WHLP – Behind The Scenes Photoshoot

by admin on November 26, 2016

Women's Hair Loss Project BTSI’m way over due for life updates. Forgive me, this year went zip zip. I will be back with more on me.

This past week, while everyone was prepping their Thanksgiving day dinner, I met up with a group of amazing people to start a project towards de-stigmatizing hair loss and hair wearing for women. As odd as this may sound, through hair loss I have found love and friendship, I have found a greater self acceptance of myself that I never knew I could ever achieve, and the ability to connect with others who are like me. I have found the perfection in imperfection, mostly 😉

The day of the photoshoot, I woke up with a major rosacea breakout. Perfect skin the day prior and the day of it looked like Mike Tyson punched me in the face, I was swollen with a rash all over my face. I was icing my face at 4am. The photoshoot began at 7am. This on the heels of already accepting I wasn’t going to be whatever vision of scale perfection I had in mind, thanks to my new anti depressant keeping my body in a fluffier state. Lights, camera… holy crap, but a lot of time, planning, effort and money went into this and I wasn’t going to back out. The old (younger version) of me would have totally backed out and flushed it all down the drain (I’ve grown leaps and bounds), but jacked up face and all I knew this wasn’t about me. This was about helping women, it didn’t matter what was going on, on my physical being, that reality was more important… by far. [click to continue…]

{ 5 comments }

Sneak Pink!

by admin on April 5, 2016

ys1EEEK (in a good way) my hair is pink! Well, pinkie purple :) The story behind this concept for the entire photoshoot (as a whole) that I shot last Monday, is longer than this post will delve into, but… I wanted to share a few of the pics with everyone because I was so excited with how they came out! Concept in short form for this photoset, all things being equal… Two girlfriends, same sunglasses, same jacket, same tank top and even same exact pants, nearly same color hair, could you tell who is wearing hair in the photo? Would you even think either one was wearing hair? Since all of you know me, it won’t be hard to pick me out of the photos, but if you didn’t, and objectively looked at this picture, could you really tell? In some of the photos, you’ll notice that somewhere along the way my tank top got lost, but I swear I had one when the shoot started! LOL

What I realized in the days following hanging out with one of my girlfriends (Sophie) who has tons of her own hair, was that my hair was on par with looking as good as hers. Our texting back and forth sharing selfies of the nights prior from when we went out, were about just us and reminiscing on the fun… not my hair, but for some reason one day, that stood out to me… like, hey, my hair looks as good as hers, I told her about that… and she replied, “Actually, sometimes I think it looks better.” :)

I wanted to capture and illustrate the beauty of wearing hair. [click to continue…]

{ 15 comments }

Purple Extensions In My Wig? Yes Please! :)

by admin on February 23, 2016

I reflect back on my hair loss journey, and if you asked the 21 year old scared girl beginning to loose her hair in 1999, if she could ever imagine life with and after hair loss, she (me) would have said, “NO” and then cried uncontrollably… as I always used to do… daily. Impossible to process, and yet here I am. I’ll be 38 years old in 2 months and this affliction stole over a decade of my life. I am not making use of hyperbole when I say that. My 20’s came and went, and all I had were memories of devastation and a complete feeling of being helpless, powerless and destined to exist in a state of forever suffering. Paralyzing.

I’ve written a tremendous amount on my blog about my hair loss, finding my acceptance… removing the shackles of hair loss and taking back my life.  This change came for me in 2012 when I started wearing hair and realizing, that while not perfect in the respect that it’s not growing out of my head… it was perfect enough. I could go out and portray myself to the world, as I wanted to be seen (the way I looked before my  hair loss) and feel good about myself again. It was a process, it took time. I cut my hair super short (buzzed in back, long in front) so I didn’t have to see my hair fall out anymore and I could have a cute edgy hair cut that I could wear, one where people would think I just was just so bold to wear a style like that, not knowing I do it out absolute necessity. Since my hair loss began when I was so young I never really got the opportunity to do anything fun with my hair… cuts, colors and styles etc., was not an option. I was just praying it stopped falling out. [click to continue…]

{ 17 comments }

8 Years of My Hair loss Journey & Seems Like Full Circle / B’s Update

by BW on November 25, 2015

B's Hair Loss Journey Update With PRP/CRPThis Is The Update of WHLP Member, B

I have taken a new step in this now 8 years of my hairloss journey….. Full Circle? 14 months now since I began CRP treatments with Dr. Greco and after 3 + years of hair wearing, I am back to sporting my Bio full time, as of about 6 weeks ago. It’s crazy and believe me, also very very scary. I really never thought that this could happen, but my reaction to treatment with Dr. Greco has been so positive that at this point anyway, my bio hair looks nothing short of purely normal. Whatever that is…… My view of what normal hair is / looks like / feels like is so skewed from years of emotional hairloss trauma that sometimes I have to remind myself that true “normal” when it comes to hair just does not exist for me. Never will. IN my head anyway. But ON my head, for now, things are going well. Regardless, I do not feel like I will ever reach a point with my bio hair when I don’t think GIMME MORE HAIR!

