Comments on: After All Life Sentence In Canada Is Only 25 years – Lina’s Hair Loss Story

By: Slowly going crazy!

Slowly going crazy! — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 02:38:01 +0000

Wow
This hits home, this is my first post ever about this topic. I am in my thirties and my hair is fine and gets finer everyday. I have noticed this since my mid twenties. My husband always says eat better and it’s fine. But it’s not I want to crawl under a rock!! To me and I am sure most women, my hair is everything. It use to be so long and thick, now it barely grows!
I bought extensions and used them twice loved them. But they seem to give me a headache after awhile. I am scared and feel alone, I don’t know which shop to trust or where to turn? But need to be proactive before I serve a life sentence!
If anyone has recommendations as to where to go for help
And what works for you…I would love to hear
Thanks

By: lina

lina — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 01:08:24 +0000

Mary,
First my apologies because I haven’t checked this post in a while.
Scratch that, first – big hug coming your way!
Honey, I don’t know why you are facing so many challenges and all at once, my heart aches for you, truly, for you and your husband.
I do understand how overwhelming life can be when it seems like everything is going wrong – I often say that if I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all. I also never say anymore “things can only get better right? because believe me, they can get worse and I know you know.
You and your husband need to be there for each other, he deserves you not some random chick with more hair – pfff. We are much more than the number of hairs on our heads, truly.
Keep fighting the fight honey and praying. You have a friend here if and when you need me. I am 4everlost on this website. You may friend me and we can chat anytime.
I will pray for you.
xo

Joanne,
Thanks for that info, Follea is on my wish list and I’m going to start my Follea fund in the new year. I posted to your blog earlier and I am thrilled to see you are “back” and got some kick ass hair. Live your life girl, this site will help you – it’s helped me. I wish you all the best and hope to hear from you again.
xxoo

By: joanne

joanne — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:32:57 +0000

Dear Lina,
When the time is right, I found a place which is not too too far from you, which carries Follea wigs. Its in Rochester NY. Tina Cimino Studio. She is an amazing person! I spoke to her twice sent her pics in an email of what I wanted my hair to look like, and she ordered about 4 wigs from Follea in Beverly Hills, for me to try. I was a crying mess when I called her. I had this wedding to go that was black tie and no way to wear my ultra thin pony and comb over straggly little bang for this baby. When she heard my distress call on a Saturday night, she called me back the following Sunday morning!! I was really impressed. I mean who does that anymore?
My wedding was out of town that weekend. I had to be on a plane Thursday afternoon, so that meant I needed a wig by WEDNESDAY! It seemed like Mission Impossible, but Tina was incredible – she overnighted wigs for me to try and spent literally 4 hours with me the first visit. Then she overnighted more and spent another 3 hrs. with me. By Wednesday, I walked out with a beautiful, perfectly styled wig. Her charge was $250. The biggie is the wig, but I promise, it will be some of the best money you ever throw on your credit card. I left with hair that looked so natural, it was freaking amazing! It moved naturally, was soft and natural around my face and I felt like I was on the Hollywood “Red”, almost.
When my husband saw me, he smiled and said, wow, “your back”. That was it. Yay, it was me before hair loss.
It’s still a battle being naturally without hair. But I’m early in this process and finding this site has been a lifesaver!!
For 11 years I made myself sick with self loathing. I couldn’t bear to look at myself, threw hairbrushes at mirrors, sobbed on the bathroom floor and then hated myself for being so “vain” because I hadn’t lost a leg, or an eye, just hair. But hair, for women is a BIG deal. I prayed often and then found Follea wigs, and this website. God heard me. Thank you God and thank you Y and everyone here. Good luck Lina xoxoxoxoxo

