My journey has been a long one over many years, but I think I have finally come to acceptance and peace. My hair loss first started in 1995, I had patches of hair loss, alopecia areata. I was pregnant at the time and I thought that it was just my hormones playing up, and indeed my hair grew back after I had my daughter.
the Journey From Diagnosis To Building Confidence
I Wanted To Change My Hairstyle
A couple of years later I fancied a change of hairstyle, and the hairdresser was all set to give me a layered style. She gasped and said “I’m sorry, I can’t do that, you have lost a couple of inches of hair at the back of your neck, extending up your head”. This explained why my shower was blocked with masses of dark hair recently!
My condition then was alopecia marginalis. On looking in the mirror I realised my hair was receding all around my hairlines but, because I had a long bob style, it was not obvious. Eventually over the coming years I took to wearing a baseball cap and carefully arranging my hair underneath to conceal the missing areas. This sort of worked, but limited what I could wear – everything had to go with the baseball cap, which limited me to casual/sporty clothes.
It Was A Lot of trial and error
A few years later I was left with only a Mohican crest on top and I had to accept the time had come to either brave it and let everyone see my condition, or wear a wig. I decided to go for a wig. The few times I tried to ‘brave it’ bare headed, the looks of sympathy from the adults and plain curiosity from the children were just too much.
For a while I went mad. I had a long wig (I’d never managed to get my hair that long), and a sassy wig that stood up on top (my own hair was too soft and floppy to do that in the past), and all sorts of styles that didn’t suit me in retrospect.
Finding my perfect look
Eventually I found April Deluxe Petite by Natural Image and this style is so ‘me’ that people genuinely don’t realise I am wearing a wig. It’s easy to wear, even playing sport, and is very natural. During this path of hair-loss over the years, I gradually lost my eyebrows, eyelashes, and all my body hair. I am OK with most of it, but I must admit I do find not having eyelashes hard.
I do not like the feel of false eyelashes and depend on a soft smudged eyeliner to give the impression that I have lashes. My hope is that one day I will find false eyelashes as easy and comfortable to wear as my wig.
Having no body hair is actually a plus, no waxing or shaving, and my skin is super soft. I can honestly say 99% of the time that it does not bother me wearing a wig, in fact, most of the time I forget that I am, it is just that comfortable. I have gradually lightened the colour I wear from the dark, nearly black, wig that I originally had in my mid-40s that was the colour of my own hair, to a chocolate copper, now that I’m in my 60s, that I feel is more flattering for my ageing skin tone. I have accepted this is me, and I am happy and content thanks to April!
Love, Jan x
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Thanks for sharing your story. I feel that whatever makes you feel good and confident is right for you. Your choice of style absolutely suits you. The colour also is very natural looking. As for eyelashes, I hope in time you find a suitable solution. I wish you all the best in your wig wearing journey.
Enjoyed reading your article. Your point of no return was gradual – mine was very rapid. Friends who know about my hair loss sometimes ask me about it. These days my response is: it has to be managed. But I never discuss the intense emotions I felt at the time – and I never will, subject changed – it’s too personal.
Agree with you about eyelashes. Eyebrows can be managed effectively but false eyelashes are heavy and probably not doing the skin round the eyes many favours either. My eye lining skills have improved to match my flicking of the excellent Simply Wigs products!