Alopecia World
Where acceptance is all there is!
Three ladies, three different experiences with baldness
Yesterday I met and spoke to two women.
The first was a bald black woman in the library and when I asked if she had alopecia she responded that, no, she just liked the look. Thirteen years ago she shaved her head and continued to do so to this day. We spoke for a bit and exchanged shaving tips and our thoughts on living our lives as bald women.
Later on that even while grocery shopping a lady made eye contact with me and then asked if I have cancer. I told her about my alopecia and she continued to tell me that a few months ago she looked just like me. We spoke about her cancer and my alopecia and before she left she parted with the words “I wish that the baldness was my only health issue". I wished her good health and thought, me too.
So often I hear alopecians say that they struggle with people thinking they may have cancer, my experience is that it is usually people who are going through cancer that approach me. They too are looking for connection and we have an awesome opportunity to share and learn with them.
My alopecia and baldness brings me face to face with life, illness and possibly fatality, fashion statements and freedom statements, rebellion and surrender, confidence and humility, rejection and self-acceptance, conformity and self-expression, self-hatred and self-love, hope, reality and an always a new perspective.
Whether I search out opportunities or they find me, the connections in my life are like spider webs. I understand that I have something to exchange with a multitude of women in different situation and these are just a few of the connection with my alopecia! We can decide to spin our webs and grow in these opportunities.
Any thoughts? Or perhaps some opportunities in which your alopecia experience connected with others?
The first was a bald black woman in the library and when I asked if she had alopecia she responded that, no, she just liked the look. Thirteen years ago she shaved her head and continued to do so to this day. We spoke for a bit and exchanged shaving tips and our thoughts on living our lives as bald women.
Later on that even while grocery shopping a lady made eye contact with me and then asked if I have cancer. I told her about my alopecia and she continued to tell me that a few months ago she looked just like me. We spoke about her cancer and my alopecia and before she left she parted with the words “I wish that the baldness was my only health issue". I wished her good health and thought, me too.
So often I hear alopecians say that they struggle with people thinking they may have cancer, my experience is that it is usually people who are going through cancer that approach me. They too are looking for connection and we have an awesome opportunity to share and learn with them.
My alopecia and baldness brings me face to face with life, illness and possibly fatality, fashion statements and freedom statements, rebellion and surrender, confidence and humility, rejection and self-acceptance, conformity and self-expression, self-hatred and self-love, hope, reality and an always a new perspective.
Any thoughts? Or perhaps some opportunities in which your alopecia experience connected with others?
Comment
-
Comment by Cheryl, Co-founder on July 30, 2010 at 1:05am
-
Christa, Alopecia seems to bring an instant bond to others who suffer from hair loss. I have had some deeper conversation with stranger than some friends in some situations. This is how I know this is not a punishment. There is no way a "punishment" could bring so much meaning to these chance meetings.
-
-
Susan, I am the same way, I will make eye contact. The fact that I don't wear a wig, let the other person know for sure that I have alopecia. So I will smile and see where it goes from there. But if the person has not revealed to me in some way that they have alopecia I will not bring it up. I agree with you that we need to respect another person privacy. I once took a night class at a university and towards the end of the semester one of the girls kept starring at me. I thought for sure that for some reason or another she just did not like me. It turns out that towards the last day of classes she approached me and told me that she had started to lose her hair. So you never know, one day she may approach you. I guess for now you can just continue to make eye contact and say hello.
-
Comment by Christa M. on July 29, 2010 at 4:16pm
-
I noticed too that alopecia brings a lot of very intense human contacts and experiences. That's definitely a good point.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Disclaimer
Any mention of products and services on Alopecia World is for informational purposes only; it does not imply a recommendation or endorsement by Alopecia World. Nor should any statement or representation on this site be construed as professional, medical or expert advice, or as pre-screened or endorsed by Alopecia World. Alopecia World is not responsible or liable for any of the views, opinions or conduct, online or offline, of any user or member of Alopecia World.
© 2025 Created by Alopecia World.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Alopecia World to add comments!
Join Alopecia World