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Christy Ingram

Female

Springville, IN

United States

Profile Information:

Relationship Status:: Married
About Me:: I am so glad I found this site when I googled Alopecia!
I'm a 57 yr old married Grammy who has struggled with baby fine thinning hair and eyebrow loss almost all of my life. In the past 10 years, I have had numerous tests, tried an untold number of prescription drugs (oral and topical) and taken expensive supplements...In 2007 I had hysterectomy because my heavy extended periods and fibroids were supposedly causing my ferritin and iron levels to bottom out which caused my hair loss?!? Well the surgery didn't stop the hair loss, I lost even more hair. I had another Biopsy June 2010, with the diagnosis of Severe AGA or FPB. In August 2010 my Dermatologist recommended a Wig shop, and the ladies there said I didn't have enough hair for the combs used for attaching a fall, topper, or any type of hairpieces or extensions. My son was getting married in less than a month, and I was loosing even more, my left side was almost completely bald.
Sunday August 29th 2010 I got fed up with not being able to do anything with what I little I had left, my so called pony tail wasn't even as big around as a dime! So I cut it and shaved the rest down to 1/8" it sure didn't take very long...I suspect my Alopecia may be more than the biopsied AGA or FPB maybe Diffuse AA? it is so sparse over most of my head now! I have several small odd shaped areas where there aren't any hair follicles I go back to my dermatologist in a couple of weeks for another Alopecia and mole check.
This site is amazing! I hope someday to be able to encourage others!!! BTW my husband has been bald (MPB) almost all of our time together. I think he looks awesome when he keeps it shaved!!!
Do you have alopecia?: Alopecia areata
Are you age 18 or older?: Yes - I am 18 or older

Comment Wall:

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RobynCS

Christy- Your new profile pic is beautiful! Did you enjoy yourself at the wedding? You've been through a lot of bad breaks lately. Fortunately things never stay the same and you are moving in a new direction. Look forward to seeing more wedding pix.

Robyn

Sep 28, 2010
Lavira

Hi! Thanks for the friend request! It is really nice to meet people who actually understand this, this is a great site I'm glad I found it. Hope you are well :)

Oct 2, 2010
Lavira

Sorry for the late reply, I have a lot going on at the moment... I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better! The wigs sound so good, I haven't had the guts to get one yet, I'm constantly looking at different styles and reading about the brands but then I end up not getting one.

Oct 7, 2010
Lexi

Hello Christy...thanks...I know what you mean about the thinning brows...eyebrow pencil is now something I never leave the house without putting on. The hair on my legs has thinned, my underarms, I can shave the few that grow once a month..I think it is all related to the hair loss on my head. My hair is soo thin, I just wish it would grow back, but wishing won't make it so. The nape of my neck is totally bare..so can't wear my hair up anymore ever...it sucks

Oct 9, 2010
Lexi

Yes, I know what you mean..I like some of my wigs, but they have way way more hair than I ever had as well. Maybe it would seem normal if someone had tons of hair to begin with. I am always afraid to get them thinned or cut, as someone might totally ruin them...then what? So I live with the volume!! Oh yes, forgot to say before, my dr. finally decided my thyroid was outa whack .. I kept telling him it was too high numbers, but he said, no no, then it went to a 7 something..so I am on Levoxyl now, since May, and was hopping it would stop hair loss, and start it growjng back, but no such luck. That could be the cause of the eyebrow thinning moreover than the FPB.

Oct 9, 2010
Lexi

I search endlessly for wigs online...it sometimes is exhausting. Being Blonde, the colors are never right. Tired of buying things that I am not happy with, but then stuck keeping, as no return policy, right?? That is the breaks I guess..

Oct 9, 2010
Lexi

Kristy...namebrandwigs have the best prices I have seen online..you can order and try on...why order and not be able to even try it on? That makes no sense. But they do have a restocking fee and you have to pay to ship it to you and back...so how many of those fees can one really eat?? And digest?? Not many. I often times go try on at wig shops locally, and then remember what I saw, to order online..so much cheaper. People with dark hair are lucky...their wigs are soo cheap. Blonde is tough to find "your" color, and then to have to find a style you like and a price you can pay!! Geeezzz... I'm tired already!!

