I've had alopecia for 10 years now.  The past five have been alopecia universalis.  This school year, I changed school districts to be closer to home.  It turned out to be a much less stressful job and very fulfilling.  Two or three months ago, we started noticing "peach fuzz" on my face and part of my head.  When I had alopecia areta, it was common for fuzz to come and go, so I didn't think much of it.  But it hasn't gone anywhere this time, and it is getting longer.  My sidewalls are still…

I teach the English Learners in 5 schools in my district.The other day, I was walking through the kindergarten hall and a boy started laughing and pointing and shouted that I looked like a boy. I have alopecia universalis and seldom cover my head.I knelt down and had a gentle but honest conversation about what would be a better way to express his interest and observations. A little girl next to him joined in and asked if I had cancer. I explained that I didn't and in five to six year old…

My youngest daughter recently turned 6, and I got to go to spend the afternoon with her in her class. I arrived to her room before the class got back from music and was preparing their strawberry shortcakes when the students began arriving.  Comments soon began to fly: "She looks like a boy."  "Your mommy is bald headed."  "Where did her hair go?"  I could tell my daughter was beginning to get defensive.  "My mommy's cute.  I think she's beautiful."

The teacher wasn't back, so I asked…

Last year I participated in NaNoWriMo (National November Write Month) and wrote, 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November.  This year, I decided to join again, and finished.  This novel is about a 17 year old who finds out she has Alopecia. Writing 50,000 words in a month, while you are trying to live your normal life is pretty tough, but this month has been an emotional roller coaster for me as I have relived so much of my own personal experiences through this writing process.  I…

During the past ten years, there is one thing that I have learned about alopecia: change. When my alopecia first started, it was one perfectly round patch about the size of a quarter. That changed to multiple spots, which all grew back in. And then came back. And then went away in different locations, including most of one eyebrow. I lost my sidewalls about five years ago, and never gained those back. Then, the big blow came, universalis. No eyelashes, both eyebrows,body hair, and all my…

I've had alopecia for 8 years now. First, it was come and go areta alopecia. Then it went universalis. The eyelashes were the worst. I would look in the mirror and say, "I look like a lizard." My mom used to say I was as mean as a snake when I was little and got in trouble, so it shouldn't have come as any surprise. The hair loss was hard, but the self-esteem loss was devastating.

The first time I went to buy a wig, I made sure I was the last scheduled appointment. I went alone, in…