Dominique Cleopatra's Posts - Alopecia World2024-03-28T18:40:37ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatrahttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2116760055?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://alopeciaworld.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=392a7kqp1suxu&xn_auth=noExpensive Hair System Cuts$$$!!!tag:alopeciaworld.com,2015-11-23:2022678:BlogPost:12899392015-11-23T08:23:41.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
I order my hair systems from Hair Direct, and get a new system every 3-months. I get my hair cut and serviced at a salon. They want to raise the price to almost $400 a cut because I don't buy my hair from them. This seems really excessive and I'm currently unemployed and my parents are freaking out that they can't keep supporting me and my hair while I look for a job. HD does cut-ins but I just don't know how they could cut it in right without it being on my head. Does anyone know of any good…
I order my hair systems from Hair Direct, and get a new system every 3-months. I get my hair cut and serviced at a salon. They want to raise the price to almost $400 a cut because I don't buy my hair from them. This seems really excessive and I'm currently unemployed and my parents are freaking out that they can't keep supporting me and my hair while I look for a job. HD does cut-ins but I just don't know how they could cut it in right without it being on my head. Does anyone know of any good hair system, wig cutting places on Long Island that don't cost a small fortune? Is it true that regular salons can't cut human hair wigs? I have been crying all night. The job market is terrible and alopecia is expensive!!HuffPo Article Featuring Alopecia Photo Projecttag:alopeciaworld.com,2015-08-10:2022678:BlogPost:12740312015-08-10T05:11:03.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<a href="http://m.huffpost.com/us/news/alopecia">http://m.huffpost.com/us/news/alopecia</a>
<a href="http://m.huffpost.com/us/news/alopecia">http://m.huffpost.com/us/news/alopecia</a>The Shaving Ritual: Induction into the Cult of Baldtag:alopeciaworld.com,2015-06-13:2022678:BlogPost:12630692015-06-13T14:05:21.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
I've noticed that the dominant narrative on AW is one of all or nothing. Whether one has bald spots all over and only a few strands of hair holding on, or one just has a couple of spots that can easily be concealed, she is admonished to just shave it all off rather than worrying or obsessing about it all falling out. This is usually done with the rationale of "taking back control", control being an inherently illusory concept. Once one does the ritual shaving they are a de facto initiate into…
I've noticed that the dominant narrative on AW is one of all or nothing. Whether one has bald spots all over and only a few strands of hair holding on, or one just has a couple of spots that can easily be concealed, she is admonished to just shave it all off rather than worrying or obsessing about it all falling out. This is usually done with the rationale of "taking back control", control being an inherently illusory concept. Once one does the ritual shaving they are a de facto initiate into "The Cult of Bald" and are met with accolades and acceptance from the group. The newly smooth inductee expresses some variation of feeling free, no longer worrying about hair loss, being able to be their true self, with the idea of reclaiming "control" always at the fore of her assertions.<br />
<br />
While this scenario is true for some alopecians, it is clearly not the experience of all in the community (it is not my experience). I have never shaved my head and choose to bond over my remaining hair. All I ask is that we continue to remain open to counter-narratives, in the alopecian community, that diverge from the shave-control-embrace paradigm, which seems to be celebrated as the alopecian ideal, on this forum. This limited coping model can be completely alienating to many for whom this is seen as not only personally unattainable, but wholly undesirable as well.New relationship and "miraculous" regrowthtag:alopeciaworld.com,2014-05-06:2022678:BlogPost:11851482014-05-06T07:30:00.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>I have had extremely extensive AA for the last 7 years, since I had a traumatic breakup, I had not dated anyone since, until 9 months ago, when I started seeing someone great, who accepts my alopecia and my hair system. We are keeping it "casual" but have so much fun together!! : ) Since we started seeing each other my hair has been growing back, the people at the salon I go to for my bonded-on hair system services even asked if I've been doing a new treatment to make my hair grow (I…</p>
<p>I have had extremely extensive AA for the last 7 years, since I had a traumatic breakup, I had not dated anyone since, until 9 months ago, when I started seeing someone great, who accepts my alopecia and my hair system. We are keeping it "casual" but have so much fun together!! : ) Since we started seeing each other my hair has been growing back, the people at the salon I go to for my bonded-on hair system services even asked if I've been doing a new treatment to make my hair grow (I haven't!).</p>