Oct 9, 2010
Janie-Ann

Hi, Christy!
Thanks for being so friendly and welcoming. I'm a blonde too and as soon as I can figure out how, I'll post my pic in my avatar. (no blonde jokes, please, LOL)
Warm regards,
Janie-Anne

Oct 11, 2010
Lainie A Brown

Awe thank you Christy...I believe there will be something very special coming out of this.......I am being blessed by meeting wonderful people like me .......thank u thank u thank u thank u!!!

Oct 11, 2010
tina louise gleason johnson

Hi Christy ! thank you so much for being a friend on here .I'm having trouble finding you on regular face book though to confirm you there get back to me ok ive been trying to get as many people on here with alpoecia as possible iv go t quite a few. Well gotta go blessings to you and you r family look forward to being on here with you god bless you hugs tina johnson

Oct 13, 2010
tina louise gleason johnson

Hi Christy im glad we found each other on fb i hope you are doing well also thanks again you seem like such a nice person they are hard to come by nowdays God bless you tina j

Oct 14, 2010
Lori M

Hello! Welcome to AW! Thanks for adding me as a friend!

Oct 16, 2010
joyce

Hi! Thanks for the invite. Not sure what I 'have', but I've lost about 60% of my hair diffusely, and it stinks!

Oct 18, 2010
joyce

Hi again, Christy -- Is that your husband in the photos? My other half has a ton of hair, at times that is difficult for me! But he is very supportive of me, and we married just as I was beginning to wear hair. I lost too much hair in front (very rapidly) to feel comfortable in anything other than a full wig. I started wearing full lace wigs since this past spring. I am still learning how to wear them, and I have my remaining hair still long (not quite ready to axe it all off - I am sure it will not grow long ever again). I don't know how I'd have managed to deal with this loss without the internet resources; I know no one 'in the flesh' with significant alopecia; so the internet is a huge support system for me. Glad to find my way here :)

Oct 18, 2010
Peggy Knight

Thank you for adding me as a friend Christy! It is always nice to be connected with lovely people.

Nov 4, 2010
miss xeno

HI Christy,Thank you for the friend request. its nice to be able to come on here and meet others that understand...;-)

Jan 10, 2011
Kim

My 1st friend on here...YAY! Thank you! Now to get digging into this site...

Jan 12, 2011
stephanie

Happy Birthday!!!

Jan 13, 2011
Cheryl, Co-founder

Well Happy Birthday to you and your grandchild! Thanks for the wishes!

Jan 13, 2011
Sam Sam

Happy Birthday!!!!! May God Bless you!

Jan 13, 2011
Devin

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Christy!!!!!!!!!!

Jan 13, 2011
Kim

Hi! I'm sorry I've been away and just now am catching up. I see you had a birthday! Hope it was a great one!

Jan 25, 2011
Kim

Finally getting back to reality here. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. We were in Vegas last weekend and I wore wigs all the time except when sleeping. Decided to not wake up every hour to check if my head was covered in case my husband saw it. We had a great time because I let myself be me again. Now, if I could only do this all the time... He said he didn't mind so much about the hair but hated my eyebrows going. Thankfully the lashes are still there (for now). He helps a lot though with putting on the fake eyebrows for me. Of course, I have to shave first. Someone said "alien looking" and that's how I feel. I would love to "play" with the wigs, color and length but my husband insists that all be the same as when we first met. How do I get him to relax in that way? I truly feel that, if I have to "suffer" through this, then I might as well have fun! But I can't get him to go along with "fun." But... why should I have to have permission from him to do what I want? I guess I'm using him as the scapegoat for not doing what I truly want to do here. Thanks for listening!

Jan 25, 2011
Jennifer Schlueter

HI Christy! Thanks for introducing yourself and adding me! FPB sucks!!!! I'm having an awful time dealing with is as a 30 year old single woman. All my friends have gobs of hair and life just isn't fair. They have other hard things they have to deal with, but this is mine (ours). You truly look beautiful in your pictures, bald and with the wig!!

Feb 8, 2011
This Is Me Foundation

Thank you or your kind words about our video!

