldn't be able to assume that every bald woman they see has cancer. Bald women would become non-remarkable very quickly, just as bald men have. Women like me and other members of AW, who already go out in public bald, would instantly stop feeling so alone.

I'm thinking of making a YouTube video and setting a date for sometime during the summer (when it's warm everywhere). If I picked a date - say a Saturday in July - and put up a YouTube video now urging all bald women to join in on a National Bald Out THAT day, would any of you who don't currently go out in public bald do it for that one day?

Maybe we could get a news service "flash" out there and get TV and print media to pick up on the story! Anyone know how to do that?

I don't know what category to put this in...it's about society, and acceptance, and news, and promoting awareness...so, I'll just put it in Bald is Beautiful, and hope you all see it.

Please share this with other friends on AW and respond - YES OR NO...would you join in?

Mary

Comment by Mary on March 30, 2009 at 12:12pm

p.s. As to why I decided to do it so quickly, Sandy....I don't know. I just HAD to. I really disliked the way I looked in the morning or fresh out of the shower with no eyebrows or lashes. I've always had very dark eye bio hair, and it was too painful for me. I accepted and got used to being bald on my head much more easily than I did to having "bald" eyes. I was just too upset by the way I looked when my eye hair went. And, I really don't have much patience for doing eye makeup since I never had done it.

Comment by Mary on March 30, 2009 at 12:09pm

Thank you all for the positive comments!

As for the brows...I want to admit that the downside of having them tattooed is exactly as mentioned - I don't have any freedom to change what's there. I'm permanently "stuck" with whatever the makeup artist drew on that day. Before she did the tattoo, she drew them on with regular eyebrow pencil, so I DID have a chance to say yes or no and make changes. But, I was so nervous and still emotionally fragile that I wasn't quite as discerning as I wish I'd been. She initially got them too flat, lacking the pronounced arch my bio brows had. On a second (free) re-touch, she added a bit more of a peak to the arch.

Anyway, on balance I'm still very happy I did it. I just don't have the patience to draw them on every day, and I love having something there when I'm swimming, diving, hiking, etc...It may not be for everyone.

And, Sandy - I DID worry about allergic reactions but I just made a choice and went ahead and haven't had any problems. What I learned when I began investigating and talking with a number of permanent makeup practitioners was that there are TWO very opposing schools of thought as to the dyes:
There are iron-based pigments, and vegetable-based pigments that contain no iron. I was told by each camp that going the other way would be a disaster! The veggie-dye ladies said that iron-based dyes would interfere with MRI machines, and would turn red or blue quickly. The iron-based ones swore that there were no problems with MRI machines or X-rays, and that it was the veggie dyes that turn color quickly and also fade quickly! My dermatologist was clueless and no help in the decision. It was terribly confusing and I did a lot of Internet research.

In the end, I went with iron-based pigment after reading online about an FDA product recall of vegetable-based dyes a few years ago, and after seeing the good result a friend had with the practitioner I decided to use - who uses iron-based. Also, it seemed to be the more prevalent type of dye. So far, they're looking good.

I suppose you could have a test tattoo done somewhere inconspicuous on your body to see how your skin reacts. Haven't you always wanted that rose on your tush?

Mary

Comment by Galena on March 30, 2009 at 10:52am

Mary, I truly commend you on participating in an event to bring attention to the conflict in Darfur--you are an inspiration! 4 miles or 4 feet, you are setting a standard for all of us to follow. Regardless of the perception the participants had of a bald woman, I agree with you that your presence there took us forward in positive exposure. You embraced humanity and received a big embrace from humanity--a great moment for you. Thank you for sharing it with us:^)
Love,
Galena

Comment by Nicole on March 30, 2009 at 10:41am

Hi Sandy,
I know exactly what you are going through. When I started losing my eyebrows last year and I just shaved the rest of it off to end the hassle. I draw my eyebrows on now & at times I get so frustrated because they never match. I spend 20 mins to get them right. I have my ups & downs, but the good thing is I can always change my eyesbrow shape at the drop of a dime which actually excites me. So there are some positives to being browless..lol

Comment by Mary on March 29, 2009 at 10:08pm

Hello ladies....I had another interesting experience today at a Walk For Darfur benefit event here in San Diego. At the finish line of the 4-mile course, there was a large group of women drummers doing African drumming, and about 50 people standing and taking photos and applauding as people finished. I don't know why I did it, but as I got to the end and saw all those people, I took off my sunhat and buff that I was wearing. The reaction from the crowd was immediate - huge cheers and applause. Some women stopped drumming and gave me high-5's. All I did was show off my sweaty bald head!

Now, I think in all honesty that the reason people reacted this way was because they assumed I'm a woman with cancer who just walked 4 miles, and they were congratulating me on my courage and strength of will, etc. But, who knows? What do you all think? In any event, it was just another positive public reaction to a proudly bald lady.

Mary

Comment by Mary on March 29, 2009 at 1:23am

Hi Sandy - just saw your post. Exactly a year ago, my eyebrows started to rapidly go. I remember how sad it was to see that very distinctive part of me be lost - you can see my original brows in the photo on my profile page: "Just after shaving my head". I know how you're feeling. I think I was more depressed about losing my brows than I was when I shaved my head a few months before.

What I decided to do might not be best for you, but share my experience for whatever it's worth. My mid-April, when I only had some stragglers, I went in and had the tattoo eyebrows done and let the woman doing the work pluck the last few. I had tried drawing them on myself for a few weeks, but since I've never worn much makeup, I just didn't like messing with it. Also, they would just come off when I was active (this was before I knew about Thea's nice brush-on eyebrow powder sealer, which I use now as described below.)

I've been very happy with the tattoos, though they don't look like my bio brows. I put a little brow powder on to darken the color and even it out, but it goes on really quickly because I'm just "coloring" the tattoo - it takes me about a minute. If I'm going to be sweating or active, I apply the BGDL sealer to hold the powder.

If you go to my photos on my profile page, and zoom in on the photo entitled "Suiting up on the dive boat", you can see what the tattoo brows look like with NO powder or make up at all. Then, if you zoom in on "Performing with my band", you'll see them with a little brow powder makeup and sealant.

For me, this has been the best thing...I never feel "naked" and don't have to spend time positioning the brows or worrying about them coming off. I did a fair amount of research on tattoos and went to someone who had done a friend's eyes.

Let me know if you want more info. Hang in there. You're beautiful.
Mary

Comment by Mary on March 28, 2009 at 11:51am

Thea, the plans sound wonderful! Thank you for putting the plans out there. I hope that this can come together.

Unfortunately, neither the June nor the October dates are open for me...I have conflicts scheduled that I can't change. I can pencil in the 2010 April-May date, and maybe do that if it works out for others.

Mary

Comment by Late K8 on March 27, 2009 at 2:19pm

In response to Carol below, the NAAF Conference is definitely for adults as well as for children. There are tons of breakout sessions and events held for all ages, stages of acceptance, for family members, and more. I was lucky that the year I was first diagnosed the conference was held an hour from my house. It was a life changing experience for me and I highly recommend it for anybody looking to connect with other alopecians and to be inspired.

Comment by Carol Solis on March 27, 2009 at 12:14pm

Galena I had looked into the convention in Houston, but is that mostly for children?? it looked that way

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