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New to universalis
Hi there,
I am from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and I was first diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at 16 years old. I had a difficult time with my newfound condition as I was at such a delicate age. I endured the cortisone injections and was pleased with the results. The spots appeared on and off for the next few years but at one point, seemed to cease.
Unfortunately, it was too good to be true. I moved away two years ago and underwent a great deal of stressful events. My hair began falling out in clumps last year, and continued too rapidly. I remember brushing my hair with my comb and being astounded with how much hair was trapped between the bristles.
When I started losing my body hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, I knew something was severely wrong. I would shed nose hairs in my Kleenex after blowing my nose!
I am so overwhelmed with what has happened, I cannot quite comprehend it. Sometimes, I find myself crying when I think about the old me. I see previous photos and yearn for the hair (eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.) I once had. I am finding it extremely difficult to come to terms with my loss.
Does it get easier? Will I think I am beautiful once again?
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Comment by Tallgirl on August 29, 2012 at 1:46pm
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Well, for me I went to thinking I looked like my grandpa (he was bald all the years I knew him) when I first got AU, to learning how to do my make-up well and having fun with wigs. Why not go to the "eyebrow bar" at Macy's and get a complete look for yourself? Watch how they do it, so you can learn the tricks. There are scads of women on this site who have learned different techniques with make-up, wigs, jewelry, hats and scarves; just look at all the photos pages, and ask questions about the looks you think might work for you. No one can answer your final question but you.
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Comment by Baldilocks on August 30, 2012 at 9:36am
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Thank you both so much for the responses! I know it will take time to accept my loss and I think I am managing better now than before. I recently got permanent make up done so I don't feel as defined by the disease - I can do activities that I used to do without being self conscious. This may be an option for your daughter one day if she feels hindered by constantly touching up her eyebrows, etc. I am so glad I found this site! I don't feel so alone anymore!
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Comment by Maryanne on September 1, 2012 at 12:23am
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Answer to your first question: Yes, it does get easier. Answer to your second question: You are beautiful now. You will know this yourself when you're ready. :)
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Comment by Brittany Peterson on September 1, 2012 at 9:12pm
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1) yes it gets easier, you learn ways to cope and adjust, but there are always times you'll find yourself upset, tired, and frustrated with your new life, but you will take a deep breath (i usually give myself a couple minutes to cry over it) and you'll pick yourself up and conquer your feelings with supportive friends, family, God (if your religious) and alopecia world. When I first got it I want to say I gave myself 2 or 3 weeks to be miserable and angry, I cried I constantly. But then I decided (religiously and for my own sake) to take God's message and use what Alopecia gave me: strength, compassion, and insight beyond my years, it let me be who I really am (especially in a time during high school people were always trying to get me to be who I wasn't). Alopecia "Ally" as I call her, is my best friend, but in a way, a hard person to be friends with. That why (for me) sometimes I feel bad for being ashamed of my AU because even though this disease has taken away so much from me, it has given me what I really needed, not hair, but knowledge and courage. Sometimes we just need to experience loss to gain things that are much more important.
2) I still find it hard to look in the mirror and think I'm beautiful, I even had this problem before my alopecia but now it seems worse. Personally, I think I need to work on a better definition of what beauty is because in the media and on the news it's all about skinny, blonde, exotic, tan, and so on. But if I can see it as beauty: strength, courage, knowledge, and big heartedness, I may be able to think I'm beautiful after all, because eternal beauty is important and the other stuff I don't think really is (because external beauty doesn't last). It's easier said then done, let me tell ya. I think it will take time for me, and you too. But what I can say is sometimes when I see myself bald in the mirror I think to myself "most of my friends wouldn't be able to pull this off as well as me. I am naked with out my hair and natural, exotic looking, and unique." I've gotten to the point where I can think these thoughts on good days, and maybe you can too (: There is always hope, don't ever forget that. I hope you find this helpful.
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Thank you all!
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Comment by Alliegator on September 5, 2012 at 1:01pm
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Yes and yes! Welcome! I have AGA, and I understand how difficult hair loss can be to experience. AGA is unfortunately permanent so I won't ever be able to experience a full head of hair again. I shave my head, and go bald. I also love wigs, hats & scarves. Just try to remember that you are not alone, and it will get better. Take each day at a time, and take baby steps. You could join heralopecia.com as well. It is just for women who have a form of Alopecia.
This is my blog if you would like to see some of my wigs & I recently posted a graphic about AA that might be helpful.
http://lifeasabaldgirl.wordpress.com/
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