One day when I was nine or ten, I got into a fight with my sister. She pulled my hair and I went screaming to my parents. My stepmother checked my head and noticed a bald spot about the size of a quarter. My sister was grounded for pulling out my hair but really it wasn't her fault, it was alopecia areata. The spots would come and go over the years and for a long time was restricted to the back of my head and I was able to hide it. I was 27 when my son was born and when he was 4 months old when things got really bad. All the hair in the front and on the sides fell out and I felt compelled to shave my head. Eventually, most of the hair grew back for a time. Right now, things are bad. What little hair I had left has thinned considerably and I am devastated. There has been so little regrowth and I have lost any hope of it growing back. I have never reached out before to other alopecia sufferers and have suffered in silence. I want to end my silence but lack confidence to come out completely with others. I know people know that I don't have alot of hair , but I am not quite able to walk out in the world bald. I don't think I have the face to pull of a bald head. I have lost count on how many times I have had to explain that I don't have cancer. I know I don't look good. I I know people are assuming things about me and making judgements. I would appreciate any advice.