Hi Lynn, I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to Alopecia World. I have been living with Alopecia Areata since 1991 and know full well the struggle it can be. I look forward to getting to know you. Cheryl, Co-founder

Hello and welcome, Lynn!
How are you today?
LeslieAnn

A late welcome.

Roger.

Lynn, thanks for the compliment on my wig. It's a virgin European human hair wig and I got it from Brenda Kay.
Let me know if you need advice or support. I've had universalis for 25 years.
LeslieAnn

Hi Lynn,
I saw you'd sent a message with your friend request but it disappeared when I accepted. I think you asked me something about securing my wig?

The first time I got a wig, they basically sent me away and said to just use kirby grips (bobby pins might be the term in the US, I'm not sure) to hold it on. But I went to a different salon in January and the lady there talked me through some different options for securing it. My wigs have a plastic band across the forehead hairline that you can use to attach double sided wig tape but as I still have hair there, that wasn't very useful for me. So the lady at the salon sewed a small comb clip on my wig at the front that I just use to clip on to the hair I've still got. She also sewed on a plastic material section to both my temple areas so that I can attach tape there and stick it all on securely. This works for me as I like to feel that my wig is properly attached and it means that can take sweaters off up over my head etc without it coming off. The lady at this salon was great as she properly fitted the wig and then explained that if more of my hair comes out and the clip being placed there is no longer working for me, just to go back and she'll adjust or look at different options.

This works for me but one of my friends who has alopecia universalis doesn't bother even taping her wigs on, she just sticks them on and goes. Our wigs are just acrylic ones although they are monofilament. I know that a lot of folk on here who have lost all their hair have looked into getting 'freedom' wigs which work with a vacuum: you get them specially fitted to your head and they kind of suck on from what I understand. I think you can sleep with these on and they sound pretty cool if you can afford them and/or need them.

Best thing would be to see if anyone here has a recommendation for a salon near you that is good at understanding alopecian needs!

Hope this helps, Erica.

Hi Lynn,

How are you doing? You look wonderful.. would like to see you smile a bit more for the pics though :)

How r u coping with AA? Have a gr8 day :)

Hey Lynn,

I know what you mean... been in those shoes, ugh no fun at all... hope you start feeling better soon, AW really helped me out over the years. Anytime you need to vent, cry, chat or laugh let me know. really never feel bad for how you feel some days can be really hard to deal with but they start becoming fewer and more far between them .
jessica

Hi Lynn. My name is Mark, I am single, 54 and live on the east side of Milwaukee. I have had alopecia universalis (total body hair loss) My condition started in about the 4th grade and I have had no hair anywhere for about for about 40 years. My parents bought me my first wig when I was about 15. And I wore one until about 6 years ago when I finally took it off and threw it away. Now, the problem is that I wear a baseball cap everywhere because I feel too exposed with nothing on my head. In any case I know what you may be going through. My wig really never helped me much over the years because it was supposed to give me confidence to approach women, at work, school, etc. But mostly it really only inhibited me from doing so (taking chances) for years at a time because I knew that I would have to tell them eventually anyways. Now I dont know if I am better off without it or not. But I won't wear one again. Well, got to go. Hang in there.
(we are not defined by our condition) later, (your friend) Mark.

Lynn.....I have gotten all my wigs from IWig for the last 5 years. They are amazing and I love them. After wearing wigs for the last 15 years, they by far are the best ones I've ever had.

hey Lynn,

I m so sorry about your hair, I totally remember running my hands through my hair and coming out with like 50 or more hairs ugh...
I wear a vacuum wig , but i Alopecia Universalis now before it all fell out i would shave my head every morning.
Hey I really like the synthetic wigs too both human hair and synthetic wigs have there pro's and con's you just have to see what works for you. I have 4 kids so synthetic wigs are easy to get up and go so I can get the kids to school etc. However I really like how the the way the human hair feels and looks.
If you need a few web site to check out you can see what styles there are and by the way if you get one off the wed sites there are cheaper then going to a slaon.

hang in there too bad you don't live in my area myself and a few other ladies started getting together last year for support and now this year we have more then 20 in our group we get together once a month for a meeting but will often hangout other times becesue we have become close friends.. if you have the oppertunity to do something like this by you I would it's really helped me.
well hope your day gets a bit brighter
jessica

Hi Lynn.

How are you?

Roger.

Hi Lynn,

Stopped in to say hello.

Jeffrey

Hi, Lynn--thanks for the friend invite. You are beautiful! I can't imagine going through this process more than once-- you are one strong woman! Take care~

Hi Lynn,
I need a lot of friends,.....I't a new world for me...
I live in Italy close swizzerland.... In my country alopecia is "out"..... We don't have a good wigs, good tape for wig, nothing-nothing.....Believe me is very difficult for myself...I need to discovery all in this new world...
Patty

Hello Lynn how are you??

