I reflect back on my hair loss journey, and if you asked the 21 year old scared girl beginning to loose her hair in 1999, if she could ever imagine life with and after hair loss, she (me) would have said, “NO” and then cried uncontrollably… as I always used to do… daily. Impossible to process, and yet here I am. I’ll be 38 years old in 2 months and this affliction stole over a decade of my life. I am not making use of hyperbole when I say that. My 20’s came and went, and all I had were memories of devastation and a complete feeling of being helpless, powerless and destined to exist in a state of forever suffering. Paralyzing.
I’ve written a tremendous amount on my blog about my hair loss, finding my acceptance… removing the shackles of hair loss and taking back my life. This change came for me in 2012 when I started wearing hair and realizing, that while not perfect in the respect that it’s not growing out of my head… it was perfect enough. I could go out and portray myself to the world, as I wanted to be seen (the way I looked before my hair loss) and feel good about myself again. It was a process, it took time. I cut my hair super short (buzzed in back, long in front) so I didn’t have to see my hair fall out anymore and I could have a cute edgy hair cut that I could wear, one where people would think I just was just so bold to wear a style like that, not knowing I do it out absolute necessity. Since my hair loss began when I was so young I never really got the opportunity to do anything fun with my hair… cuts, colors and styles etc., was not an option. I was just praying it stopped falling out.
Recently I saw a woman on television that had pops of pink streaks in her hair, and I thought… I want that! Like now. It was cute, and I wanted it, and I certainly can’t do that to my own hair, so why not throw it in one of my wigs? Quick trip to see Sophie and Follea in Beverly Hills, and zip zap… pops of purple awesome extensions in my girl ! It was actually something so simple, and I just was so over the moon with it, it felt so fun and different (different for me anyways). I will be going back to get some more pieces added on the other side and back, I’m all over this now. Options are limitless. My wigs add to my life, and I feel beyond fortunate I was able to reach a place where I let my preconceived notions about them go, and just try it. It is a wig, yes… and as a good friend of mine says, “it’s hair magic and it’s awesome.” I’d say 99% of the people I know and that see me anywhere, Starbucks or grocery store (wherever) now know I have short hair and I wear wigs, it is how I live, and I don’t hide it…anymore. Sometimes you are wearing eyeliner and mascara, sometimes not… and sometimes I’m wearing a wig, and sometimes not.
On New Years Eve I went to a great party with my wig on (of course) and several weeks back I went to the same house for another party for Super Bowl. Some of the same people who were at the NYE party said, ” wow you cut your hair!” I replied casually, “Nope, that was a wig,” and they were stunned, in a good way, saying they would never know. No crazy reactions, no inquisitions, nothing… because I’m so comfortable with it, it makes everyone else around me comfortable. I don’t always go deep into my personal reasons for my short hair and wig life, if I need a quick reply, I always say “My own hair is thin and can’t grow long, so if I want long hair, I just throw it on.” Simple.
So that’s my little update! Hope you enjoy the video!
Much Love to All… XOXO
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks fab!
Awesome!! I love purple and wear it often so what a fun cute idea! I send a big hug to all my fellow sisters living with hair loss. We are so much more than just our hair!!
I loved what you said about being comfortable with yourself and wigs, allowing you to move freely in the world with short bio hair or long hair. I feel like that too but it’s still a struggle. Some days are easier than others. Your message helps others (me) in my own healing journey. Thank you!
You look fabulous as always! Would love a Follea one day, thanks for sharing your story and inspiring us with your journey. It’s so great to know I’m not alone with this ?
Looks awesome!! I too no longer became a victim of this hairloss and found a solution !!! I too have a Follea and love it!!! On the days I wear it I feel like my old self again!! But I’m fine with wearing a ball cap and wearing my own hair also! Nervous about summer coming as I’m in Michigan and only had my wig for 2 months!! Not sure my game plan but will probably be just like you! I just can’t worry about what peeps will say!! If they are my true friend they won’t care what’s on top of my head!’
you are awesome!
You know I love it! No limits, ladies! Swish on, Miss Y!
Ditto – you are awesome! Thanks for sharing your positivity and another way of looking at this difficult situation that we are all living with. You show us that life can go on and even more than that, we can live really good and happy lives, with or without natural locks. You look great in purple!
fantastic! you always inspire.
You always look so cute,If I could find a wig that looked like yours Id wear one for sure!
@sam – Thank you!
@Naomi – I echo that.. “We are so much more than just our hair!”
@S – For the longest time I wore a short beanie type hat when I went to certain places locally in my short hair, to make the difference of my long and short not so obvious, eventually I let that go. It all took time though, to move on progressively in the acceptance of a ) wearing hair and my hair loss, and b ) wearing both my hair and my wigs everywhere and around everyone. It is a journey.
