Does anyone out there who has begun their hair wearing journey regret their decision? Wish they’d tried harder to hang onto their bio hair? Feel they’ve done everything they can? Would do anything different? (Ok, so that’s more than one question, lol!)
At this point in my HLBS (to coin Lina’s term!) journey, I really don’t feel I have much choice but to start wearing hair. It’s getting more and more difficult to cover up, when I don’t use Toppik you can totally see my scalp, and even when I *do* use it, I still feel it looks like crap. đ The thinning has REALLY accelerated the last few months for whatever reason, but I’ve been dealing with this for over a decade. At this point, even a crappy, synthetic wig I think would look better than my bio hair. đ
Anyhow, I made an appointment at a Hair Loss Restoration Clinic about an hour from here, this coming Tuesday. I’m looking into the Virtuesse system. I contemplated wigs, goodness knows there are beautiful ones out there – but I really want something that is “mine” – so am looking into a bonded system. I feel like if I’m going to make this leap, I might as well go all in and have something I can “own” and maybe even pass off as my own. I just feel like in a wig, I wouldn’t be able to do that….I’d be way to self concious about it falling off, being obvious, etc.
The problem in both areas is the cost. For a bonded system, I’m looking at about $360 a month, for four systems per year. That is all maintenance included, I would be going in every 4-6 weeks to have it cleaned and aligned, and would get a new system every three months. For the wigs that I like, they start off at a minimum of around $600, and need to be replaced about once a year – and I prefer the high end ones, which can run several thousand dollars. [click to continue…]
When I was seventeen, I started noticing lots of hair on my pillow, in my brush and on my school desk. I was a senior in high school and my hair was falling out. I know so many of you can relate to the stress this causes a young woman. My mother took me to several doctors and they all chalked it up to stress of senior year and college entry.
What I wish the doctors had looked at was not just this one symptom of hair loss  but rather what was going on with my body as a whole. I also had some unwanted facial and body hair, fatigue, hypoglycemia and irregular periods. All of these combined symptoms would eventually point to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). I was finally diagnosed at age 31.
If you are experiencing hair loss, especially androgenic alopecia, you may also have PCOS.  It is one of the most common female endocrine (hormone) disorders and is a leading cause of female infertility. The condition is caused by an imbalance of a womanâs female sex hormones. PCOS affects as many as 10-15% of all women, and half of women with PCOS actually are undiagnosed. If left undiagnosed, PCOS can lead to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
PCOS can cause irregular periods, weight gain, depression, mood swings, acne, excess facial and body hair growth, and ironically, hair loss. It can also cause the absence of ovulation, which can prevent a woman from conceiving. [click to continue…]
Sometimes it takes a while to realize that what we needed was there all along. I struggled for the past 6 months trying to figure out how to exercise in a wig. Many women do it, but it was a mental barrier I struggled with and ultimately, my solution is to not wear a wig to work out and to realize I can be okay, just being as I am without the security of my wig during times it is holding me back, rather than helping me move forward.
I wrote to a friend earlier today, that hair loss is a journey, wearing hair is a journey, and accepting oneself as is, and for all that entails, is the hardest journey of all. And then I thought, oh snap, there it is⌠acceptance on ALL levels.  Accepting that wearing wigs isn’t going to be absolutely perfect, but pretty darn awesome, accepting that for me I can’t wear a wig to workout and I’m just going to put on a hat or headband and be okay with it. Accepting that this IS my life, this is my path for better or worse. I vote Better!
Hi Everyone — Just a little update! Sorry for my delayed replies, I’m playing catch up from last week, where I basically checked out and now have a pile of stuff to do. XOXO
Last week was REALLY tough on me, it was. Something like a crap haircut on my bio hair, completely knocked me on my behind. Hair loss hits us so deep, it affects us in ways sometimes we can’t even comprehend at times. It just is what it is. But I do want to tell you I’m FINALLY feeling better, I also think my hair grew a teeny tiny microscopic bit, and from this unfortunate incident, I will learn *something* and take that with me going forward.
I hope everyone is having a super fabulous day, my little dark cloud that was following me around last week has lifted đ
So I got a haircut this past Monday that did not turn out the way I wanted at all. My hairstylist whom I’ve been using for years, sort of went on her own path and deviated from what I needed to have done. I keep beating myself up for letting this happen, I should not have trusted that she would do what I needed and I should have paid closer attention. I really have only myself to blame. Lesson learned. Now I’m having to try and figure out how to get by not using my hairline with my wigs, something I’m not familiar with at all since I’ve always used my hairline (ear to ear) when wearing all my girls. *Letting out big BIG sigh* Â So this is my jacked up hair cut video update.
For some reason in the video at the part line front section it appears dark, it doesn’t appear that way in person, not sure how the lighting in my office was hitting it, but just know that isn’t what it looks like in person, it’s pretty natural. Didn’t want you guys thinking I was wondering around in the world with a dark spot in my front hairline. LOL
This has been a hard week on me because of this, it was rather devastating to have something like this taken from me, something I technically have control over and now feeling like I have to wait months and months for my hairline to get back to a usable length is driving me nuts, absolutely nuts. I could have cared less if she shaved circles into the top or back, I just wanted my hairline kept long. That’s it, my only one real requirement for the cut. I suppose after my hairline grows back I’ll look at this as an “experience” and know that even if all my hair falls out, I’ll still be able to work the wigs. So I guess there is a positive here.. somewhere, somewhere, somewhere in here. Have you found it yet? Â Don’t mind me, you’ll find me at the bottom of a bottle tonight đ
I want to first write that I am not a fan of hair transplants for women, I personally
think that most women with androgenetic alopecia are NOT candidates for
this procedure. Having said that, I get emailed all the time from women looking
for a good hair transplant surgeon.
If you are deadset on having a consultation, please visit the International Alliance
of Hair Restoration Surgeons. The IAHRS (http://www.iahrs.org)
is an organization that selectively screens skilled and ethical hair transplant
surgeons. Read
my thoughts about hair transplants here.
When I was seventeen, I started noticing lots of hair on my pillow, in my brush and on my school desk. I was a senior in high school and my hair was falling out. I know so many of you can relate to the stress this causes a young woman. My mother took me to several doctors and they all chalked it up to stress of senior year and college entry.