Feb 19, 2011
Lisa-Lynn Marini

Hi Christy,
I thank-you for the friendship add. I sure do love your hair peice its gorgeous. I usually dont go out with my turban exept for that one time. This is why my husband has decided to build a fence at my house so I can go out in my turban or even bald wthout anyone snooping over. I usually wear my wigs everyday until after dinner so that I can get comfy, I sure do love my turbans they are quite soft to the head and comfy to sleep in.
I can't bring myself to look in the mirrior much anymore when I am bald or lse I cry and get angry at the man upstairs asking "why me" as most of us have i'm sure. I'm only hoping things will turn out for all of us dealing with hairloss so that we never feel nothing but happiness and accept who we are as being bald, I know it's a long road ahead for that one but it is my hope.

Apr 12, 2011
liselle

Hi Christy thanx for the add :)
love the pic in blonde
nice to meet you :)
liselle

Apr 13, 2011
Flip Flop

Thank you for the message, Christy.

Apr 13, 2011
Heather

Hi Christy, incidentally, I had a biopsy when I started losing my hair, it came up as AGA. Well, this did not make sense to me because I was losing hair everywhere. It started with my eyebrows and then everything followed. I got every test imaginable...everything came up negative. Then about a year and a half ago I went to a reputable hair specialist doctor. Oh, I forgot to mention that my toenails were being affected. Anyway, he adamantly said I had diffuse alopecia areata. So, I don't know how reliable a biopsy is when DAA is involved.
Heather

Apr 19, 2011
lanaya lopez

happy easter have a great day

Apr 24, 2011
Amy

Thanks for the invite! It's so nice to know that we are not alone! I am excite to be here :)

Apr 28, 2011
Amy

I read your bio and found some similarities with my experience. I have been dealing with major stress for tha last 3 years which initally started my hair loss. Initially I was told I had AGA and at the time I had a ton of hair!! In my blood work everything was normal. I was shocked. I was put on rogaine which i shouldn't have done because it made my hair fall out even more. Then is caused contact derm and psoriasis on my scalp. Now I am shedding huge handfuls from stopping it. I recently just had more tests done an found out that I have almost no progesterone and low estrogen. I am 37 and pre menopausal. Its amazing what chronic stress can do to you. I am on a ton of supplements, like you were, and I am trying to lower the stress in my life, or how I react to the stress. I am just frustrated with dr's. I can't find one who will do a biopsy, and now I am told I have chronic TE. I was actually told to take propecia. I am scared to take anything new because of the rogaine experience. I want the biopsy because my sister has had spots of AA and I want to rule out if I have diffuse AA. Overall this is a frustrating experience ans I will soon be following you in doing the shave thing and getting a wig. I am trying to prepare my husband for this out come, I hope he can handle it. Sounds like yours is very supportive! Mines a little in denial. Well... sorry about the monologue but thanks for the invite and its nice to meet you!!

Apr 28, 2011
Jasmine

Thank you for the adding me.Alopecia world has wonderful people like you.It gave me courage to finally accept the inevitable.

Apr 28, 2011
Julia

Nice to meet you! Thanks for the request Christy...

May 28, 2011
Lisa M

Hi Christy,

Yes, that's Me!
Thank you so much for looking me up.
What would you like to know about the Jennifer wig?
The "Jenifer" human hair wig was actually the first human hair wig I have purchased. I absolutely loved it when I first purchased it but once it got wet in the rain; it went fuzzy and unmanageable.I tried to straighten it with a straightening (GHD) iron but it never went back to the soft luxurious texture :-(
So I have not worn it since...so that's almost $1,000 wasted...
I've since gone back to wearing my Jon Renau "Alia" that I LOVE and now have 5 of them.
The synthetics last longer and never go out of shape. They may get a bit knotty at the nape but so does real hair wigs, this can be brushed out. The other alternative is to cut some hair off at the nape of the neck so this doesn't happen.
I'm happy to chat anytime.
xxx Lisa

Jun 10, 2011
Lisa M

Hi Christy,
Thanks for the lovely email.
Believe me, it took a while to find the right wig.
In regards to picking colours, I ended up buying the colour rings from Vogue wigs so I could see the colours that suited me without having to guess from the computer screen...
Each designer has a colour ring so it's best to buy each one (that you're interested in) as each designer seems to have slightly different shades.

Please feel free to contact m anytime to chat ect...

My email address is lisamolesworth@hotmail.com

Kind Regards,

Lisa x

Jun 11, 2011
Debbie Berry

Good Morning Christy, Thank you so much for the friend add. I'm very happy to have found this site. Have a wonderful day!

