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Rebecca Strobel

Female

Golden, CO

United States

Profile Information:

Relationship Status:: Married
About Me:: My twin brother and I have had alopecia since we were 4 or 5. We were adopted and don't know the history ... he has universalis and I HAD areata...now...mine is completely universalis at this point - 45 and suddenly totally bald. It seems that my thyroid cancer and my going into menopause kicked it off...I'm now 53 and proud. Still wear my wig for business but otherwise, I'm hatgirl or bald girl..kind of fun being unique.
Do you have alopecia?: Alopecia universalis
Are you age 18 or older?: Yes - I am 18 or older
Your Website (Leave blank if you don't have one):: http://www.realtyboutiqueservices.com

Comment Wall:

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LeslieAnn Butler

Oh, I'm so glad you like the book!
Big hugs!
LeslieAnn

Jul 18, 2010
Shannon

Hi Rebecca - Just wondering if you're wearing your Freedom Wig in your profile pic. If you are, it's great! Shannon

Aug 16, 2010
Shannon

Hi Rebecca - Actually no, it's just a regular one. I'm waiting on my Freedom Wig - should be here any day - it's been 6 months. I have also ordered a vacuum wig from the supplier I bought my regular wig from. Here in Canada I cannot claim my wigs, but it I rack up a big enough bill I can apply some to medical expenses at tax time. I'm really treating it as an experiment seeing which vacuum I prefer. If I can get it in Canada it's cheaper and they will cut and colour it for me. It can't hurt to try both!

Aug 16, 2010
Shannon

Hi Rebecca. I bought my vacuum from Debbi Fuller. The other one I bought through Continental Hair in Toronto. It isn't a big part of their business, but they do offer it, so I felt I could give it a try. There is no doubt that when I put the mold from Debbi and Continental on (to approve) they felt different. The mold material was the same, but they were shaped differently. I really like Continental's stylists and colourists and with my Debbi Fuller wig I will not have access to a stylist who is familiar with cutting and colouring wigs. So....I'll be taking it to someone who does not generally cut and colour wigs. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

Aug 19, 2010
Jill

Thank you for the sweet blog comment. We are blessed.

Aug 19, 2010
Natalie

Hi Rebecca! That is so cool that you went to school at Stout! Do you have family/friends in WI still? Way to be brave and shave your head :) Rock on!!!

Aug 23, 2010
Natalie

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for your kind comments :) Give yourself time to adjust....this whole alopecia journey is rough and needs to be taken one day at a time :) I TOTALLY agree with you about the eyelashes! Losing my eyelashes and eyebrows was very hard for me, and although I actually love my bald head and hope my real hair never grows back (my wig is much better than my real hair ever was), I do hope that my eyebrows and eyelashes grow back. I never realized how much junk gets in your eyes without eyelashes! They really are quite useful to have. I wear fake eyelashes about 5 days a week. I use "Blinkies" http://www.blinkiesonline.com/ and they are fantastic. They last me at least a month if not longer. Also, the Duo glue is my favorite (you can buy it at CVS or Walgreens). It will take you a week or so to get used to putting the eyelashes on (it's a bit wonky at first), but now I am so used to it that I can put them on anywhere (the subway, my desk, the gym). I hope that helps :) Rock on fellow Midwesterner ;)

Aug 24, 2010
Shannon

Hi Rebecca,
I know what you mean. I've lost 1/2 an eyebrow and all of the lashes on one eye and part on the other. I have to say that if I lost them all I would wear false eyelashes for work and other events. I did wear them (cut in half) when I had lost 1/2 of my upper lid, and they were very good. I didn't even know they were there and they blended in - plus no mascara to add! But, since I've lost all on one eye, I can not match one eye to the other and make it look real. If I lost both, the falsies would be the same on both lids and are very real looking. I got mine at the MAC counter. So…for now, I use an eyeliner to give the illusion of having a lash line. I find a pencil will fade, but I just got a gel from Bobbi Brown that is supposed to stay on really well. People do say that they can’t tell, but I know that if I close my eyes it is obvious that one has eyelashes and the other doesn’t. For me, it would be better to have none than only on one eye. For the eyebrow I use a wax and powder. I just got a kit from Benefit that has both. Still, I know what you mean. For me, my hair and eyelashes and great brow shape were the things I got constant comments on. I never overdid them, so I guess you could say I kept things pretty natural. My friends used to laugh because I didn’t wear make up out on a regular basis. Now…I definitely need make up The eyelashes and eyebrows made me feel very hopeless as they were coming out because I felt they were my last vestige of femininity gone. Cruel joke! Hang in. I know have tiny white hairs that have regrown after 8 months on my upper lash line. I wonder what that means? So unpredictable!

