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Living With Alopecia- Jules

One disease that I feel like isn't talked about enough is alopecia.  It is the uncontrollable loss of hair, mainly from your head.  It is a very traumatizing disease to have and it needs to become more talked about so that those who are diagnosed can feel less alone! Please read until the end!

Types of Alopecia:
- Alopecia areata- a type of hair loss that involves patches on your head
- Alopecia totalis- complete baldness of the scalp
- Alopecia universalis- loss of all hair on your body
- Androgenic alopecia- genetic hair loss that typically starts in the middle and travels down your head. Known as elderly hair loss but occasionally happens in children
And others! I listed a few of the most common.

Getting and Accepting Your Diagnosis:
As a disclaimer, I'd like to remind everyone that losing hair is normal! You lose approximately 100-200 strands a day.  However, if you notice an excessive amount falling out, that is when it is time to take action.
The diagnosis process is typically very long.  You will start with blood tests to make sure your hormone levels are normal, and then you will get your thyroid checked to make sure that isn't an underlying cause.  In addition, you will get a skin sample taken out of your head.  This might sound like it hurts, but it doesn't!  You will get a small shot of anesthesia beforehand and you won't be able to feel a thing!

Being diagnosed with alopecia is rough! I don't want to lie and say it is easy, because it most certainly is not.  You will experience a whirlwind of emotions and have many questions.  One thing to remember that took me a while to learn- hair does not define your worth.  Of course it is normal to be upset about losing your hair, whether it's just in patches or all of it.  However, you are beautiful, kind, smart, and valuable, with or without hair.  Some questions you might want to ask your doctor:
- How will this affect my every day life?
- How severs is my alopecia?
- What treatments should we be looking at?
- What is the cause of my alopecia?

Treatments:
There are many treatment options for alopecia, but I will be touching on the ones I am most familiar with.
- Rogaine for Women: Make sure you use the female kind! This will help prevent hair loss and also promote hair growth, but if you use it for an extended period of time and then suddenly stop, you will lose the majority of your hair and it will be very traumatizing. I personally love this treatment and I highly recommend.
- Spironolactone: This is a hormonal medicine that helps to get rid of the testosterone in your body for those who suffer from androgenic alopecia. However it has many side effects, including depression, lack of motivation, and disruption with menstrual cycles, all of which I experienced.
- Birth control: Talk to your dermatologist/ gynecologist about which birth control is right for you.  These can be used to not only to regulate menstrual disruptions, but occasionally can help to grow hair back if you have androgenic alopecia.
- A certain shot which I forget the name of: In extreme cases where hair is completely gone and other treatments don't work, your doctor may try injecting some shots into the back of your head to promote hair growth.

Living with Alopecia:
Alopecia is not a disease that you simply accept having overnight! Remember to have a strong support system with your friends and family, and invest in a wig if it helps you to feel more comfortable. Over time, you will become more accustomed to the fact that you have alopecia. Remember, most people aren't looking at your bald spots (something I still have trouble remembering)! Spend some time learning how to do hairstyles to cover your bald spots, if you're not comfortable with them showing.  I have a few ideas shared below.

Hairstyles to Hide Bald Spots:
1. Straighten your hair while wearing it completely down to hide bald spots in the front and back.
2. Put your hair into a side-swept French braid (doing only one side and pulling it into a ponytail) to cover bald spots behind the ears.
3. Do a half up- half down hairstyle to hide bald spots at the base of the neck.
4. Pull your hair into a bun, brushing the back and the front and applying hairspray to cover bald spots on top and in the back.

Additional Notes:
Remember that you are not alone in this battle! I will occasionally be updating this post as I continue along my journey with alopecia, so feel free to comment ideas for me to add, and feel free to PM me personally or the account with your experiences (specify that the message is for Jules if you'd like me to see it).

You are strong! You are beautiful!
~Jules
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