November 23, 2006

Thanksgiving dinner

What’s on the menu for Thanksgiving dinner? Maybe some of my hair. I felt like I was on the set of I Love Lucy while preparing a small holiday meal for some friends. The goal of home cooked meals is to create hmmm mmm goodness. My goal was to keep the hair out of the dressing. Not having hair to pull into a ponytail, I wrapped it around a bandana and hoped there would be no surprises for my guests. The meal preparation was very funny and a cooking experience not to be forgotten.

November 19, 2006

Blessed Questions

The time came to ease the concerns of some of the youth that I worked with at Church. At one of the gatherings, I brought up the obvious fact that my hair was thinning and I went on to describe the cause of the hair loss. They respectfully listened to the story as I awkwardly fumbled through the details.

The talk was not motivational on how God was making me better through the experience of hair loss. I did not yet know how God would work through me, but the youth group's response was much needed. They asked serious, silly, and indeed blessed questions. For some reason I needed to be accepted by this group and they gave me more than that. They helped me realize that because I had waited so long to disclose why my hair was falling out that they were just deeply concerned. Now with the facts revealed they were at ease and supportive of my new look. I hope one day I can share with teens that our image is deeper than physical appearance and that we are the image of God.

November 12, 2006

Hiding

I cannot hide it anymore. Looking back I wish I would not have been so distressed over trying to hide my hair loss. With Alopecia Areata Universalis there is a point where the balding can no longer be hidden. In my journey, I messed up when I tried to keep the condition a secret. All my life covering small bald spots was not a problem. In a state of denial, I thought I could hide the balding this time as well.

Little did I know that those around me were beginning to talk and wonder the cause of the hair loss. Then I received an email that jettisoned me into reality. Here's an excerpt:

"I just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you and praying for you. If you're like me, you like to keep things as private as possible, and I respect that. I don't mean to read into anything what's going on, and I hope you don't feel like I am. ....you're in my thoughts and prayers."

I still do not know the reason why I tried to hide from those who are so dear to me. I am just so thankful for their understanding.

November 05, 2006

Dermatologist Visit

My hair was falling out fast. Although knowing the hair loss was from Alopecia Areata, a hint of “this is not normal” began to resonate in my mind. I had not seen a doctor for Alopecia since pre-teenage years, but it was time to consult with a dermatologist. I wanted to get up-to-date information on the disease and see if there was anything I could do to stop the balding.

New in town, I did not have a family physician or dermatologist to consult. Friends gave recommendations, but these doctors could not see me until months down the road. I did not have time to wait 3 months for answers. I resigned to using a phonebook to find a dermatologist.

The older doctor had sweet manners and listened to my concerns. He confirmed that I did have Alopecia Areata and my body had no other ailments. His lines were the same as the ones from my childhood dermatologist. There is no cure for the hair loss and it is unknown exactly what triggers the disease. Patterns of hair loss later in life are more likely to occur if the signs of Alopecia Areata appear before puberty. There are different treatments that can be applied to the scalp to stimulate growth, but there is no scale on the effectiveness of these treatments for someone with extreme hair loss.

The doctor told a cute story of how when he was growing up all the girls would wear wigs. He found his wife quite attractive in one particular wig. This anecdote was amusing, but gave no tangible answers on what to do with my hair loss. Resigned more from not being able to obtain immediate results than from the doctor’s advice, I decided not to get a second opinion. This disease was causes no physical harm to my body and the time had come to learn to live without hair.

November 02, 2006

Everyday Headwear

The old baseball caps and thin headbands tucked in the back of the closet were not suitable for wearing my thinning hairstyle. The time came for a hair supply shopping trip. Stylish hats and thick headbands were needed to cover the bald spots. Accessory stores at the mall were a great place to find different headband styles, but hats can be a little harder to find.

Buying hats are like buying bathing suits for women. Unless tried on it is hard to find the perfect fit. The problem is that retail stores do not carry a variety of hats. Although a variety of styles can be found online, it is a guessing game on how the hat will look.

When searching alopecia hats or coverings online, several sites appear that carry wraps and turbans. Some may like this style, but it does not fit my personality. The best online store I have found is Lids. Their online store has a lot more than just the team caps found at the mall. Check the Lids Label for lower priced styles and the clearance section always has new deep discounts.

For shopping in town, ask friends and family to keep an eye out during their shopping trips. The chain stores do not specialize in headwear, and finding particular styles or colors can be hard.