Don’t get me wrong. I harbor absolutely no illusions about the high probability / fact that I may indeed need to wear hair again in the future. It’s been now more than a year since I’ve had any major shedding action (basically since I started treatment with Dr. Greco) but that doesn’t mean I feel safe from it. I don’t know that I ever will be. That’s CTE for you! But I am prepared for that….. I have grown my hair out since last year when I was sporting a shaved in the back / long in the front for blending with my wigs style until somewhat recently and I basically now have a short bob that right now looks like a blonde cloud…… i don’t love it and I feel like my whole last year of growing has kept me in a pretty awkward hairstyle but at least it’s growing growing growing….. And like I said, my hair looks incredibly normal at this point so it seems like a green light to have it keep looking good at a longer length. Fingers crossed! The moment my hair bio hair looks like ass again, I’ll change things up. I can tell you this though….. if / when I go back to super short hair – well, it’s staying that for good. Like forever and a day. Cuz growing out from super short / shaved to not short is not the most fun thing I’ve ever done….. And this is the second time around for me, from full on shaved to not short. If my bio hair goes, well, it all goes and it stays gone. I can always buy some more hair….. and to know that is certainly comforting. [click to continue…]

{ 17 comments }

You Are Perfect…. And My Living Proof Serum

by admin on August 13, 2015

So that is pretty much a title that makes no sense, on the surface… but if you watch my video below it will. I am trying to get back into the swing of things, and when I mean in the swing of things, I mean into working on my site here, communicating with everyone (to the best of my ability) and helping in any way I can.

My main goal, since starting The Women’s Hair Loss Project,  has always been to make sure no other woman ever feels she is alone in this journey. I know hair loss. Intimately.  I know what it is to deal with hair loss at a young age, since I started to loose my hair at 21… I’m 37 now, and I hope no one has to ever struggle alone, the way I did.

Once I started wearing wigs and found Follea in 2012, it ultimately,  for me was how I was able to accept my hair loss.  I really wanted women to know that there is life after hair loss, even in the worse case scenario.  I know not everyone can accept wearing wigs, it’s not perfect, it’s not our hair… but it can still be pretty awesome, it’s been a journey to say the least.. and if you read my last post, you will know this journey still continues for me.

Over the years I have received emails with the question of why do I wear sunglasses in my videos and photos. I want to answer, and answer why I am now taking them off.  [click to continue…]

{ 21 comments }

Hair We Go Again! Yes, I Just Said That

by admin on August 1, 2015

Where does one begin, you know, when you haven’t written for a year or so. I don’t want this post to be too all over the place, so I’ll sweep away the missed year, and bring the majority of the focus to just this year, 2015. Rather than talk about the hum drum, and the ins and outs of my life beyond hair (and the last year adrift) I’ll hone it in to what we are all here for… or I’ll try at least. :)  This post will bounce around a bit, just a forewarning.

January 2015 Hair Update

Hair update as of January of this year, I’d say my bio hair, with the continued PRP treatments, the cessation of my birth control pill in 2013 and Aldactone even before that, along with the short haircut I maintain (buzzed in the back, long in the front), that my emotional and actual hair place I was in, was at it’s all time best. I felt good about my situation, balancing wearing wigs, and also feeling quite comfortable in the short hair I’ve worn for quite sometime now. I tell people freely and openly that I am wearing a wig, if they previously saw me in my short hair and then see me in long hair and also the reverse. If they see me in a wig, and then see me in short hair, I let them know the other hair is in a box at home. Hair-wise everything was working in my life.

February – PRP Party 

In February of this year, I had my 13th PRP session with Dr. Joseph Greco, but it was a bit different, I went with two very close friends whom I met through WHLP, and we made it a group girls trip PRP party. It was an amazing experience, and I did take video of the PRP being done on my girlfriends, which I do plan on posting (hopefully sooner rather than later). It was interesting for me to actually see the process being done, because my vantage point has always been quite limited before, considering I was in the chair having it done.

PRP Party :)

PRP Party :)

 

Blood Sisters ;)

Blood Sisters ;)

 

It’s somewhat important to take note, that I stated “hair-wise” everything was working. Oddly that was the only thing seemingly working. My experience with one psychiatrist, the one formerly mentioned in other posts, thew my life off the rails, and it all came crashing this year. The early part of this year was emotionally devastating and draining on a personal level, and while I don’t want to delve too deep, it is important to note this, for what comes next. [click to continue…]

{ 18 comments }

Body Heal Thyself – Lina and PRP

by Lina on March 2, 2015

Lina PRP - Dr. Joseph Greco Longtime WHLP member, Lina, shares her experience having PRP with Dr. Joseph Greco in Sarasota, Florida.