Aug 25, 2010
Jaye-London

Hi Rebecca. I live in London, UK, so am lucky to be able to drop in to Gali Wigs in person. However, I do know she regularly works with people all over the world. Check out feedback on Heralopecia.com, where a few ladies have ordered 'remotely' over the telephone. I believe she also visits the US every so often (not sure which part) so maybe there's scope for meeting her during one of her trips.

Re lashes/brows... funny you should ask as mine are just going now.... after over 20 years of progressive AA. I just had my semi-perm brows done this week, as it was important to me to have them done whilst I still had the template of my natural brows. (Have heard from several ladies about how their brows regrew in different place to where the SPMU had been done.) Lashes are falling fast so I'm now trying to master fake lashes. Will get SPMU eyeliner done next month. I was SO used to having hair (wig) or no hair... but losing facial hair is a different ballgame altogether. Still... I am so grateful that I have options available to help me rebuild my image every morning. Jaye

Oct 17, 2010
JeffreySF

Hi Rebecca,
Stopped in to say hello.
Jeffrey

Oct 17, 2010
Lexi

Rebecca....is that a wig in the pic with the shoulder length hair? It looks way tooo natural. Oh, maybe a freedom wig, right? Do you have to buy a lot of extra products to maintain the wig? If you have one, how long do they last? Is it easy to maintain the wig? Thanks so much.

Nov 16, 2010
Jennifer Krahn

Hey Rebecca,
I love the length of your hairpiece and the cut. I'm of the mindset that we can always go shorter... To wash the liner I use one of those body poofs (no idea how else to describe this) and a jot of meleleuca antibacterial soap. Create the bubbles and then rinse...super easy. I just played volleyball in mine yesterday and it was fantastic!
We're having some record snowfalls up here, we look like we are in a snowglobe and loving it. Hope you have a great Christmas and holiday season as well. LOVE your pooches!

Nov 30, 2010
Jennifer Krahn

Hi Rebecca,

Just wanted to pop in and say that I love your latest photos! Beautiful! Plus my hubby and I are jeolous of your house...you are living our dream. We're outside our city in a forest...we just want your house on our property!:) (Great hair by the way)

Hope you have a fabulous Christmas

Jenn

Dec 23, 2010
Petra

Beautiful dogs! I too believe in rescuing a dog(s). Both of ours our rescues and they give us so much joy :-)

Dec 31, 2010
Petra

We had a lab/bernese mix.. He was the first dog my husband rescued. Unfortunately we found out he was mixed with bernese when he got the type of cancer that is prevalent with the breed. He was a big momma's boy and broke my heart. Most people talk about their kids I love talking about my dogs.....they are my kids though so why not :-)

Dec 31, 2010
Lorna

Thank you Rebecca! Very kind of you to say that! Ps. on a totally different note my brother loves bernese. Noticed you mentioned having a bernsese/lab cross at one point. My brother has 2 bernese now and they are both gorgeous and have the loveliest natures.

Feb 7, 2011
Jennifer Krahn

Hey Rebecca,
Thank-you for the VERY kind comments...made my day!!! Hope you are doing well. We are having somewhat of a warm spell up here in the Peg...built a snowman and fort with the kidlets. We're off to the cabin this weekend for some relaxation and tobogganing. Hope you have a good one. Your latest pic is awesome by the way!

Feb 16, 2011
Niina

Hey Rebecca!
Thank you for answering my request!
Your hair looks so great,love your pictures ;)
Can you tell me what kind of dogs you have...they are so cute!