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 17:52:02 +0000

Dear Lina,
I joined this site a couple years ago, but didn’t visit much. I was, and am in a severe and profound depression. I could barely face it all myself let alone inflict my abject misery on others—or so I thought at the time. Thank you for this post. I have felt, and do feel, every single thing you have talked about.
Now, my hair is finally so thin, I can’t do anything with it, and I hide. It’s almost gone on the sides. I have no life anymore. I have tried everything out there for over 13 years—the pills, products, lasercomb, doctors, etc., ad nauseum, as well as run the gamut of emotions you described—crying, pleading, bargaining with God, screaming, hating God, praying,…every exhausting, hopeless thing. I guess now I have to face the fact that I need a wig. The loss only gets worse every single day. Sadly, I am trapped. My husband lost his job 4 years ago in the economy. We live in a fairly rural place. He has applied for hundreds of jobs in that time, and took the only one he could get at the time. It is not in his field. Because of the critical need in our state, he is assistant-teaching special needs kids. The pay is insulting and miserable in the extreme, and they will only give him insurance. Even with a degree and 20 years experience in what he used to do, he now makes a bit over $250. a week, take home. We both do every side job we can to get a bit of money. He is now also cleaning toilets and selling like the kids, at an LL Bean, and feeling just as worthless and hopeless as I do. There is not enough to buy food and fuel for winter, pay taxes, etc.
We hoped to sell our beloved little home of 15 years and move somewhere where there were decent jobs in his field that would just pay a living wage, but nothing is selling. We have tried everything—and I do mean EVERYTHING to help ourselves, from the ridiculous to the more ridiculous and all to no avail. NOTHING has worked, and everything blows up in our faces.
I contacted Follea (?)—the wig people. If I must wear a wig I would like a realistic one… Alas we couldn’t afford to even walk in the door! I probably couldn’t even get a cheap catalog wig!
I feel doomed. I am older than my husband, but because of our situation I can’t do anything some other women can to take care of themselves and improve or maintain their looks. I wear 12 year old rags of clothes—paint stained jogging suits and sweats. I can’t take care of myself or my looks—-There is simply no money.
I now think maybe it would be better if I were gone and he could find someone younger—and someone with hair.
We live in a very small and charming home that is paid for. We drive 13 year old cars, and don’t have credit cards by choice. We don’t have a cell phone or “toys”. We are committed historical reenactors (They don’t get paid) in our spare time, but now we can’t even afford the gas to go to any events.
My car is broken right now, but even if it wasn’t I couldn’t go out to find a friend or someone to talk to…We can barely afford gas for my husband to get to work. I guess what I am saying is that I never asked for much; I was the widow of a suicide when I moved alone from Ill. to New Hampshire 15 years ago. I had very little money. I sold my small house in the midwest and bought a small rundown, 230 year old house in New Hampshire that no one wanted at the time. I spent 8 years alone before meeting my darling husband, and worked on restoring the house all alone doing most of the work by myself. I don’t expect a big home, 2 bathrooms, new cars, fancy vacations. I don’t need or have a cell phone or the ‘toys’ most others consider necessary.
I only wanted my dear husband to get a good job so he could be happy again, and we could have a chance, just a chance at a simple but good life.
I wanted to be able to get cosmetics or see a doctor to take care of myself, and make myself feel better and maybe get my self esteem back, but that is not possible.
Now, I have lost so much hair that it is humiliating and embarrassing in the extreme. If I go anywhere, people will look with pity.
I hate myself. I don’t feel like the pretty woman I once did. I wanted to get a really good wig, and see if I could find that person again that I once was—The one who was so joyful and hopeful once upon a time, and rebuild my life—again.
No. Always no.
There is no way for me to afford a wig. I think I am at the lowest most miserable and hopeless point of my life now. There is no joy, and no hope anymore that things will ever get better or change.

I am sorry to ramble on, probably boring everyone out there. Lina, thanks for your words. I know that so many ladies out there have felt all the misery that I too am feeling.
Mary

By: Ginger

Ginger — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:49:52 +0000

Found this blog/post while looking for info on Spironolactone have to stop complaining, but will not give up finding an answer for my hairloss. I started to notice hairloss about 2006 when two things happened Menopause and a brain tumor. Of course I thought after the surgery and saw the shaved part of my hair grow back it was the tumor so I didn’t think it was the tumor. Then as the years went by and I was on a beta blocker for blood pressure I noticed more hair loss and changed the med only to be on another beta blocker duh thinking it was brand of medicine not what type. My hair slowly thinned but not drastically until 2011 when I had hip surgery and more hair loss. Now I have half of the hair on my head as my younger days. That is when panic set in and the realization that something was wrong. I got Dr. Redmond’s book and read it cover to cover and had every blood test known to man, nothing abnormal, biopsy of scalp showed nothing. Now I am on a new blood pressure med no beta blocker and taking estradiol and prometrium, and do not think spironolactone would help me after reading the blog. I think once the hair folicle dies it isn’t coming back and the feel of your hair changes and mine tangles more. This is what I have decided is helping with the look of my dark brown hair, Wen shampoo and living proof thickening cream from Sephora, Garnier fructis mousse sky high volume and BB thickening hairspray, experimenting with these type of products cannot hurt and keeping my hair just past my ears and layered. I woudn’t mind wearing a wig if only I didn’t live in Florida. I did meet a Phd. whose research is alopecia, but there isn’t enough money for research in female hairloss. Best wishes to the ladies out there dealing with this issue and never give up being your own advocate on the subject.

