Blind Date

After losing all my hair, my boyfriend shaved his head. I only hope that I can support someone like he did for me. We've since moved apart and I've been on 2 blind dates. My friends are so sweet to try to set me up, but it is hard to be Bald & Single. On a normal first date I spend a good amount of time figuring out what to wear. This is a usual female ritual. An extra anxiety always creeps into my head. To wig or not to wig.

The guy will inevitably learn that I'm bald and that I'm comfortable without a wig. However, will wearing the wig on the first couple of dates add to the comfort level of both? I know there is no definite answer and it depends on the situation, but I wanted to share my two experiences.

The first blind date I was so anxious during the entire evening that I could not even enjoy the company. A very selfish experience on my part. By the end of the evening, I had told him that I had Alopecia, was wearing a wig, and I did not know when or if the hair would grow back. I left him in a confused state. Lesson 1: Life is not all about me. Wearing a wig is not a form of dishonesty and does not have to be explained on the first date.

The second blind date I decided to wear the wig again, but to relax and enjoy the evening. After an enjoyable first date and several nice conversations, my brain began to race again. When do I tell him that I'm bald? It is such a distracting question. I finally told him on the third date. His response was silence followed by, "I think I knew someone in school with Alopecia." He engagingly listened to my explanation of the disease and I showed him my driver's license picture. License pictures are never flattering but it is the only pre-hairloss photo I always have with me. We saw each other a few more times and he decided to just be friends. Lesson 2: Don't be so anxious about the man's response, embrace the experience in meeting someone new, and look forward to someone falling in love with you for who you are.

I will not lie. The fear of not being given a chance because I'm bald does creep in. However, that is a selfish lie contrived in my head. I look forward to future dates and to discovering how others see beauty.

Finger Hair!

I discovered finger hair today. It was like an infant realizing that she has hands and feet. Alopecia Universalis affects the entire body. There has not been hair on my body for almost 2 years. My friends may laugh as I stare intently for little blond hair between my knuckles, but it's the little things that I used to take for granted that I'm rediscovering. Maybe this is a sign of complete regrowth.