Things have changed so much for me that most of the time I forget I even have alopecia. But I can assure you it has not always been that way.

I lost my hair 30 years ago. I have now lived my life more without my hair than with it. But at the same time, I clearly remember leaving the dermatologist's office and him telling me that I have alopecia and I should “just” buy a wig.  The struggle began.

Back 30 years ago just about everybody with alopecia was wearing a wig; men, women, and children. It took me close to 5 years to realize that wigs were definitely not going to work for me and my journey began as to how was I going to do this.

It was slow but deliberate. I slowly stopped wearing wigs at different places. The last 2 and hardest places to leave it behind was at work and dating. Dating and relationships took longer. But when you meet your soulmate, which I most certainly have, you know it.

As I have always said my Alopecia has NEVER been a problem with my husband, RJ Jones.  In fact, he helped me start www.AlopeciaWorld.com, which at the time was perhaps the first social media website centered around alopecia. 

I am not going to say it was easy. Anyone who has taken this journey knows how heart-wrenching this can be, whether you choose to wear a wig or not. I struggled my way through it, dealt with other people’s opinions, comments, ridicule, being mistaken as a male, and much more.

However, I knew what my end goal was and what it would take to make it. I eventually came to expect the comments; they became my healing. I was no longer running from people’s opinions of me. Rather, I was allowing myself to find the place that I no longer needed their approval.

I made it and my bald head is my victory dance!

How do you plan to raise some awareness to make it easier for the next generation?  What are your victories?