Neice’s Story

I followed the link to your site for an Alopecia Support group on yahoo, and thought I would tell my story… It’s kind of difficult, because I have never had anyone to talk to it about before.

I noticed my hair thinning about 8 years ago, and went to a dermatologist, and he told me that I have alopecia, and that rogaine should help… well I tried rogaine for a while (a long while) and didn’t notice a difference in my hair at all, so after lot’s of money spent for nothing, I stopped using it. Years went by and I found a hair style that I could live with… Very short, parted on the side, framing my face. I didn’t have to look in the mirror much to fix it, because it is pretty simple… dry, spray, shape,
spray again and go. Recently I noticed it getting thinner and thinner, so I started looking around for a wig online ( my hair loss has kept me from going out as much because I’m so self conscious, even though I work with the public.. go figure..lol), I found one that I liked… It has a skin top, and a part over a little to the side, and it hangs down on my back… While I was looking at it, I couldn’t help thinking “ahhh, it would be nice to have long thick hair again”. So for the first time in my life I am wearing a wig. Am I still self conscious? You bet! I’m beginning to wonder if my self esteem will ever return! I hate this disease! I hate looking in the mirror, I hate washing my hair and feeling my scalp, and a little but of hair under my hands, instead of the hair that I use to have, and I hate going out and seeing women with full heads of hair having such a wonderful time with not a
care in the world… I really do try not to be bitter. By nature I am a cheerful person, but this alopecia really get’s me down. I am working up the courage to shave my head totally bald and tell the world to accept me as I am, but I feel that I need to lose a little weight first. If it’s not one thing it’s another . Today I took a picture of my head.. No styling, no thickening cream, just as is, to put in the photo album of an alopecia support group, and I broke down crying when I looked at the picture. I almost didn’t put it on the site, but I thought “If other people can, then so can I”. I guess I was in denial over how bad my hair loss had gotten. I asked my fiance why he didn’t tell me I was looking balder than ever, and he said that it didn’t matter to him, because he loves me, not my hair. My family feels the same way. They are great, but they don’t feel like I do. They don’t go through
bout’s of depression, or hate leaving the house for any reason other than going to work. Well, I think I’ve said enough for now.

Balding in North Carolina,

Necie