I thought I was at a place of “acceptance”, or as I like to rephrase it, “realization” as I’m not sure if I will ever completely accept my hair loss. I’m a full-time wig wearer. I threw out all my snake oil and promise pills, my 25+ years dealing with hair loss and the ups and down down downs it brings has exhaustipated me.

I’m at a point where I am done with pills and chemicals, Lord knows what kind of lethal cocktail I was ingesting with everything I was putting into my body. Well after reading about PRP on-site I decided this is the one thing I have not tried and decided to look into it further. The premise of using what is in our own body to help heal is very appealing to me, not to mention the NO side effects. I decided I needed to try this treatment. I do realize that with anything else, probably the sooner one seeks treatment the better. That being said a lot of loss and damage has been realized to my hair and scalp as my condition has been going on for years. As much as I am looking for a miracle, I need to have realistic expectations about what PRP can do for me.

For any of you who are curious I decided I would take you along my PRP journey, visit by visit (I will explain why I already decided I would have more than one treatment). I will post pictures along the way – I feel it is my “duty” to put aside my embarrassment and help my sister’s here who have suffered like I have.

Please note: I will be as brief as possible, I am not a doctor, I will probably screw up on terms but I just want to give you a gist of the whole experience.

Treatment #1 – February 17, 2015.  Performed by Dr. Joseph Greco in Sarasota Florida.

All this gorgeous hair is my wig... I de-wigged once in my consult with Dr. Greco.

All this hair is my wig… I de-wigged once in my consult with Dr. Greco.

I met Dr. Greco and his staff. They were so pleasant, reassuring and very professional – I was instantly at ease, although nervous. I went into a medical room where blood was drawn from me, so 5 minutes. Then my blood was taken to the lab where they put it in a centrifuge (I believe that means spin the crap out of it?) This takes like 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, Dr. Greco took me into his office and we discussed my hair loss history and he walked me through the amazing world of PRP.

He showed me research, before and after photos, explained the separation of blood and its components and explained matrixes – not only in treating hair loss but for joint injuries and even burn injuries. To say I was fascinated is a complete understatement – I never knew science was so amazing, nor how healing what is in our body can be, I could of listened to him for hours.

What I took away from this was it could not hurt in the least to have the goodness and proteins of my blood injected into my scalp. Dr. Greco asked me what my objectives were, you girls have seen my shaved head photos, I don’t think it is very realistic to expect I’m going to grow me some Rapunzel hair (darn). I said, I would like to keep what I have and hopefully have the texture improve and perhaps have some fill-in so that I could maintain a very short hair cut under my wig and not have to shave. He told me he thought my goals were very realistic. [click to continue…]

{ 82 comments }

PRP – Is It My Miracle?

by BW on October 28, 2014

**This post is from a fellow WHLP Member, “BW.” **

As many of you may know from the last blog I posted, I had been experiencing a Hell Shed. This was far beyond my usual seasonal nerve-wracking and it sucks but it’s manageable thing. This was my body went through a major physiological change (quitting smoking was my trigger this time) and here comes the Hair Dump. I went from having my pretty awesomely normal (short) hair in early June to quitting smoking on June 16 to start a crazy messed up put me back in my little black hidey hole ka-boom see ya hair thing by about a week later and I just couldn’t get it to stop. Like holy cow. Hair explosion for months and no end in sight. Sigh….. And yeah, I wear a wig most of the time anyway, but I don’t go to the gym in my wig. I really wasn’t planning on wearing a wig for my half marathon in November and honestly, it had gotten so bad that not only was I getting seriously depressed about it. I was also using Toppik at my front hairline just to be able to blend with my wig AND I had lost enough hair that my wigs weren’t even fitting well anymore. Oh my.

Yes, ladies, I had the Ultimate What You Don’t Want to Happen When You Are Wearing a Wig Experience. My wigs had gotten loose since I had lost SO much hair and I guess I hadn’t thought too much about it because once you get used to wearing hair, you just are way more relaxed about (maybe too relaxed in my case) and when I was shaking my thang all over the dance floor on a beautiful Saturday night in August, my hair fell off. Like on the dance floor. Like under someone’s feet. Yeah. WAKE UP CALL! I had lost so much hair that my wigs weren’t even fitting anymore. Remember that hidey hole I was talking about? Step right in.

