STEP 1 | From Oh-No to Oh-Yes for All Hair Loss Babes Out There: 12 Steps to Cope with Alopecia

Dealing with hair loss can feel like a part of you has been stolen - and not just part of your physical being. Discovering a bald spot can lead to various emotions, from disbelief to wishing you could transfer hair from other parts of your body to your scalp. You may find yourself asking, “Why me? Why is this happening to me?”. All levels of despair and hopelessness can arise.

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While friends may offer kind words and support, you might wonder how to adjust to your changing appearance. The process can be swift, leaving you with little or no hair, or a patchy, difficult-to-style look. Covering up your spots can go on for months and it’s stressful, and confronting, to feel the need to hide something so obvious and personal to us. If you’ve ever had a bad hair day, you know how it feels when that part of your body is simply “not right”. Battling with its loss is a whole other ballpark of angst, with far reaching on your sense of self worth. 

It’s easy to say, “It’s just hair.” And sure, it’s a blessing to have alopecia rather than some other, more serious, illness. But that’s not the whole story. The reason it’s not just hair is that if it were, anyone could go bald tomorrow, right?

Feelings in this primary phase: Shock, frustration, and grief are common. Also, helplessness and emotions of vulnerability, anxiety about identity, and uncertainty about the future are often present. If you are in this phase, it’s okay to feel all those emotions and not try to act like you have it all together. Even if you probably think you need to keep it all together for work, school, internship, customers or clients. Just don’t. Let your circle know that you are going through something difficult. Having external support is vital.

Friends or family: If someone you know is going through this, you can support and reassure them that it’s okay to be vulnerable, especially when facing work, school, or social obligations. Open communication is key. Let them know you’re there to listen and support them and help create a space where they don’t feel the pressure to “keep it together.” Understanding and compassion go a long way in navigating this emotional journey.

This is the first step of going from pain to gain openness with your Alopecia. The 12 steps I will share with regard to coping with Alopecia take you through the common path that many ‘Alopecians’ (yes we can call us that 😊) take from the first bald spot to learning how to live life in a new way. Hopefully the 12 steps can also be a roadmap for friends and family to understand that hair loss is much more than just hair. Your journey might be different to others, but to feel joy in step 1 is unheard of. If you are that person.. wow! No need to read the next 11 steps 😀

Did you read this far but have little experience of Alopecia? Here are some facts.

Facts about alopecia:

• Alopecia is a condition that causes hair loss, which can occur on the scalp or other parts of the body.
• There are different types of alopecia, the most common being Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles, leading to patchy hair loss.
• In some cases, it can result in complete hair loss on the scalp (Alopecia Totalis) or the entire body (Alopecia Universalis).
• Alopecia can affect people of all ages and genders, often leading to an array of emotional and psychological challenges.

The 12 steps are based on a moving pattern created by the author Åsa Törnquist. Have a look and follow her on instagram 😊👩🏻‍🦲🌀 https://www.instagram.com/typ_asa_illustration

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