"A woman who lost her hair to alopecia and then had a double mastectomy

says she tattooed her flat chest to take control

and create a body that felt 'most like her'…

We weren't born believing hair makes you pretty, but society has lead us to believe that.

In an empowering move, she took off her wig on the runway.

"Taking my wig off in front of hundreds of people will be a moment I tell my kids about someday!”  Christie Valdiserri told Sports Illustrated. “I was so nervous backstage leading up to the moment but knew in my heart I had to do it. I had to do it for myself, for all the tears I've cried about this…

I came across this article on Refinery29.com and I am sure many with alopecia or children with alopecia will find it encouraging.

"Model Jeyza Gary has a rare, inherited condition that causes her skin to shed every two weeks. Two years ago, she decided to pursue a modeling career while completing her bachelor's degree in special education.…

""Bald is beautiful" isn't just a motto for one Gilbert Middle School student— it's a lifestyle."

I recently came across this article on wxlt.com that I thought I would share with the community.

"Gracie Ann Roland was diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss from some or all areas of the body, a year ago."

"Rather than letting her…

Source:  CNN/ By Alexandra Larkin

I agree with this mother that it is important to support your children with alopecia and help them understand that they are no different than anyone else with or without hair.

(CNN)Even without hair, 7 year-old Gianessa Wride has managed to sparkle -- and win her Utah school's "Crazy Hair…

I recently came across an article about Kylie Bamberger, a member of Alopecia World. Below are some excerpts I would like to share:

“Kylie Bamberger looks every bit the blushing bride in her wedding photos. She’s wearing a white ball gown, clutching a bouquet of…

 I love stories of triumph! 

One of our members Caroline, was featured in a photography project "30 days of Gorgeous" by Toma Houston Photography.

                   …

My husband had a life-long fear of large bodies of water. Recently, however, at almost 50 years old, he learned to swim. Within two weeks of his first stride, he was ready to show other family members what he learned so that they too could swim. Watching him has been exhilarating. It took courage: In order to float, you must let go, breathe, and allow the water to take over. At first you sink, then all of a sudden, almost magically, you start to float to the surface.

It was an…

I wrote this blog post on my art website about a year ago, and having just discovered the Alopecia World website, have decided to share it here for fellow alopecians.  Any comments are welcome.

This post is a departure for me, in that I normally limit my musings to those directly related to the subject of art or teaching. But to some extent, my art has always…

As a kid whenever I saw a fountain or a wishing spiral, I always asked my mom for a penny or a dime to toss in. When she gave one to me I would hold the coin, close my eyes and wish as hard as I could that I would grow hair. Every single birthday wish, fountain wish and falling star wish, was the same wish since I could remember. I didn’t wish for toys or candy or anything a normal kid would want. I think back to that little girl and I find my self smiling at how silly I was to want…

I recently came across this interview on Buzzfeed.com and thought I would share it with AlopeciaWorld.com:

The alopecian actor stopped by BuzzFeed to share his thoughts on body positivity.

You’d recognize Anthony Carrigan if you saw him on TV, right? Not necessarily. The up-and-coming actor has been popping up…

ABC News reported:

A 9-year-old girl from Grand Junction, Colorado will be allowed to return to school after being banned for shaving her head.

Kamryn…

I recently came across this poem and it just spoke to me, so I thought I would share it with you.

Stepping up to Happiness

Everybody Knows ~

You cannot be all things to all people

You cannot do all things at once

You cannot do things equally well

You cannot do things better than everyone else

Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.

So ~

You must find who you are and be…

Some day,

We'll stop looking for the answers,

And maybe,

Wear our hearts out on our sleeves,

But it's hard to make them see, and—

Just look at who are we,

Don't judge us as you please, we aren't weak,

Oh no.

And the dreams we sew,

We'll start to move mountains—

The world will be in the know,

And the more we grow—

The more they will see us, and greet us

We'll…

I’m a 32 year old South African female. I have lived with Alopecia Areata since I was 22 however for the most part I didn’t worry about it as it was just small patches here or there that came and went and were easily hidden.

For the past 2.5 yrs one patch has become a second patch & a third and they have all become friends…spreading up from my neckline and sides to the top of my head. Daily I am losing more hair and its getting more and more difficult to hide. Basically I have…

Diagnosis

In 1998, when I was in 4th grade, my mom noticed a small patch of hair loss while she was brushing my hair one morning. She told my dad (a physician) about it, and he decided to take me to a dermatologist. The doctor told my parents that I had alopecia areata, gave me the steroid injections (every 8 year old's nightmare), told me to apply a cream (looking back, I believe it was an irritant) and come back every few weeks.

I don't remember my initial…

While I continued to go about my stressful life as usual including breaking up with Jonathan (more on that in the book), I met Aaron* shortly after the New Year.  During our lunch hour, I happened to sit across from him in the courtyard at WMA.  We ended up chatting about surfing, yoga, and self-reflection of all things.  He told me that he believed in working on oneself and growing as a person.  I remember noting that I liked the way Aaron thought.  It also didn’t hurt that he was lean from…

After going from having small bald patches that would grow back over a few months, to losing 98% of my hair and half an eyebrow—the journey has been far from easy. I look back now, and cringe over how I would stress out when I discovered tiny little patches that were covered by the thick head of hair I once had.

How I would whinge because my hair was too thick, boring and normal when I was younger, along with other image issues.

How I would kid with my best friend whether he'd…

I have always been a traveler. I love everything about new places, from finding a random movie theater in Wisconsin to eating at a great restaurant in Puerto Rico. I love just people watching. I would pack my bag, throw on my wig, and jump in my car/get on a plane. I'm that free-spirited, get up and go with just a small bag type.



Well, one of the things I started to notice was that as our country cracks down on national security, TSA/Airport personnel were starting to check for…

When we can't see: glasses or contacts.

When we need a lift: bra.

When our teeth break or get strange: braces, caps, whitening, bridges.

When a heart fails: stent.

When arches drop: shoe inserts.

To cover nakedness: clothing.

To not be animals: toilets, deodorant, condoms, houses, sweet scents.

To improve color: make-up.

So...why stress over wearing anything new on a head? Seriously! You've already agreed to the inventions of humans, so why not one…