Mar 19, 2011
Niina

Hey Rebecca!
How are you today?Thanks for your message!
Oh great I was sure one part of your doggies is malamute;)They are really cute!!
I understand what you wrote, there is nothing better than a dog if you come home!
My dog died last August and I was so sad. I got her also from a rescue and she was my friend for 5 years ( she was from the beginning very sick and I'm so glad that we had 5 years together).
At the moment I don't have a dog, think I need a little bit more time. But I guess that a life without dogs is not possible for me;)
My wig is artificial hair but normally I don't wear it. I saw your pictures and your wig looks so natural, amazing!You said it's a freedom wig. I read about it but I can't imagine how it's works.....
Greetings from Germany!!!

Mar 28, 2011
Robbi

Thanks for the friend request. I am a huge animal lover as well. Love your pics :)

May 9, 2011
terry koepsel

Rebecca, I live in Lakewood. Love the pic. of your dogs. I have 3 rescues from Max fund.

May 11, 2011
Pamela Rosse

Hi Rebecca, I look forward to seeing & meeting you at the NAAF Conferience. You doggies are so cute, I have 2 Lab's.

May 16, 2011
Robbi

I'm all abouit anything for the sake of our four-legged friends :) Thanks for the compliment; I wear vacuum pieces, and they are great for the most part. Take care and welcome!

May 22, 2011
Pamela Rosse

Hey Rebecca
Just wanted to let you know I changed my reservation, I'll be arriving Wed also, I'm helping hand out tee shirts Thur afternoon. :) I'm so excited.

Jun 7, 2011
Francie

hey!
i've never made a video before but i'd like to try. I'll let you know if im able to get one together within this week. -Francie

Jun 20, 2011
Pamela Rosse

Hey Rebecca, hope you & hubby had a wonderful anniversary & flight home.
I am so happy, proud & honored to not only call you a dear friend but also my Alopecian Sister.
You are a very special person, I feel very blessed to have you in my life.
Talk to you soon.

Love Pam

Jun 26, 2011
Pamela Rosse

Hi Rebecca, wishing you & yours a Happy 4 thbof July.
Vince & I are home, getting ready for our Alaska Cruise, I can't believe it's a week away.
Take care.

Love
Pam

Jul 3, 2011
Niina

Hey Rebecca!
Thanks a lot for your massage, I didn´t recognize it, but was really pleased when I read it today;))
Finally here is summer and I will go swimming today;)
I hope you are fine and you still have fun with your garden!
Unfortunately I don´t have a new dog until no, it´s almost a year now that i´m without:( But I found new friends here and one of them has a puppy, so now I´m aunt;) It makes me really happy to take care of him and she is thankful that he has now a dog sitter!
By the way I will go to Norway for half a year so think this is the best decision for everyone not to get a new pet. But when I come back this will be one of the first things I do!For sure;)
Hahaha about the scarfs I can tell you i´m also not really good in this stuff. I just bought a lot of them in a shop and they are really easy to bind. One of the reason for this is that I´m really lazy in the morning to stay 1 hour in front of the mirror and bind a scarf...
Just put them on and that´s it:)
Hey I would like to ask you something. Are you working and are you wearing a wing at work? I´m not really sure about this and I guess this will be a challenge for me in the near future. My boyfriend always tells me that I don´t have to be afraid about this and that I should go just as i am (with my scarf), but maybe you know, just easy so say if you are not the one....
I would be grateful about your statement:)
So I which you a nice week and a lot of sun, like we have here in Germany!!!

Aug 2, 2011
carol

Many hugs back to you ,,Julie and I are fine and Yes she is a fabulous partner, she sure knows how to calm me down when I get my Latina blood boiling.
Cant wait to see you gals again ,, sorry for your frustration with that company, that bad eh?

Sep 16, 2011
Amy

Hi Rebecca! My name is Amy and I also live in Golden. Do you ever go to the support group? I went on the 1st Thur. of Sept. and no one was there..

Sep 22, 2011
Amy

Hi! I live near Indiana and 6th. Up the hill from the Jefferson County fairgrounds. I am not sure of the area where you live. Yes, there is a support group here in Denver and it is supposed to meet every 1st Thur. of every month. I won't be going back, at least until I find out more about it! I thought a support group would be helpful, but I am finding this web site to be great! I am married and we do not have any kids. I work part time in the health industry. I do CT's and MRI's in an out patient clinic. Losing my hair has been so hard, esp. the eyelashes and eyebrows! I am glad there is someone like me that lives so close!

