Comment by Susan on August 11, 2016 at 12:08pm

We underestimate the beauty and love there is in this world.

Raya,that is so untrue.I work for a company that sells the most coveted luxury goods in the world,and i am bald. My sense of style has gotten so much better since i stopped wearing my wig.

I am even more successful that i ever was.

Girrrrrrrllllll,what you talking about.

Comment by Keith on August 11, 2016 at 12:11pm

Confidence can go a long way.  If you go in public without covering your head, I would guess you have already built up that confidence (or were lucky to have it from the beginning).  I'd also suggest not to react in any way if/when you think they might be questioning your head.  That confidence and presenting yourself as a whole person without giving in to showing any insecurities (conscious or not), a lot of people won't see your bald head.  You can paint the picture of yourself for them through your personality and confidence and strength.  Hair or no hair, isn't that what employers want anyway?  I have cicatricial alopecia with vitiligo on my head, so I wear a hat.  It's become who I am, and most people don't notice the hat or think I'm trying to hide something.

Comment by Pamela on August 11, 2016 at 12:14pm

In June I ordered a $4,000 wig.  I haven't gotten it yet, but looking forward to the day it comes.  It is all human hair and won't fly off in the middle of traffic crossing the street.  To me AU is the most devastating thing that has ever happened to me and I'm not going to embrace it one dam bit. I've been dealing with this since early 80's.  It has come back a couple of times but left a few years later.  I have been totally bald now since 2011.  Exactly 6 months after my Mother passed away and I'm pretty sure it's never going to come back.  So the reason for spending mega amount for the last wig I will ever buy.

Comment by Brandy on August 11, 2016 at 12:15pm

If you feel comfortable going to an interview without a wig or a head covering, more power to you.  Just project confidence and focus on your excellent qualifications.

Personally, I wear a head scarf whenever I go outside my home or have curtains open.  At job interviews, I don't mention alopecia.  However, when I fill out the employment application and am asked if I need an accomodation for a disability, that's where I mention my alopecia. I say that I need to be allowed to wear headscarves and do not want to be required to wear a wig or hair piece.  So far, that was worked well for me.

One of the best things I ever did was to renounce my hair piece and replace it with head scarves.  First, I had to come-out to people at work and the gym as a person with alopecia.  But, I have found acceptance and hope you will find acceptance also.

Comment by Susan on August 11, 2016 at 12:20pm

Well said Keith. 

Comment by Raya on August 11, 2016 at 12:27pm

Susan I can tell your a very strong beautiful woman but I went shopping one day this woman went bare headed to the store and everyone was starring and the kids were just pointing and asking their parents why is that woman bald? And the parents just felt embarrassed that their kids had no manners. Everyone is different I applaud people who can walk out that door and not give two cents about their appearance and then there are people like me who can't go out the door without her wig cause I work at a day care with kids . And if I went to work without my wig I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have a job. I guess you have to take a lot into consideration about going with or with out a wig.

Comment by Susan on August 11, 2016 at 12:56pm

Sorry to hear this Raya

Everyones situations are truly different.Too bad people treated the woman that way.

That's ignorance on their part, because no one knows what they will have to deal with in their lives.

Its unfortunate that we live in a society thats so caught up with things like appearance,and other tangible things.Sometimes we never have a chance to work on our insides.

i was at the register one day and  2 boys around the age of 6 or 7, came up to me and started laughing. I looked up, smiled and said "Hi,are you having a nice day?" they nodded yes.

Then i went on to say "Have you read any good books lately? (thinking to myself,the mind is a terrible thing to waste)

Comment by AnnS on August 11, 2016 at 1:25pm

Other than addressing the big "C" issue, you shouldn't have an issue - you should go in boldly into your interview and be yourself. There's a fashionista out there who is bald (I'm sure she has alopecia although I haven't dived into her profile and posts enough to see) but she works with/is photographed with Mimi G from MimiGStyle.com from time to time. Now, she's a very tall African American woman with a bold sense of style (think bold jewelry, and very fashionable clothing) so she 'wears it well' - so to speak. Put on whatever your 'armor' is. Is that amazing jewelry, an awesome suit? A leather jacket with a stunning pencil skirt? Whatever is YOU, be that you. And, if you must, just go right in and address it soon in the interview "Whew, it's hot out today, I'm usually not this enthusiastic about my autoimmune condition, Alopecia, but today, it's great to not have hair!"

Personally I wear a wig and I don't like my clients to know that I do (although a few know because they are also friends or they see me on the weekend with a scarf or my 'other hair' and I explain what's up at that time.) But everyone approaches this differently. Because I "interview" all the time (every new client is a job interview, right?) this is my approach.

Cancer assumptions can = you can't do the job and will be expensive to insure you, but if you tell them that alopecia is autoimmune and it's affecting your hair only (nevermind your psyche or your body's inflammation, ha!) most are very reassured "oh, well, that's not cancer...so".

Good luck and post when you get the job!

--Ann

Comment by Susan on August 11, 2016 at 2:56pm

For an otherwise healthy looking person with a bald head,may not be assumed to have cancer but as a radical norconformist,who just t decided to shave her head.

That perception is met with more insensitivity than the perception of cancer or alopecia.Also because its  highly unlikely that someone will be interviewing for a job while undergoing chemotherapy.

Comment by Keith on August 11, 2016 at 3:07pm

This topic reminds me that it also depends where you are located and how people will receive/perceive you.  A friend of mine was bald due to chemo treatment.  In L.A. women often approached her with the assumption she was going through cancer treatment.  But in Berkeley people thought she was a Buddhist monk.

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