Women’s Hair Loss Project

When I was younger I never ever could have imagined that my destiny was to be a woman with hair loss. The thick mane (clearly on loan) that I was born with was only a temporary gift. Over the last 9 years I’ve suffered a lot, but I’ve also learned a lot. I’ve become a stronger individual and also someone is more compassionate, forgiving and understanding of others around me. I suppose depending on your religious standpoint one could argue that God had wanted to challenge me, test me and make me a better person. I’ve searched for answers high and low, a deeper understanding of why, why me? For myself to live and stay sane, I have to personally believe that there is a “reason” that this was thrust upon me at 21 years of age. So I go with that, whatever helps you sleep at night right? I practically slept through my 20’s feeling sadness and despair for the future… what will be tomorrow. I feel such a heaviness and sadness when I write that, a get a lump in my throat and my eyes begin to well up with tears. I feel a sadness for yesterday even though it’s gone and far behind. Almost like I’m mourning the years I’ve left behind, the years of hair loss. I look back and I realize it was so needless to stay in bed and hide from the world. All along the way I had enough hair to get by and not have the world know my dark little secret.

I would really like to drum that message into the minds of the women who are waking up today and realizing they are losing their hair. You still have A LOT of hair, more than you know and the world isn’t staring at it, only you are. Someone once asked me what I would do differently looking back on the years I’ve dealt with hair loss… I would have lived more. I would have said yes to more dinners and social gatherings, parties and quiet get togethers, I would have let my hair down instead of trying to hide what was only visible to myself. After all during all that time, I still had enough, but I was too focused on the worry of tomorrow to appreciate what I had today.

I am 30 years old now and don’t want to make that same mistake. There is no doubt my coping skills have far advanced over the years and I can snap out of a “down time” a lot faster. I still struggle with things like talking about my hair loss, letting others into my world. I still have a long way to go (hopefully with hair still on my head) in self acceptance, but I’m pretty proud at how far I’ve come. I still run away from mirrors and turn off lights, it is all apart of how I’ve learned to cope. I hope one day I’ll be able to stare at myself in a store window or leave the harsh lights on in the bathroom, look at my reflection and love what is looking back at me. This is me, this is who I am, I have female pattern hair loss… the hand has been dealt and now it’s is up to me to either learn from the past or guarantee myself future regrets.

~Y

http://community.womenshairlossproject.com/womenshairlossproject/

Hi everyone, I just wanted to announce that we will be holding a women’s hair loss support chat next Wednesday July 9, 2008 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm  PST

The chat will be taking place in our network. To to sign up for the event go to: http://community.womenshairlossproject.com and login to your account, or sign up for an account if you haven’t already (it only takes a minute and it’s of course free). Once you are logged in, click on “Events” in the top navigation toolbar, and then click on “Browse Events.” You will see “Women’s Hair Loss Support Chat” listed there.  Click on the link to view the event and the women who will be attending, you can then click on “attend this event” to add yourself to the group of women already participating.

Join the Women’s Hair Loss Support Chat to learn, share, and lend support to another woman with hair loss. Hope to see you there!

I’ve finally set up the time to have our first Women’s Hair Loss Support Chat. The date is Thursday April 10, 2008 at 6:30pm -7:30pm PST. I’m hoping that this time and date works out for the women who are interested in participating.  I am very much looking forward to getting to chat and interact real time with the women of The Women’s Hair Loss Project so stop by to say hi! I will do my best to answer any hair loss questions you may have, and of course share with you my experience with various hair loss treatments.

The chat will be taking place in our network. To to sign up for the event go to: http://community.womenshairlossproject.com  and login to your account, or sign up for an account if you haven’t already (it only takes a minute and it’s of course free). Once you are logged in, click on “Events” in the top navigation toolbar, and then click on “Browse Events.” You will see “Women’s Hair Loss Support Chat” listed there.  Click on the link to view the event and the women who will be attending, you can then click on “attend this event” to add yourself to the group of women already participating.

Join the Women’s Hair Loss Support Chat to learn, share, and lend support to another woman with hair loss. Hope to see you there!

The Women’s Hair Loss Project Network (community.womenshairlossproject.com) is the newest addition to The Women’s Hair Loss Project. It is place where women losing their hair can connect with each even further. What can you do in the Network?Create a ProfileShare Photos (of anything you like, doesn’t have to be yourself)Create Your Own JournalSearch and Add Friends To Your NetworkLeave Comments on Other Women’s ProfilesOption To Make Profile “Private” To The General Public. Photo albums can also be set to private as well.Only Members Can View Private Profiles and AlbumsChat Room Will Be Added To the Members Area For Real Time Private DiscussionI think the Network will be a good adjunct to The Women’s Hair Loss Project. When I post women’s hair loss stories I will be able to not only post and respond to them but also link to their profile on the network (assuming they’ve created one). It will allow us all to share a little more about ourselves and get to know each other better. If you already have your hair loss story posted on the blog and would like it linked to your profile let me know!Create Your Profile Now and Start ConnectingView Profiles Already Online at http://community.womenshairlossproject.com Please let me know if you need any assistance creating your profile or signing up, I will be happy to help you women@womenshairlossproject.com