<p>Every month more spots fill in, still not enough to think about ditching the system, but I am cautiously optimistic. I heard about a girl with AU who experienced complete regrowth after meeting a wonderful guy. Is it possible that romance and "sexy time" could have an affect on Alopecia? Any thoughts or personal experiences to add? Thanks!! <3</p>Does the pill affect AA?tag:alopeciaworld.com,2014-03-16:2022678:BlogPost:11606362014-03-16T02:30:00.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>I'm thinking of going back on the birth control pill. I have had some regrowth of my extensive alopecia areata, and was wondering if going back on birth control would make my AA get worse. In addition, have any of you had success with other forms of birth control? I hear so many horror stories about the pill, what have your experiences been with it? Thanks!</p>
<p>I'm thinking of going back on the birth control pill. I have had some regrowth of my extensive alopecia areata, and was wondering if going back on birth control would make my AA get worse. In addition, have any of you had success with other forms of birth control? I hear so many horror stories about the pill, what have your experiences been with it? Thanks!</p>Hair Directtag:alopeciaworld.com,2013-03-13:2022678:BlogPost:10237032013-03-13T17:16:31.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
Has anyone ever ordered a hair system from them?
Has anyone ever ordered a hair system from them?The truth about wigs and cuticle lock: I need evidence for full refundtag:alopeciaworld.com,2013-03-10:2022678:BlogPost:10223962013-03-10T00:30:00.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>I have been ordering my extremely expensive European processessed human hair wigs from the same salon for a couple of years due to my extensive alopecia areata that has left me virtually completely bald. During this time I have had problems with shedding due, ostensibly, to the fact that I chose a very light blonde color. When I ordered my last $2500 system I was forced to sign a contract stating that I could not return the system if there were any problems relating to the "color". I was…</p>
<p>I have been ordering my extremely expensive European processessed human hair wigs from the same salon for a couple of years due to my extensive alopecia areata that has left me virtually completely bald. During this time I have had problems with shedding due, ostensibly, to the fact that I chose a very light blonde color. When I ordered my last $2500 system I was forced to sign a contract stating that I could not return the system if there were any problems relating to the "color". I was desperate and vulnerable at the time and made the mistake of signing.</p>
<p>When I received my new system the hair was coarse and tangly, with several jet black, red, and yes pink, hairs intermixed with the blonde that I had asked for, but I tried to work with it. The salon did a "treatment" which I assume was a "bleach bath" to "seal the cuticles" and wanted to do another one when that didn't ameliorate the problem. I spent hundreds of dollars on brushes, combs, detangling sprays, shampoos, and conditioners all to no avail. Finally, the other day -- after I had the disgusting excuse for a top-of-the-line, top dollar (but really bottom of the barrel) hair system for about a month -- I washed it with the latest shampoos and conditioner that promised to be a panacea for all my horrible hair woes. When I got out of the shower the underside of the hair was so matted and tangled it looked like I had dread locks. While the top layer of the hair was decent, the underside was so tangled that my hair dresser said even a bleach bath would be futile.</p>
<p>I told the salon that I believe the system is suffering from a common wig dilemma called "cuticle lock" where the cuticles are not completely removed and are not all going in the same direction, therefore the hair becomes tangled and the hairs get stuck on eachother. No one at the salon had ever heard of cuticle lock, which I found shocking, and the salesperson accused me of making up "some bullshit about it being sown wrong to get out of my contract." Please, I need my alopecian sisters and brothers to post their experiences and knowledge of this bane of the existence of many who wear hair known as cuticle lock. I may need this as evidence that I am entitled to either a new system or a full-refund. I cannot afford another system at this time, and need to get this situation resolved in my favor. It is bad enough that the costly insurance I have doesn't even make a dent in the exhorbitant costs of purchasing and maintaining my hair systems. Please post your cuticle lock experiences below, and clearly state that they were not related to the hair being too light. Thank you very much!</p>Biolon synthetic hair YUCK!tag:alopeciaworld.com,2012-11-11:2022678:BlogPost:9864642012-11-11T08:00:00.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>It's overpriced (as much as Euro Human Hair according to my salon) And gross gross gross. It had this weird static electricity thing going on. It was a huge mistake for me to order my new system in half biolon, supposedly "top-of-the-line synthetic hair that can be heat sytled. And the cap hurt so much that I felt like my skull was going to explode! Not only that but it didn't even stay on properly. Thank goodness I will be able to trade it in for a human hair system, but I will have to wait…</p>
