Embracing Hair Loss: A Journey to Acceptance
As I entered my mother’s home, I was greeted by a picture of myself on my wedding day. Prominently displayed upon the mantle, I hardly recognized the person staring back at me. It had only been five years since that day, but it felt like a lifetime. With a big jolly grin and long hair cascading over one shoulder, this distant stranger was the epitome of femininity. For a moment, I felt a pang of the realization that I was suffering from hair loss, so then I quickly retreated to the powder room. Looking in the mirror, I removed my old pink baseball cap and strategically finger-combed the remaining strands of my locks to hide the gleaming scalp beneath. I took a deep breath and prepared to consult with my lifelong confidant. I called for my mother with tears in my eyes and she came to greet me. She uttered comforting words as I detailed how the child in the grocery store glared at me when I removed my hat.
For the last few years, I had done everything in my power to hide my hair loss. I had hairstyles that disguised bald spots and a collection of hats that would make department stores envious. When I could no longer style my hair to hide the balding, I stopped attending social outings with friends and family for fear that I would need to remove my hat. I imagined the reactions of strangers and close friends and shuddered at the embarrassment. Some days, I felt so down that I called in sick to work. I skipped play-dates and trips to the park with my daughter for fear of judgment from other mothers and children. Perhaps worst of all, I began to push my husband away. I could not fathom how he could still find me attractive, and became insecure and jealous. I was certainly not the woman he fell in love with. I was a woman in hiding.
I could not continue living amidst a fog of depression. I wanted to participate in life again. I wanted to send a message to my daughter that beauty was more than thick, lustrous hair and make-up. That day, I decided that my diagnosis would no longer define me. I returned home and made an appointment to begin hair-loss treatment, despite the embarrassment. I greeted my daughter hat-less as the big, yellow bus pulled up and we walked hand in hand to the playground. As my husband joined us on the swings, he kissed my forehead and declared that I was as beautiful as the day he married me and, for the first time in years, I believed him.
If your hair loss has been controlling your life and you’re looking for the confidence to do something about it Van Scoy Hair Clinics can help you get your life back. Take the first step and schedule a free consultation today by calling us at (419) 289-6665 or to contact us via email click here.
Photo Credit: Konstantin Stepanov Via Flickr Creative Commons
