The Avenue ~ Issue No. 002

Self-Love

In this Issue: Fellow alopecians discuss living with alopecia.

Cheltenham_18.jpg

Living Well with Alopecia

Living well with any condition that disrupts your confidence and peace of mind is difficult and unfortunately, there's no cure for alopecia. Not having the power to control the circumstances is challenging, leaving you feeling helpless. Many chose to shave in order to regain control but there is no right or wrong way to live with alopecia. What does living well with it look like? Looking inward to answer that question opens up your potential to thrive in your skin. With over 140 million of us affected by alopecia worldwide, you are not alone in this journey! Below are quotes from those living with alopecia to help provide you with guidance. 

Cheltenham_10.jpg
Cheltenham_14.jpg

1. Living with alopecia has taught me to go with the flow, things can be really great for a while, then out of nowhere something else happens. I'll have full growth, then in a couple months find four patches. Then they'll "shift" and I'll find different ones. Some years I have to shave my head because I'll be at 80% hair loss, which eventually leads to total hair loss, while currently I have 7 inches of brown curly locks with 20% loss and hair coming out with every shampoo. You just have to roll with the punches. Life is always changing. 

[- Becca, 24f, Alopecia Areata/Totalis, Reddit: r/becc-becc]

2. Living with Alopecia is being mistaken for having cancer and misplaced sympathy. No bad hair days. Perfect microbladed eyebrows lol.

[- Jennifer, @mother.of.sighs, 37, Diagnosed at 25, Alopecia Areata and now Alopecia Universalis, Reddit: u/MrsRose666]

3. Living with alopecia is like a rollercoaster, The Scream Machine to be exact. I love my bald head but on throwback Thursdays as I look at photos of myself with hair I get angry. My ability to 'choose' my hair length was stolen from me. However I still find Joy because I can choose how I react to this autoimmune disease.

[- Ericka, @joyafteralopecia, Diagnosed at 37, Alopecia Areata]

 
Cheltenham_01.jpg
 

4. Learning to live well with alopecia was learning how to treat myself with care. Alopecia is not just about hair. It’s about confidence, identity, representation, and self-love. The lessons learned from living with alopecia became keys for unlocking my potential to thrive - Gabe

Are you living with alopecia? Comment below on what living well looks like for you regardless if you have alopecia or not. Share a quote or words that have changed your perspective on what it means to live well.

Follow me on Instagram @beanie_OG

Gallery Block
This is an example. To display your Instagram posts, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more
Previous
Previous

Deciding when to shave: Reclaiming My Identity

Next
Next

While You’re Listening…