<p>It's overpriced (as much as Euro Human Hair according to my salon) And gross gross gross. It had this weird static electricity thing going on. It was a huge mistake for me to order my new system in half biolon, supposedly "top-of-the-line synthetic hair that can be heat sytled. And the cap hurt so much that I felt like my skull was going to explode! Not only that but it didn't even stay on properly. Thank goodness I will be able to trade it in for a human hair system, but I will have to wait another 8 weeks for it to be made. I hear some people love the biolon but I was not impressed! I plan on sticking with human hair from now on. I am so sick of how expensive even half way decent hair systems are and how quickly they need to be replaced. It's almost enough for me to want to rock the bald look. Shit alopecia sucks! Well, that's my rant/public service announcement.</p>Feeling a bout of depression come ontag:alopeciaworld.com,2012-07-29:2022678:BlogPost:9511882012-07-29T08:00:00.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>I thought I was doing ok with my great bonded on hair system and all, but the last couple of days I have been feeling worse and worse. I went to this nail place to fix a wonky nail that is probably caused by alopecia in some way for all I know, and while I was there they told me that they could fix my uneven eyelashes with their individual lash extensions, and I was so excited. I have one eye with full, long thick lashes and another one that is extremely sparse. I don't know why they took my…</p>
<p>I thought I was doing ok with my great bonded on hair system and all, but the last couple of days I have been feeling worse and worse. I went to this nail place to fix a wonky nail that is probably caused by alopecia in some way for all I know, and while I was there they told me that they could fix my uneven eyelashes with their individual lash extensions, and I was so excited. I have one eye with full, long thick lashes and another one that is extremely sparse. I don't know why they took my money in the first place and I am feeling very stupid for not looking into this first. The eye that doesn't need extra lashes in the first place looked great, the other one couldn't hold the lashes and I ended up having to remove it, and it took the little baby lashes that were starting to grow in with it. Now I have one eye completely bare and one that looks normal. I have been experimenting with wearing one false eyelash to match the other one and it really is a pain in the a$$ dealing with this, and when I take it off at night I feel like a freak, an asymetrical freak!</p>
<p>I am also ordering a new hair system that will be half Euro hair and half biolon, which is top of the line synthetic and can be heat styled. I am very nervous about trying something different and fear that I will spend over $2,000 on something that I am unhappy with. I wear very blonde hair and the overprocessed hair can be really fragile so the biolon is supposed to make my system last longer, but I am really having a panic attack about all of this. Maybe I should just stick with ordering another system that is the same as the one I have. Alopecia is costing me a frickin fortune. I also have one normal eyebrow and one eyebrow that is sparse so it is just whack!</p>
<p>I am a young,fit woman and I haven't dated since I got alopecia six years ago and I have recently been thinking that I am ready to start dating again, but the thought of dating with alopecia just fills me with anxiety, maybe I am better off alone. Dating was hard enough when I had a beautiful head of hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. I just feel so depressed. It is so exhausting just trying to look normal. I am tearing up right now. I just want to thank you all for your support. I guess I'm just having a bad night!</p>For those of you who don't like the word bald ...tag:alopeciaworld.com,2011-12-23:2022678:BlogPost:8694582011-12-23T08:42:02.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
<p>I discovered a new word today: Calvous — lacking all or most of the hair on the head; bald!</p>
<p>I discovered a new word today: Calvous — lacking all or most of the hair on the head; bald!</p>Lady GaGa singing "Hair" Bald!!!tag:alopeciaworld.com,2011-06-18:2022678:BlogPost:6822602011-06-18T01:11:23.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
As soon as I saw this I couldn't wait to share it with all of you. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2AxFPN63Cs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2AxFPN63Cs</a><br />
