Hello My Fellow Hair Challenged Friends,

Yes-I have a story. We ALL have a story regarding how and when it began. My alopecia started 16 years ago, I was 25 and noticed two hairless spots on my otherwise hairy head. My derm diagnosed me swiftly and coldly; injections began. Regrowth, fall out, repeat. And then one day it became clear that mine was a losing battle. A Freedom Wig came, and eventually tattooed eyebrows...Although I detest them, I'm known to put on false lashes now and…

I think the best option for any person with hair loss is to do what feels good to them, no one has the right to dictate to anyone how they should feel.

We as a society are so quick to point out to women that we need hair to make us feel feminine, sadly most

people don't realize that femininity comes from within, it's about being true to yourself, finding your inner

strength and self respect and being proud of who you are inside. Then and only Then will your outer self be…

I have been wearing a nice beanie to cover my AA patches in between shaves.

I don't go out in public with a wig though I've been seriously considering 1 lately.

I just cover my head outside.

I was kicked out of a courtroom today because I would not remove my head covering in front of a room full of strangers.

I was mandated to "take it off or go pay the fine for the ticket". They wouldn't even grant me an audience with the solicitor in the hall way.

I paid…

Presently, I am dealing with some huge challenges that make me feel like I am running a marathon, but I am determined to finish strong; even if tears are streaming down my face.

I was at the beauty shop talking with a woman about covering up this bald patch, and pricing hair pieces. She told me I have beautiful hair. I was choked up with emotion, and quietly said, "thank you" fighting back tears, and left. I was taken by surprise with the emotion seeping up from within me. I felt…

So the first thing I noticed about Caitlyn Jenner's photo shoot was her long gorgeous hair. I wondered if it's her natural hair or if she bought it (and if she did where did she buy it?!) I also noticed with interest that she chose long flowing hair because in our culture, like it or not (and I don't like it!) long hair is associated with femininity. 

I could identify with her in some ways. I am having some very nice professional photos made this weekend of me with no wigs, nothing on…

I'm interested in what coping rituals people use. I have a nightly bathroom mirror "face off" where I REALLY look at myself, and dare myself to be more than just "ok" with it. I'm considering some kind of undercut and just embracing it. I'm an aging, GEN X punk girl. I just want to stop hiding it all together, and just put it out there, right in everyone's face.

I've had alopecia for 10 years now.  The past five have been alopecia universalis.  This school year, I changed school districts to be closer to home.  It turned out to be a much less stressful job and very fulfilling.  Two or three months ago, we started noticing "peach fuzz" on my face and part of my head.  When I had alopecia areta, it was common for fuzz to come and go, so I didn't think much of it.  But it hasn't gone anywhere this time, and it is getting longer.  My sidewalls are still…

As I sit here writing my first thought down on the Alopecia network, my cat trying to get me to get off the computer so she can have all the attention, I wonder , is God trying to tell me something? I still can remember the day when I was 16, my mother took me to see a endroconologist (if thats how you spell it) because I was experiencing abnormal hair growth where hair should be growing on my body, acne, and (surprise) hair loss.

"Your hair is thinning." He said. No, duh.

It…

I have recently been diagnosed with FFA and have learnt a lot from reading members' posts - thank you everyone, especially Debs for the very useful factsheet.

Alongside my hair loss (eyebrows and about 1.5 cm at hairline so far), for the last 9 months or so I have been suffering from tingling of the soles of my feet.  Blood tests have not identified anything, and I just wondered whether it might be linked to the FFA.  Has anyone else experienced this?

Hi All,

Who's going to the NAAF Conference this year?

Hoping to meet lots of new people there.

NAAF's always a good time!

June 25th-28th 2015 in sunny Southern California.

www.naaf.org

Some doctors are now prescribing Xeljanz (Tofacitinib) for Alopecia, with great results. Problem is it's cost. It can run upwards of $2k per month or $24k per year, and most insurance plans won't cover it because its not yet a recognized treatment for Alopecia. But the more people who try it and get results, the more likely the medical community will recognize it as a legitimate treatment and insurance companies may start covering the cost. I urge everyone to discuss with their…

here we go again! round 2. I was in a domestically abusive relationship about 5 years ago it kicked off hair loss it was extreme stress at its worst!!! a year after the relationship ended i noticed my hair texture was changing, it felt weird so weird i would keep running my hands through it the density of it changed, it felt weak and fake then came the shedding :( i was so miserable it shed all the time i could not take it anymore i figured hey i will shave it and it will grow back. I shaved…

How long does it take for hair to grow back in the different patches on average? I've found things that say 3 months? I know this condition is unpredictable. I just feel lost in not knowing what is normal progression. My daughter had one very small spot in the end of November that grew to a quarter in January over night. It was then unchanged until the end of March when it again grew. This time much larger and again over night. That same time frame the center of the large spot has minimal…