Lynn - a group of people with various type of Alopecia are meeting at Hopkinton State Park today (sat. July 17) for a picnic and swimming. Join us!

Hi Lynn, thanks for the compliment : )

Sorry you couldn't join us - it was a great time. Aside from one woman who came wearing a head scarf (and removed it to swim), the rest of us were hair & wig free.

I usually go there on weekends, so if you feel like a swim, give me a shout

Hey! Gee I am never on the computer it seems! Soooooo bad of me! Did I ever reply to the question about continental hair? I went to see them back in Fall 2008 and bought a $2500 human hair wig which I hated in the end. It was thinned out but the stylist goofed up and cut too much off or layered it funny. I didn't realize until I got it home. It was a bob and in the end I really hate Bobs on me so that was part of the prob lem. I took it to another hairstylest in my neck of the woods and tried to salvage it. Still hated it. I just sold it to a co-worked who loved the stupid thing. Did you ever make it to Toronto?

Hi Lynn, I wear a wig from Joseph Paris Salon in NYC on Madison Ave. It was a bit pricy - $3400 and Ive only had it since April and have had to get hair added twice already but definitely worth it. No one can tell, I wear it everyday and never has anyone questioned it. My eyebrows are starting to go as of this week so that is my next obstacle! Any suggestions on that? Do you still have yours? Good luck in your search for the right wig, not that any wig im sure is what we think is "right". i know im extremely insecure about mine. I am also waiting to pick up a synthetic wig from a place locally in west hartford, it is heat resistant and can be blow dried and straightened if needed! Im excited to see how this turns out and it was only 1800! I will keep you updated. Find a reason to smile each day, take care!

Hi Lynn,
Thanks for the friend request. I can relate to your comments about feeling like a fraud. I think I have the same voices in my head - "I'm not dying with cancer, I should be grateful, It's only hair." And when I get compliments I feel like saying, "But this isn't really me." Now I've lost one eyebrow and eyelashes on one eye. Jeez, I'll really feel like a fraud with false eyebrows and eyelashes!! Don't know how to get past that. I think for me it has something to do with the fact that I'm really big on honesty in my life. We gotta keep working on it! Hang in! What kind of a wig are you wearing now? (They're great in the photos, by the way!)

I go without covering, and I am accepting now...leave those who judge, and keep moving.

Hi Lynn
I just lost my eyebrows for the second time - for me also the second time was worse. I freaked out for two days and have now moved on. Alopecia has a mind of its own. Hang in there!!!

I STILL THINK YOUR GORGEOUS............your features are beautiful,and hair cant change that.

Thanks for the compliment Lynn! I can still make it work...i curl it and blow dry with a lot of foam so it looks thicker :-)))

Hi, My implants were saline but the shell is silicone. I would always have a reaction to silicone things but I was young and never thought that oh yea silicone breaks me out and gives me blisters don't put it in your body. I do think that having them in confused my immune system. I just want to get to the point that this is just a part of me now and except it. But it is much harder said then done. How did you learn to except it?

honestly i can't remember exactly, but i think it was around $400 for the first session...then you typically have them done a second time 6 months later b/c the tattoo fades. email him directly and he can give you his exact quotes

Hey Lynn,
Thank you for your honesty. Most days I feel like thats all I have left. I know what its like to feel like a fraud. I know I'm pretty... when I wear my wig. I used to FEEL pretty before my hair fell out, without make up. Now to come home, peel off my lie, and not recognize whats left. The worst part of this is feeling like no one else in the world could understand me. The denial is still in and out... but I'm finding the more I embrace it, the tiny moments where I own it and open up about it and tell people... the easier it has become to swallow. And not always, but sometimes it helps. I want to be courageous, I want to be strong and accept it... but its not easy. Sometimes its impossible.
Being a hairdresser is a double edged sword. I always feel like people look at me in the salon and see through me, but it helps to know to how cut/color/style hair pieces. And I've learned many makeup tips to hide that I don't have eyebrows/eyelashes.
I feel like I just dumped my heart on your wall... I hope thats ok. I take my day moments at a time, knowing I can start it over anytime by trying to be nice to myself. I hope this was helpful.
Chin up,
Lynds

Hello Lynn,
Thank you for the friend request:) I'm new to the website, and don't really know that many people yet! It's very hard for me to deal with this disease. I'm in middle school, and i'm not brave enough to walk around without a wig on. I'm ashamed of myself, and embarrased. I absolutely HATE alopecia. It makes me very depressed, and upset. What do you think about it? How do you cope? You seem like a very nice person, and i look forward to hearing back from you:D
Have a great day,
Sarah Posante

♥