<br />
Here's the link, I'm not sure how else to post it
As soon as I saw this I couldn't wait to share it with all of you. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2AxFPN63Cs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2AxFPN63Cs</a><br />
<br />
Here's the link, I'm not sure how else to post itBaldy Locks and the Three Hairs!tag:alopeciaworld.com,2009-07-27:2022678:BlogPost:3341552009-07-27T01:59:48.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
How's that for an Alopecian Fairy Tale title? But seriously almost every day I wake up realizing I've had another dream that my hair returned. It's always the same: I still have some alopecia but my hair is long and covers all of it. When I wake I am a bit surprised and disapointed that it was just a dream. Do any of you have similar sleepy time story lines?. Could the dreams be premonitions, or perhaps my subconscious sending signals to get my hair growing again, or is it just the old stand-by…
How's that for an Alopecian Fairy Tale title? But seriously almost every day I wake up realizing I've had another dream that my hair returned. It's always the same: I still have some alopecia but my hair is long and covers all of it. When I wake I am a bit surprised and disapointed that it was just a dream. Do any of you have similar sleepy time story lines?. Could the dreams be premonitions, or perhaps my subconscious sending signals to get my hair growing again, or is it just the old stand-by wish fulfilment dream??R.I.P. M.J. and Farrahtag:alopeciaworld.com,2009-07-08:2022678:BlogPost:3263432009-07-08T11:18:44.000ZDominique Cleopatrahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/DominiqueCleopatra
Since we have recently "lost" two cultural icons (at least their corperal forms, but let's not open up that can of worms now!) I felt the need to expound upon this topic which is so effusive everywhere one looks, in this forum as well. Why, you may ask? Farrah Faucett was known for her sexy figure, broad smile, and most notably for her signature blonde, feathered hair style, much copied circa her heyday, The charlie's Angels era. She ended up dying of anal cancer bald and emaciated from chemo,…
Since we have recently "lost" two cultural icons (at least their corperal forms, but let's not open up that can of worms now!) I felt the need to expound upon this topic which is so effusive everywhere one looks, in this forum as well. Why, you may ask? Farrah Faucett was known for her sexy figure, broad smile, and most notably for her signature blonde, feathered hair style, much copied circa her heyday, The charlie's Angels era. She ended up dying of anal cancer bald and emaciated from chemo, finally succumbing to this larger than life persona's ultimate mortality. In the end, she lost her lushious mane, her golden halo. It was reported Farrah remained unphased by this change in appearance. I suppose it seemed pretty inconsequential when staring down the elusive, yet unavoidable face of Eternity that we must all oneday lay down our appearances in subservience of whether we look like a pin-up girl, a rock star, a soccer mom, or a "freak of Nature" our bodies are only a temporary vessel on loan. We all know this to be true but how often do we really let it hit home. Is all this fixation on hair or no hair as well as countless other surface concerns really just a diversion from the real issues at hand?<br />
<br />
I heard about Michael Jackson's passing while in the waiting room at my dermatologist's office where there is a T.V. I had been there for another set of injections for Extensive AA. His death, which unlike Farrah's was if not totally "shocking" totally Surprising. There had been no identifiable and drawn out culprit a.k.a Anal cancer just a long, slow, nebulous, decline.<br />
<br />
In the doctor's usually cold, clinical lobby where people stare at iphones and magazines, and watches, only surreptitiously glancing up at one another, rarely speaking. Everyone gathered around the newscast asking strangers questions such as"Is it True?" and Exclaiming, "I didn't even know he was sick!" We all sort of bonded in a moment of egolessness. I guess a sudden death induced a momentary freedom from self-conciousness while bringing to the forefront something we all had in common. We all knew this man well. This man was an Enigma. What is more intriuging than a Mysterious, brilliant Life followed by a Mysterious, "untimely" Death. What killed him, Was it drugs, disease, a too exhasting exercize regimen with that guy who played the Incredible Hulk, a Murderous conspiracy, too much pressure over his upcoming "This is It" 50 shows in London, a Suicide, or an unrelenting media that had turned on him along with those heinous charges forever "tainting" his legacy. Maybe, it was just his time. He gave so much, accomplished so much more than most would ever do in One-hundred, 100 years.<br />
<br />
