I haven't been on the site for quite some time. I see that in my profile I described myself as the mother of a 4 year old. Well, he is now 6. I just received a bunch of email notifications from the site, so I figured it is probably a perfect time to share my story.

I was diagnosed when I was 4--one bald spot and it came right back on its own. The bald spots returned when I was 12. By the age of 14 I had to get my first wig. Trying time as it already is, those adolescent years were made more miserable by other kids.

For high school I switched to a school where I wouldn't know anyone. I was already rather unstable and my insecurities got the best of me. I began trying to fit in, trying to escape myself. I will not blame this on my alopecia. I am also an addict and I come from a long line of addicts on both sides, including both parents. I was rather doomed to begin with.

I skated on through life by the skin of my teeth and on the brink of death for the most part. Jails and institutions were not unfamiliar to me. I had even been there so many times, they let me bring my wig in with me, which usually wasn't allowed.

Skipping forward a bit, I got clean at the age of 25. Got pregnant shortly after. Had my son when I was 26 and enrolled in school. Working as a waitress, still swallowed up with insecurities, I used some of my tax return one year and paid $900 to have my eyebrows and eyeliner done permanently.

Following my "passion" to save the world one addict at a time, with less than 2 years clean myself, mind you, I acquired a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. 4 years of school only to find that my criminal background prevented me from most jobs and the others were paying less than I was making as a server.

Somewhere in there after my son was born, I also dove extremely into my health and fitness. I lost 50lbs that I had gained after putting down the drugs. Thought of being a personal trainer, opening a gym, some type of fitness and therapy thing together. I could not find my way in life.

2 years ago, shortly after my graduation, I met my current boyfriend. The first time we hung out, I was coming in from a run, no hair, kid in stroller, dog on leash, 100% the chaos that is me. He didn't run out the door. He also didn't know I was bald leading up to this. He stayed.

He owns a tattoo shop and is an incredible artist and an amazing person all around. He is a risk taker and a dream chaser, which were qualities that had faded away from me in all my fear and failed attempts at success. I went to get my permanent make up touched up one day and he was appalled by the price I was paying and suggested that I go to school to learn how to do it myself. So that's what I did. I took a risk. I drove 4 states away and stayed for a week. When I came home things were slow and I was discouraged. I did some appointments here and there. I wasn't that good. Still working at the restaurant.

November 2014, my best friend introduced me to a home based health and wellness business that she had been involved with and had great success. I joined her. I also started doing some simple tattoos to get practice and combining my permanent make up knowledge with Joe's tattooing knowledge, practicing more, running specials to get clients. Both businesses began picking up. By the grace of God and amazing people who believed in me and showed me the way, I was finally able to walk away from the restaurant that held me hostage for 6 years. I left that job in February of 2015.

I have yet to give eyebrows to a person who suffers from alopecia like me, but I will probably shed a tear on the day I do. I have helped so many women to feel beautiful again after years and years of eyebrows wiping off and waking up bare. You'd be surprised how many women have destroyed their eyebrows with waxing and plucking and a bunch of other stuff that I am clueless about. I am happy to help restore them though!

As far as the health and wellness, I have helped hundreds of people reach health goals that they thought were impossible. I have also helped single moms earn a second income on a part time basis from home, servers leave restaurants, and students pay off debt. All of these things that were done for me, I am now paying forward and i couldn't be happier.

Side note: I had Joe tattoo sideburns on me the other day, diamonds on one side, and a swirly filigree design on the other. Next will be the whole head (after we finish my thigh piece) and hopefully I will be able to take this wig off for good and feel as beautiful as others tell me I am.