I know the great pain of losing yourself when you lose your hair. I hit my deepest depression as I watched handful upon handful of hair end up in the drain. I have tried so many remedies, both holistic and Rx, that I wonder sometimes if I have done more damage then good. It got to the point where I was second away from pulling a Brittany and shaving what was left behind off! Luckily a friend showed up and talked me down.

No one can feel exactly like you, because it is personal. However you should know that you have to keep fighting, ending things should never be an option for you. I can only imagine that you are a wonderful person and that you would leave behind so many people that care for you! I know that every woman here sends you their stength – remember that you are not alone. I use to feel so isolated, and now I take some comfort that there are other women I can talk to. Everyone needs support and you have it here. Take care of yourself!

I am a 36 yr old female who used to have incredibly thick wavy lon red hair. I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis which causes hair loss. My hair is soooo thin now. I have searched for years for a solution. Nothing has worked so far. However, I recently got a hair system which looks awesome. No one knows unless I tell them. I feel pretty again!!! I would recommend trying it out- it has given me the boost of self esteem that I so desperately needed!

J.

All I know to say is hang in there. Believe that there is a solution. It is hard – as it is for me and I am still in my own search. But believe that you will find something that will work for you. Change your outlook. Look at this a a project but leave the emotion, the pain. That pain is good to post here but leave it behind while you passionately continue your research. I choose to believe that it is not going to be the same for everyone. That there is also a growth opportunity here. You can make it through this. I am so sorry that you and I and all these other women have to go through this. We are the select few that have this instead of something else. We can find strength within our selves and this community to grow and be strong and build confidence. I believe you can do this.

We all can if we choose. Also feel free to check out the network- it is so great. You can type in how your are feeling daily and people respond just like these do here but it is even more of a community feel.

many blessings!

I do know of Dr. Jerry Cooley and he is pretty respected. I don’t think he would tell a woman she had female pattern hair loss if he didn’t believe it was so. And hair is what he does day in and day out. But certainly everyone can make a mistake. Was his diagnosis based on looking at your scalp only, was he able to tell if there was miniturization of the follicle? That is a real tell tale sign that it is female pattern hair loss. Some doctors use something called a densitometer to assess that.

What does your gut tell you? Deep down, do you believe it is female pattern hair loss? I believe I knew years ago early on that it was female pattern hair loss but kept myself in denial, hoping it would all fix itself on it’s own. Different diagnosis from different doctors is definitely confusing, the unfortunate fact is that physicians know so little about women’s hair loss and the infinite causes.

Hair loss in females exhibits various patterns. Someone women have gradual thinning as they age but still look like they have full heads of hair. Some are more extreme and lose it more quickly with more areas of the loss being pronounced on the top, sides or back.

I Was thinking about your situation with your boss, I was imagining myself in your shoes. I think if it were me I would talk to him, I think feeling like you are hiding and also being exposed at the same time is worse that just saying it out right and laying all the cards on the table. But that is me. I am very private about my hair loss, but having thought about your situation, I definitely would speak up. But you have to think that one out carefully and imagine different responses on his part and really feel like that is the best choice for yourself.

Hair replacement… $150 for microlinks is way too cheap so I imagine that whoever was doing it used bad quality hair and had no idea what they were doing whatsoever. I think you have had some bad experiences with hair additions so that is why the thought of that seems like death itself. But there is hair replacement so good out there that it is undetectable to everyone around the person wearing it. It can cost a hefty amount, but small price to pay for feeling good in your own skin. I be willing to bet at one point or another you were looking at a woman with fabulous hair cursing her in every way imaginable and she was actually WEARING hair. I don’t look forward to that day for myself, I don’t think any woman does, but I know the option is there, I know it will take getting use to, but I can still look like I have hair to the rest of the world and pull if off when I go home 🙂 I wouldn’t mind being shaved bald in the house, it is the uncomfortable stares out in the world that would hurt me.

You must know who Beyonce is, the majority of the time she is wearing a lace front wig. With a lace front wig you can actually pull your hair back to reveal the hair line. The hair she wears is insanely unbelievable! How about Tyra Banks, another famous hear wearer. Beautiful woman wearing hair for fashion. We can do that too. We can be just as beautiful and feel good about ourselves and be the envy of the women around us who are clueless to our secret. It’s work, it takes time and maintenance, but well worth it.

I know the feeling of knowing that your hair was like the best thing ever. I had crazy thick gorgeous hair until I was 21. I got more compliments on that than anything else since I can remember. Too lose it, was so painful, so hurtful. I sit here typing to you after washing my hair, watching it fall into the sink after combing it and feeling like I have nothing heavier than feather lying on my shoulders. But this is my life, the hand I’ve been dealt. I refuse to call it quits when life is so much more than our hair. Ask any mother with gorgeous thick hair if she’d being willing to give it up and live bald to save the life of her child. The answer will most certainly be YES! Because LIFE is so much more important than hair. Our lives our worth more. We need to love ourselves more.

On another note, I am overwhelmed by the out pouring of support for your plea for help, from women on this blog. I have to thank all of you ladies who have written from your heart. Christa, Robin Flamish, Gretchen, Heather, Lisa, Alice, Ame, Rachel Jean, ShanLaree and Shelley… Thank you!

Thinking of you Julie

~Y