I really started feeling stuck. I had begin hitting the Toppik bottle again (hard) while wearing my wigs and also while just going to the gym and stuff, and man, that stuff is truly amazing but I even needed it in the front for blending in my now strapped as tight as possible wigs. That just seems no bueno – now I need Toppik to even wear my wigs? Big sigh….. And as all hair wearers know, you gotta always have a back up plan. Or a forward thought. And I couldn’t find one. Where am I gonna go from here? What if I couldn’t make my current situation work anymore? [click to continue…]

{ 66 comments }

My “Re-Birthday” at Follea – Lina’s Journey

by Lina on August 7, 2014

Hi girls. I was planning on making my first trip to Follea in the fall but I had an incredible opportunity to go last week – so, hello, I went! Our lovely admin is piecing together a video on my visit so that I can share that with you (stay tuned). I’m going to post a few more blogs on my visit to LA and how it has helped me with my acceptance and growth but I want to share my Follea visit because it is about, well, hair (mostly anyway, haha).

Without going through my l-e-n-g-t-h-y journey to finally get to the hair wearing phase (cuz, you’d be missing at least a week of work!) I’m going to go straight into why I travelled almost 4,000 km to go to Follea.

I am two years into wearing hair and I would say one year in completely being used to my new normal, normal being wearing wigs full-time. I have been through a number of pieces that, looking back, were great to start but as I grew in my journey, I felt my hair-wearing needs changed. I would have to say to finally get to the stage of accepting that my hair was leaving me and that I needed to re-gain my life, was a very long, painful, sad, arduous journey. Phase 2 of the journey was getting used to wearing hair, any hair – it was just as difficult in its own right but thankfully not near as long. I know that lots of women here on the WHLP have echoed the same sentiments but I cannot stress it enough, cut yourselves a break ladies, hair loss sucks and she’s a tough one to plow through.

Fast forward, so I am at the hair wearing stage and what has happened in two years? Well, I went from toppers, to shaving my head, wigs, letting the hair grow in (cuz, somehow it was going to re-grow in thicker and much better, pfff) to shaving, to regrowing to finally shaving and keeping it shaved as I feel, in my case, I’m not fooling anyone and I look “healthier” in a shaved head. So, accepting my shaved head I began to think why not try a gripper and get rid of the wigrip? I never would have heard of Follea if it wasn’t for WHLP and let’s face it, Y rocks some killer locks, so I began to investigate. The more I stalked the Follea web-site and watched pretty much all their gripper videos – I decided, well if this is my fate (to wear hair), let’s see if I can get THE hair and THE comfort to take me through life. [click to continue…]

{ 27 comments }

Finding Acceptance, Finding Friendship and Finding Myself

by admin on July 31, 2014

No, I’m not dead :) I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, but sometimes life just gets in the way ya know?

Onwards…

When I started losing my hair in 1999, at 21 years of age,  I was certain (positive)  life was over. How could I ever LIVE without having all the hair I was born with? How? I could not process that thought. I dreadfully watched myself decline and disappear through the years. I was existing, but not living.

Acceptance never came to me until I started wearing hair in 2012. Finding something that gave me back my control, with something that made me feel so helpless, really turned the tables around on my hair loss. While it was a slow and difficult journey, it was one I look back on and realize I surprisingly wouldn’t change. That seems like a ridiculous statement (and no I haven’t been drinking today… yet) especially when I used to pray day and night for my hair loss to stop and all my hair to grow back, and may promises of this and that to the high heavens above, but to no avail… my hair loss simply continued to progress. I realize now that my hair loss has helped to shape me into who I am today, my experiences and suffering has helped others, of which I am so grateful for,  and I have found friendships I never thought were possible.

Hair loss provided me with a certain strength I didn’t know I had, and when my perception of what was happening changed,  I found that the doors didn’t close, they opened. I am 36 years old, and it is at this point, over the past year that I really feel I have begun to find myself in many aspects, even beyond hair. Though it’s all connected. Somehow everything is always connected. There where a few critical pieces to get to where I am now. First and foremost, my amazing fiancé, who has never wavered in his love and support of me. Second, the support of the women on this site and watching others continue to live in spite of their hair loss.  Third, finding Follea. What can I say, mad props (I’m dating myself now)  to them… seriously. I think they are amazing.  To see what wearing hair could be, was a game changer… big time. Fourth, the strong bond of friendships I have made with some women through WHLP that have taken us on amazing trips from New York, to Las Vegas to Canada in a wig wearing fiesta of awesomeness, and lastly, beginning to see a psychiatrist last Sept, taking medications for my errrr… anxiety/ OCD issues etc., and facing me. Not the hair issues, but me. We can get so consumed by our hair loss we totally forget we are so f’d up in so many other ways! Silly hair loss, and you thought it was all about you. :) [click to continue…]

{ 21 comments }

← Previous Entries