Dating can be scary at any age.
I look back as a 16 year old girl on my first date. I was incredibly nervous as well as wondering what this boy I was in a car with alone was going to do because before then we had only been in group settings. My 3 brothers and 2 sisters had told me horror stories about what dates were all about. They loved to tease me as a child and this continued into my teen years.

After seeing clips of this video
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Find more videos like this on Alopecia World
) It had me thinking about the whole dating thing as a teenager but also having alopecia as well.
How scary that would be. I commend all of you who grew up as Alopecians. I can only imagine the way I felt unsure of so many things as a teen but also coping with a disease too.
The boys I knew were very superficial on looks back then- It was the 80's big hair- band days!!!

I developed AA at the age of 25 while pregnant with my second child, so I escaped the dating years or so I thought. Alopecia of any kind changes people not only physically but also emotionally as well.
You have to relearn things about yourselves in all these different ways. Needless to say it threw me in a state of depression and outbreaks of crying endlessly then on a pity trip for days for at least 6 months to a year.
When my children were 2 & 5; I found myself divorced, out of the depression ( my stress factor in the home was gone), back in the work force full time and after a year - back on the dating scene.
WOW- that was just as scary, for Alopecia in any form was unheard of in Mississippi by most of us that were not in the medical field.
Around age 31, I found my AA turned into AT in the matter of 6 weeks due to my Thyroid-- I freaked out! Got help from a dermatologist, a wig that looked just like me -thus headed back out there slowly into social scenes.
I can remember thinking @ 32 years of age- who wants to date a Bald headed woman!!!! But I took the plunge and ventured out on a few dates. I would not let anyone get really close to me for the fear of 'ripping' my hair off and being totally turned off and cruel. ( I did have about 2-3 guys do that later and I laughed then when they could not leave fast enough- Good ridance)

People @ any age can be so cruel and judgmental. Who am I kidding--- Society as a whole can be cruel and judgmental.
I thought of the teenagers that are out there who deal with Alopecia of any kind and struggle daily with the whispers, laughs and self esteem levels they need to be productive and successful. How hard it is on the teenagers coping with this disease ( as well as any other life threatening illnesses) to do all the normal things teens do. The only good thing about Alopecia is it is not life threatening!

I began to educate my own boys how words can cut when you degrade and laugh at others who are different. I am so glad that as the mom of a 17 & 21 year old boys now, I have been able to 'educate' a few more teenage boys out there as well as my own of acceptance of others no matter their circumstances. The person on the inside is so much more than what one looks like on the outside...
They are very wise, wonderful young men. My 21 year old is married with a 4 year old son- he and his wife have a wonderful, Godly marriage.

At the age of 38, I remarried. A Real life Prince charming or so I thought. i will know soon enough. I think at some point an time I will see him differently. (UPDATE: JULY 2010- We are now divorced after I caught him cheating on me- some price charming!!!! )
I only hope and pray that God keeps my sons Humble. I hope their friends learn as well how to have unconditional love for others seeing with their hearts and not so much with their eyes-- even those who are different--- before it is too late in their own relationships.

Sorry if I rambled here but my thought processes are faster than my fingers sometimes. :-) Have a great Day!