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Jessica Lau
- Female
- New York, NY
- United States
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Jessica Lau's Discussions
What works for me - NEVER give up!
Started this discussion. Last reply by Rebecca Cox Dec 19, 2010. 3 Replies 0 Likes
How do you tell people?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Natalie Dec 3, 2009. 11 Replies 0 Likes
Regrowth update
Started this discussion. Last reply by Katie Jun 21, 2014. 12 Replies 0 Likes
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Profile Information
- Relationship Status:
- Single
- About Me:
- I am a 26 year old girl in law school in NYC. I have had alopecia for 5 years now, and I've been bald for about 2 years (though I have a bunch of patches of regrowth now!). The first time I had it, I was about to be a junior in college--I was blow drying my hair while getting ready to go out, and my friend told me that I had a little bald spot. That spot started getting larger and larger, and then other little spots started sprouting. At that point, I was so angry I just told myself that I wouldn't let it fall out anymore...and it worked! It actually stopped falling out and grew back in with the help of cortisone injections and Nioxin shampoo. But after I graduated college, I moved in with a boyfriend who wasn't very nice to me, and I started a new job in a new city, and I think the stress of everything got to me. My hair started falling out again. I would cry in the shower as it came out in my hands. I felt lost and nothing I did seemed to help. I went off the birth control pill, I changed my diet, but nothing helped. After my boyfriend and I broke up, I realized how much stress and anxiety I was holding inside while I was living with him. My hair continued to fall out slowly and I spent hours each week trying to figure out new ways to wear my hair so that I could cover all the bald spots. I got a wig when it just got too thin, and it continued to fall out until it was all gone. I am now on my 3rd wig, though I am hoping it will be my last...
It has taken almost 3 years for the anxiety from that bad relationship and the stressors from my job (which I quit about 2 years ago) to go away. It has finally subsided, and even though I still feel the anxiety every so often, I know that the more relaxed I can make myself, the better outcome I have for my hair. I run, hang out with friends, party, paint, listen to music, read...anything that makes me happy, I do it. And even though I lost it all, and I even lost most of my eyebrows and my top eyelashes, now my lashes are growing back in and there are now a bunch of little patches growing back on my head!!
While this has been one of the hardest things I've ever gone through in my life, I am probably happier now than I have ever been. I realized that when I had my real hair, I was so bogged down by little things that didn't matter, and those things made me unnecessarily sad. I moped around and did nothing but watch tv as life passed me by. But since I have had an obstacle that I have needed to overcome, I have found new happiness in getting to meet and to know new people, making friends, and doing things that make me happy. Overall, it has made me a more interesting and much more joyful person.
- Do you have alopecia?
- Alopecia totalis
- Are you age 18 or older?
- Yes - I am 18 or older
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very well written.. your choice of words illustrates you are coping well ..
Cheers.. :)
I came across your page tonight and wanted to say hello.
Hope all is good with you.
Jeffrey
girl u made an excellent real story about alopecia. yeah alopecia made me like life :)
it makes me search for happiness. wake up from sleeping smiling.
acceptance for this disease gave a strength. denying and worrying may destroy life. i changed my career path to the best for me.
i really liked ur words, good luck
How wonderful that alopecia has brought you to this.
Many blessings!
LeslieAnn