By: Lina

Lina — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:46:29 +0000

Suki,
I understand. Logically how can we live with a problem for almost 3 decades and then hestitate for a solution? Exhausting all trials and doctors, AGA and TE aren’t going in any direction but down for me. I think we have been in this abyss for so long that it is familiar and “comforting” for lack of a better word as hair loss is not comforting but at least the beast we know is the beast we know, right? All I can say is, hair loss SUCKS!!! However, I started with my topper, and now I’m in a wig and not the wig of my dreams (I mean in my dreams – I never hoped to be wearing wigs) but you know what I mean. I’m going Friday to invest in a custom piece and that’s that. It sucks that not only do we have hair loss but we have to pay a lot of money to suffer? Who says life is fair? Not going to lie, this is a roller coaster but man, gotta start somewhere, time just ticks, ticks, ticks. I’m tired of not living. I wish you and me and all of us courage, strength and some fantastic fun and happiness.

By: suki

suki — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:03:12 +0000

oh Lina, my road has been a long one too, starting at 17 and lasting all these long 47 years! i am in a place very similar to yours and i do find it hard to commit not to the misery of loss but to the joy of solution! hair wearing is the only answer for me and yet i struggle with taking the steps necessary to make it happen. there is still plenty of ambivalence and conflict despite my singing the praises of clip-on bangs (and they are a great intro into hair wearing) and a lovely trip to Follea for a bang piece. it’s been close to two years now since i started thinking about bonding and probably 18 months since i bought the brilliant Susan Falcone’s Crowned Beautiful instruction program. still haven’t ordered but hope to do it now, starting probably with a clip-on and undoubtedly moving into bonding later.

i am learning that the road here is not always straight..some days are better than others and so often sad feelings seem to emanate from the loss though perhaps after so many decades that is just how everything translates. and sometimes, i think that it what makes being proactive so difficult…the hair feelings get all mixed up with our other issues, whatever those may be.

in any event, loved your post and i wish you great luck and continuing courage in the struggle.

By: lina

lina — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:34:56 +0000

thank you so much Marie for sharing and I am so happy for you.
I know all too well how this journey is all too consuming and the toll it can take on our physical and mental health – hair, grrr!
I am so glad you did not give up on your wig search. I know what you mean, I haven’t dressed up in forever because I was like “what’s the point” with this beacon of crap sitting on my head. I actually, just transitioned to my wig on Saturday, I got fed up and actually shaved my head Friday night. My topper was uncomfortable with the clips and my hair loss was just too far gone sadly. Today is the first day at work, and I know people will notice, but I’m at the I don’t care point and eventually the new me they see, everyone will get used to it. I am going to invest in a custom piece as the one I have does not fit completely properly, but, too late, already buzzed my own hair. I will order one and move on. I haven’t shed one tear since I buzzed it. I didn’t cry when I did it, I haven’t cried trying to get my wig to sit straight and I haven’t hid, I left the house straight away. My hair routine of washing in the dark, picking hair out of every thing, sleeping with wet hair and then the morning hell brush out and pick up off the floor – OVER, DONE, FINITO! I am officially a hair wearer and not the least bit ashamed – Halleluiah!!!
Marie, I am so happy for you because I felt like you, I feel like you and we are not alone.
God Bless Us All,
thank you honey,
hugs xo

By: Marie

Marie — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 17:09:30 +0000

Hi Lina,

Thank you you for sharing your story! It makes it SO much easier knowing we are not alone with our hair loss issues, and can all be a support system for eachother too:) It also makes it a LOT easier because – reading about your experience and the experiences of others – I realize that I am not a “basket case” after all….suffering from depression, anxiety, crying….and so on…..:) I am not the only person who has felt the way I have for the last few (or many) years….also feeling guilty because I devoted so MUCH time and money towards trying to “fix” this (Spironolactone, Rogaine, all sorts of shampoos, other goodies, etc.) ….and feeling SO MUCH despair over the years…like you said: years that should have been carefree. In a nutshell… I have been suffering with hair loss for quite a few years…at a slow rate nevertheless, but it started to accelerate over the last few years., with the last year becoming especially unbearable. I know it bothered ME a lot more than it bothered others…but I just started to hate getting dressed and going out because I was always so conscious of my hair and felt miserable. It has left me feeling depressed for way too long. For a few years I was able to use “hair powder” to cover up the problem areas, but the hair loss has progressed to a stage now where the hair powder just cannot do the job anymore. And I am so tired of the stuff…. my bathroom is covered with it…I breathe it in… it really started to notice as well, especially when I was out in the sunlight, And so my foray into wig-searching began very early in the year……after my first wig purchase (which looked TERRIBLE and screamed “WIG”) I sent it straight back (thankfully got my refund) and decided never to get a wig again.

