I am a boy, 17 years of age and I also have Alopecia Areata, as many of you on this website.
I have had it since I was 12/13 years old. In the beginning I only had one or two little bald spots on the back of my head. I had no idea what it was, until my hairdresser told me what it was, even the doctor didn't know what it was which is strange. Then the hairdressers gave me 'Nioxin' which helped and the bald spots dissapeared.

Then when I was just 15 it came back on both sides of my head. I didn't really notice it at first, but then they became bigger and bigger. That's when I started worrying. They kept on growing until I had lost practically all my hair on the (frontal) sides of my head. Luckily I had long hair so I could cover it. Almost nobody saw it, but after a while they grew a little bit more and then some people in my class started seeing it.
My best friend told me that some people did start to notice it. That's when I eventually told them during gymnastics.
Everybody reacted well to it and they had more respect for me, also for telling it. That wasn't easy.
After a while we went back to the doctor to inform him about Alopecia a little more and he sent us to the hospital.
There people did know about it and had a possible cure for it. They put a liquid DPCP on it, which caused a allergical reaction to it. We had to find the right dose to make it work. After a few weeks we found the right dose and I could use it at home.
It took a while to get some hair growing again, but it did work eventually. After using the DPCP for another few weeks/months all my hair had grown back. That was such a relief, I was so happy.
Last summer I could swim normally again and do what I want without having to check my hair.

Even though there still was a little bald spot on the top of my head I didn't pay much attention to it, I was happy enough that my hair had grown back on the sides of my head.
When I came back from France (summer holiday) that little bald spot on the top of my head slowly started expanding. Everything started all over again. I could hide it again with the rest of my hair, but the last few weeks it has gotten worse and worse. Now I can not cover it anymore and I don't like walking around with bald spots on my head (I now have 3 very big bald spots and several smaller ones).
Last week I've been thinking about shaving my head and getting a wig. Last Thursday I told my dad about it and he immediately started searching for hair- and wig specialists. That day we found one and made an appointment for the next day! I was pretty exited.
So the next day we went there and we had a talk with the guy and got information about wigs.
In an hour we made the decision that I'd get a human hair wig, with Indian hair.
Now it's Tuesday and I probably get my wig on Thursday!

I have no idea how it would change me, I would have to get used to it, but I think it would be a lot better.
And I do know I might lose all my hair, or it could all grow back.
I still have to accept it more that I have to live with AA for the rest of my life. But that will come over time.

This is my story.