I really hadn't paid much attention to Michael lately. It's not like I went around slagging him I just heard the weird stories and stopped hearing his beautiful music at all. I am a child of the 80s. Jim Morrison, Elvis, and John Lennon were all dead even before I was born. I have always appreciated their "tragic genius" posthumously especially Morrison and the Doors. ("If the Doors of Perception were cleansed all things would appear as they Truely Are, Infinite.")<br />
<br />
When JFK, Princess Diana, and Kurt Cobain died I don't remember feeling what I feel now and I was a huge Nirvana fan. I was in 8th grade when Kurt shot himself. After his suicide my bestfriend and I dressed in black, smoked cigarettes all day, and called into a radio station to express our grief. I cried when my mom casually delivered the news to me in the car.<br />
<br />
But with MJ's death I feel something different and totally unexpected. A visceral kind of "awe full" feeling, that can only be decribed as Wonder. It wasn't until I left the doctors office with a few more dents in my head and i began listening to Jackson's music blaring on every radio station, in mourning and in celebration, that this fascination with Michael's life, death, and Music took hold. In spite of everything ,I found his music just made me happy. It made my ofen sedentary body and cerebral mind want to dance and surrender to the moment. It even made me feel sexy to dance in front of the mirror to "Billie Jean" and see the beauty of my movement not the balding of my head. Perhaps now that I might be considered a "freak" because of my Alopecia Areata or because I am kind of a hermit, often described as "eccentric" and very private about my life I feel a sudden conncection to the Kind of Pop. It's funny, now when I look at his face in all it's changing forms I see beauty and originality. He was a creative force. He elevated pop music to the status of high art and used his face as a canvas, another means of singular expression. Our lives and bodies can be desirable and captivating even in non-conventional forms whether due to choice or fate. This is one lesson I have recently learned from Michael. Another is to appreciate what we have while it is here. Not since Jesus Christ has someone been so vilified in Life yet so deified in death. MJ was so sensitive and childlike. All the ridicule I believe truely got to him. I only hope that he can somehow see or feel this overwhelming outpouring of Love and Appreciation he is now recieving, "Don't it always seem to go we don't know what we got till it's gone."<br />
Another thing that has recently captured my immagination is his dancing, so fluid yet precise. I am not one to always notice things like that as I am more auditory than visual that way, but his movements are like nothing I have ever seen before, like the perfection of the divine. And the sheer exhuberance of his voice cannot be denied. Whether he had Vitiligo or bleached his skin what's the difference? It's a real double standard that white people are allowed to tan and no one bats an eye, infact it is an anomonly that I don't bronze my very pale skin, but as soon as a black person changes their skin color they are denying their race. As far as the child molestation charges go i guess we are all left to look with our hearts and decide what we believe the truth to be. Since his death I believe I feel his "spirit" and that it is pure. I can't stop listening to his music and am watching a VH1 tribute to him now as the video "Just Another part of me" uplifts me with its message of unity and oneness for all.<br />
Today, I was watching his memoral service and when his little girl Paris, 11, got on stage at the end of the service for her first time in public, it suddenly began ominously thundering outside my window as the camera panned to her. When she said tearfully, barely able to get the words out in the sweetest little girl voice , " Ever since I was born daddy has been the best father, and I love him so much." while being surrounded by the loving embrace of the entire Jackson family before falling into Janet's arms. At that moment I cried for Michael for the first time as the rain outside my house came pouring down like the heaven's weaping in solidarity. It may have been a coincidence but it is a profound point in time that I will never forget. My hope is that his little girl's courageous debut onto the public arena, and her undeniable, heartbreaking sincerity will change some people's minds about who MJ really was.<br />
<br />
Someone once said something to the effect of that we all have demons as big as our talent, maybe that is true. Perhaps, that is how duality balances itself in this world. Incidentally, or not so incidentally it is rumored that when Michael died he too was completely bald with only a bit of peach fuzz on his head which was usually concealed by a dark wig. The King of Pop may have died bald and it doesn't matter at all. Now I am not saying you have to become a cultural icon to offset your baldness but maybe just maybe if you let the light in you shine brightly enough it will glow even more luminously than that shine on your head.