Sep 24, 2011
Amy

Yes, luckily they make wigs that look so good! When I put my wig on I don't feel so weird! I do love that I don't have to shave every day like I used to! I would love to meet you for coffee sometime! What is your schedule like? I normally have Mon, and Thurs. off as well as the weekends.
Amy

Sep 25, 2011
Amy

OMG! Thank you Rebecca! I never go out in public without a wig! I just posted a picture of me without it because I thought it would be therapeutic! I got laid off from my job yesterday, so whenever you are available for coffee let me know!

Oct 5, 2011
Amy

My husband has a twin sister too! Is that the address where you work?

Oct 5, 2011
Amy

I can either stop by your home or you and your brother could meet me at Starbucks in downtown Golden tomorrow, maybe around 10?

Oct 5, 2011
Amy

Yes, I wish we could just go bald and not care. It would be so much more comfortable! I can do Friday or if another day works better.....

Oct 5, 2011
Amy

Hi Rebecca! Did we decide to meet at 11 today or another day? Just making my plans for the day!

Oct 7, 2011
Amy

Hi Rebecca! Yes, that wind yesterday was horrible. I have a halo wig that I wear with hats and I had to hold it when I went outside! This weekend I have a lot going on. Maybe Mon, Tue. or Wed. next week? Then on Thur. I am leaving for Oregon for a few days. Let me know what your schedule looks like so we can get something planned! Have a great day!
Amy

Oct 7, 2011
Amy

Why don't we try for Tues. I can meet you in the morning. What time works for you? How about 9 or 10?

My husband hates when I just have on the halo! It does look really bad! I like to tell him I am ready before I put the hat on! ha ha

Oct 7, 2011
Amy

That is hilarious! That ia something I would do! I will meet you at the Starbucks in downtown Golden on Tues. At 10! I can't wait to, meet you too!

Oct 8, 2011
Amy

See you tomorrow!

Oct 10, 2011
Lori M

Helllooooooooo..... Ohhhhh You have made me feel so much better. My husband was insistent that I get the best stylist because I already blew $3000 on a human hair wig 3 years ago. The person cut it and I ended up haiting it and never wore it. Needless to say I absolutely can't have a repeat performance if you know what I mean.....LOL

Nov 10, 2011
Amy

Tallgirl posted a blog 'if it weren't for alopecia'. If it weren't for alopecia, I would have never met you!

Nov 16, 2011
SarahW.

I've been reading some of your posts and wondering about the Follea vs. Freedom. I'm trying to decide betweeen the 2. I have AU and currently wear lacefront wigs so that the hairline blends. This is the most important thing to me besides comfort. I'm a nurse so not falling off during crazy unit situations is nice too! I don't wear blunt cut bangs so to have the hairline undetectable to everyone is very important. I've contacted a FW rep and we'll be talking soon but I would like to have your opinion on which is the better fit for me. Not worried about the price.

Jan 28, 2012
Molly

Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for the invite. sharing stories is so helpful, have a great day!

Jan 29, 2012
Ms. Aries

Thanks for your note! I don't look at the site very often and was glad to find your comment here today. I have a freedom hairpiece and love the security. I'm about ready for the next one and want to look at all options. Would like to change from the 10-inch one to something spikey & short. Big change, but what the heck? I hope all is well with you, happy Spring~

Mar 11, 2012
Ms. Aries

I have an answer for this one! A Trish McEvoy product called Finish Line Shadow Transformer. Use it with her (or any?) eyeshadow. Dip your brush in the liquid & use like paint for eyeliner. It doesn't last forever but is far better than anything else I've used. Stays in place, doesn't smudge. I also felt restored to human status when I got permanent makeup last summer. Very subtle but enough to feel real in the morning, and provides good underpinning for your make up. I hope this helps.

Mar 11, 2012
Sandra

Hi Rebecca! Thanks for the friend request! :) I look forward to getting to know you.

Mar 12, 2012
Michjo57

What a profound statement Rebecca! I will give you a call. Thank you and I am smiling today!

Jul 26, 2012
Jennifer

Rebecca - thank you! I will definitely be giving her a call. Much appreciated!

Oct 21, 2012