Alas, the misery continued and the hair loss continued to worsen so a few months afterwards I renewed and intensified my search……all I knew is that I didn’t want to continue being this miserable… I have to meet with a lot of new clients with the work that I do and things had gotten to such a point that I felt like it was the end of the world every time I had to go out and meet with a client…. in general I just wanted to stay “holed up” and stop going out altogether. So I became determined to find SOMETHING. I finally found something wonderful…(and a few not-so-wonderful pieces that I will be sending to a cancer center soon) and as soon as I tried it on, I felt like “the old ME” once again:) (I have since bought a couple of back-ups now:) It wasn’t easy tho’ taking the plunge to wearing it out full-time. Spending some time reading others’ experiences really helped tho’ and gave me some additional much-needed confidence to really get out there and “make it happen”…so in just a few days I felt I had a “crash course” on how not to be conscious of it. I decided one night that no matter what the next day would be THE day to start wearing it no matter what! (I am a very private person tho’ and will NOT be sharing with others that I am wearing a wig (with the exception of a very close few), so I had wanted something that looked completely natural on me (even tho’ dramatically different to how my hair has been over the last year) Because of the hair powder I had been using, not many others could tell before that I had had a hair loss problem …so everyone thinks I have just had a brand new cut and “makeover” 🙂 In the last couple of weeks I have “crossed all the major obstacles”….been to a weekly meeting with a roomful of people that I see every week (BOY did I have to pluck up A BOATLOAD of courage before working into that room for the “first major appearance”!!) and then to Church… and many regular and not-so-regular places in between – so now just about every friend and colleague has seen me and they all love “my new cut” ….I have received SO many compliments on my “new cut”:) This “new cut” has actually even developed quite a following ….lol:)

I cannot tell you HOW my life has changed in such a short time… for the first time in the last few years I have not felt constantly miserable about my hair my hair my hair my hair my haaaaaaiirrr. I feel SO relaxed and happy when I have to go somewhere now, thank God. I even find myself actually forgetting about my hair and have started to enjoy life and getting out once again…and dressing up again!! And the worst part is…WHY did I let it affect me so badly? Vanity? Obsession? I have come to realize however that I am not alone – after reading other posts from fellow “hair-loss sufferers” that I had come across in the last few months during my wig-search…. so I don’t feel so guilty anymore about wanting to look and feel “normal”.

Of course things are still challenging at times. I still freak out wondering if others are going to know …or notice….I am wearing a wig. So far, no-one has. All I have received are compliments. But I am starting to realize….well, so WHAT if others find out? I may as well just be open with them if they ask. I think I am making a mountain out of a mole-hill. There are others (some good friends) who shared with me when they had to start wearing a wig and it did not make me think they were “weird” or feel any differently towards them…it felt quite normal actually.

At this point…I can say that I MUCH prefer the feeling of freaking out a little due to the fact that I am wearing a wig…but at least looking and feeling good while I am freaking out:) I even love dressing up again!! It certainly beats feeling miserable all the time about not having enough hair:) I also feel a lot more normal WITH the wig than I do without it.

So….. thank you for sharing your story, Lina!! 🙂 And I wish you the best and many blessings for the future too…:) I just thought I would share my story with you also:)

God bless,
Marie

By: Lina

Lina — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:11:18 +0000

cj,

I am sorry to hear your hair loss started as early as mine did. 3-4 years is a long long time, but trust me, 25 felt eternal for me. I am glad you found this site much earlier than I. I don’t know your personal story, but after exhausting all avenues of doctors, specialists, tests, lotions, potions and pills, the sad case is I have AGA and bouts of TE and 25 years of it has had some pretty devastating effects on me. I will never accept hair loss, but I accept I’m losing my hair. I’m done with the secluded world I slipped into and am a work in progress in wearing hair. I have things to do baby, it’s time to accept the cards and move on for me. I have found so much courage and strength here and I am forever grateful. The solution for me now is to be kind to myself, eat well, rest, exercise, throw out all drugs to combat hair loss , wear hair and be positive and happy. I need to accept the 2.0 version of me. I love the women on this site and this is a great place for compassion and understanding. Good luck on your journey, you are not alone.
Hugs, Lina