Jul 5, 2011
CL

Hi Christy,

Thank you for welcoming me to this site. I'm very new to this and just trying to find my way around. Have a nice day.

Thanks
CL

Jul 5, 2011
Michelle

Hi Christy, I'm wearing my usual curly wig in my profile picture. I have been wearing a straight one for the past week. I'm able to sweep it up into a french roll and keep it off my neck. Works well with the triple degree heat here. You are so right about using this as an opportunity to educate people when they ask about your hair. Most of the people I talk to have never even heard of Alopecia.

Jul 8, 2011
Nancy King

Hello Christy!
I am so happy to have a friend with the same baldness problem as i have. I know it sounds silly here, even prejudicial, but I was beginning to think that only women who have other forms of alopecia were allowed on sites like this. I'm set straight now though :)
I think i need to post a few more pics so it's visible what the rest of my hair loss looks like. I am looking at your pics and thinking "wow, i wish i looked that good with my hair shaved down!" You really look great!
I am adjusting bit by bit and hope to leave the bandanas and hats home at some point. Just shaving my head down to about 1/2 inch has done my attitude wonders. At home i never wear anything to cover my head - of course living alone makes that easy:) But i don't usually wear it riding in the car either. It's such a free feeling; i love it.
I'm so thankful for this site, and now your friendship. I see very few women with hair loss where i live. So coming here gives me a boost when i'm feeling down.
Hope to hear from you!
nancy

Jul 10, 2011
Nancy King

I have the same problem here. No really local support groups. I'm not in a position at the moment to be able to travel 2 hrs for one...even if i wanted to. That's a loooong drive! I keep watch though. For now AW will have to do; and, i love it here anyway :)

Jul 11, 2011
Michelle

Thanks Christy. There will be more pictures to come ;)

Jul 11, 2011
Zetta

Thank you for reachin out Christy! I was so excited when I found AW and I look forward to developing more friendships... I'm working on pictures to share really soon!

Jul 14, 2011
Zetta

Thanks Christy, I'm good and I trust all is well with you... I as well was just checkin in-
Have A Great weekend if I don't talk with you!

Jul 21, 2011
Mary

Welcome to the International Alopecia Day Group, Christy! In answer to your question, to be involved, all someone has to do is something to commemorate the Day, wherever they live. You can organize a group or small meeting through posting a discussion about your city on the International Alopecia Day Group. The time is a bit short for that this year, though.

Some people have a photo of themselves taken and send me that and I include it in my slide show. ( Watch last year's video to see what I mean.) Other people organize a small picnic, walk, social gathering, with friends including others who have hair loss. It can be a very small gathering, or a big event.

The idea is to have fun and to let people know about Alopecia Areata and hair loss. Someone with Female Pattern Baldness like yourself is welcome.

My original idea was for ONE day when people who hadn't tried going out in public bald would do that - sort of a coming out day, and a chance to take that first step. That idea is still part of IAD, but now it's about simply celebrating and raising awareness. (You can be wearing a wig - being wigless is optional, but that's awesome if you do.)

Aug 4, 2011
Mary

That's great if the NAAF leader in Indianapolis is doing something. If so, I hope they take some pics and have a blast.

Aug 5, 2011
Mary

Thank you for your friend request!

All the best,
Mary

Aug 5, 2011
Lisa Grimm Maus

Hi Christy, thanks so much for the friend request. Yes, I am doing well, hope you are too. I've just been overwhelmed picking out wigs and headcovers and learning so much about hair loss.

Sep 7, 2011
Kathy D.

Hi Christy,

Thanks for the friend request. I don't get on here very often anymore because I'm still in denial after 16 years of this balding process. I am completely bald now in fact my head looks a lot like yours only my fine hairs are completely white. Even when I first started losing my hair and new little growths grew back they were white. Part of it they say. Good to see your dark hair! Love your cute, stylish wig!!
You just inspired me to get on here more often and communicate with people who know exactly what I am going through. Have a great week!

Sep 14, 2011
Hope

Thanks for the friend request, Christy!! Life is going great even with alopecia. It's just a part of my life, most of the time I even forget that I have it. Of course, unless it's really windy. (; I hope all is going well for you too. Take care..

Sep 18, 2011