@Amelia – Thank you! and you are definitely not alone in this
@Colleen – You can’t worry about what others will say, trust me.. your true friends and the people that matter, will love and accept you and all of you, and also won’t make you feel odd or off for switching it up between your wigs and your own hair. My friends know I wear hair and if they are with me when I get home, they very likely will see me slide it right off and put it on the counter ! or it might come off in uber on the way home LOL — that’s happened quite a bit too. 🙂
@Marilyn – Thank you!
@B – No limits indeed ! swish on!!
@Mia – Thank you and yes, life does go on, and we CAN live really good and happy lives with our hair loss, it doesn’t have to own us.
@bayareagirl – Thank you!
@sandy – Thank you!
XOXO
I thought you were doing a treatment at some hair restoration place and was actually making great progress and finally growing your hair back, what happened?
I believe your were seeing Dr Greco , how did that turn out?
I started losing hair around the same time as you, I’m 25 now and looking into wigs. Your wig looks so natural! How do you get it done?
Hi Y,
First of all, I just want to say, I have been through almost all of your postings (and many of them more than once). It has provided so much support to me in going through this process in my life and I hope you know how much you have helped other women in the world who are going through this cursed condition. So thank you for that!
And I love your latest entry, especially because I can just sense all of the contentment you have in your life. Peace and contentment with the hair situation is so much harder to come by than good hair (which we can just throw on). I’m so happy for you and wish that someday I can get there.
I am writing because I have an issue that I am going through and would like to ask you for some advice. My hair loss story is remarkably similar to yours. Started taking Loestrin birth control pill at a very young age (like 12 or 13) because my periods were so irregular that my doctor wanted to regulate it and put me on the pill. I also have had eczema since my teens. And I also have been diagnosed with AGA (my hair is miniaturizing like crazy), and I think I may have chronic TE too because of the massive sheds. I also started taking Spiro for a couple of years, and then any attempt to wean myself off of it have given me crazy sheds.
After following your story so closely, and hearing that you went to Dr. Greco for PRP Therapy, and were actually able to use the treatments to “counteract” the effects of massive sheds from stopping Spiro, I made up ny mind to make an appointment with Dr. G. (I have been dying to get off Spiro because my husband and I are thinking about starting a family soon, and given the effects of Spiro on male fetuses, I knew it had to go). So the morning I went to get the PRP treatment was my last time taking Spiro. (I didn’t wait until several PRP treatments later like you did.). Of course, Dr. G and his team were so great and the pain was actually not so bad during the PRP treatment.
Now here’s the interesting result – in the past, when I have stopped taking Spiro, literally the week after, my hair would shed and shed and shed. This time, my hair looked and felt great! It just felt a little perkier (like you mentioned in one of your posts) and I literally had no shedding. I was so excited because I was thinking, if this is the immediate result after PRP, maybe the results would be even better after 4 months, or during the “peak” of the PRP effects.
I wish I had knocked wood after thinking those thoughts because, 5 weeks after my PRP treatment, my hair started falling again. Now, to be fair, it’s nowhere near as much that had fallen out before after stopping Spiro. But, now that my hair is so thin, the effects of my hair fall can be immediately seen. 🙁 🙁 :(. And I was really hoping PRP would be my saving grace also… To at least normalize my shedding and help me keep what I have.
My question is this– do you think another PRP therapy could help abate this new round of dread shed and help negate the lack of Spiro? Or do you think that my new hair shed is telling me that PRP isn’t really working for me, and I should save my money and my time? Because it is a lot of money, and if nothing is going to stop the hell that is removing Spiro from my regiment (i.e. massive sheds), then maybe I should just forget about it..
Also, I’d like to know in a little more detail, whether PRP completely negated the effects of stopping Spiro for you, or if you still saw some ill effects, like sheds, or more miniaturization. . That would be so helpful to my decision about whether to fly out to FL again to see Dr. G.
Lastly, I have sent multiple requests to join the WHLP network, with no response. Would you be able to send me a code so I could join the network? I would really like to be able to login and see the effects of PRP treatments on people’s hair loss and hear about others’ experiences in this process.
Thanks so much Y.!!
Cheers,
M
Thanks in advance!!
M
F
This is what I really needed to see before I get my wig in two weeks. I have suffered for years with psoriasis,but refused to let it take over my life! Then, when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and my hair stopped falling out, I turned to the deepest despair that psoriasis never took me to. I’m paralyzed at the thought of wearing a wig but am traumatized watching my hair fall out! Watching your video and reading other stories help me to keep going and that my life will move forward! I’m so scared but so ready to move forward! I just turned 38, and excited to have hair that I can run my fingers through! I miss that! Thank you!
I live wearing toppers and extensions. My hair started thinning 30 yrs ago due to thyroid disease.
My hair is thin so I want to explore the possibility
of a wig.I wish that I had a friend who wants to accompany
me through this process. I live in Memphis, TN. So I need to investigate the possibilities that are here. Any suggestions that you can
provide me will be welcomed enthusiastically.