This year my eyebrows began to fade due to alopecia and the thought of constantly drawing on my eyebrows with make-up every morning never appealed to me. But as the universe would have it, I was given the opportunity to explore micobalding. 

Alopecia an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the hair follicles resulting in hair loss. I was eight-years-old when I was diagnosed with alopecia. From a young age, I struggled with my appearance, self-consciousness, and depression.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack your hair follicles triggering the hairs to fall out. Cheltenham Ave discusses what it’s like learning self-love and how to live well with the stress of a changing appearance.

Getting locs was a commitment and losing them was devastating. I realized this loss was going to be permanent and that I had to take back control. I had to cut the remaining locs. Joy After Alopecia details my journey to finding happiness and goodness in all things despite the fact that I have Alopecia.

I didn't know how to supply self-love and care for myself. Instead, I thought, who would find me attractive with alopecia?  Who would make me happier?

We all know what comes next. The daily terror of finding more patches. Being anxious about patches growing larger. Fear over patches showing when the wind blows your hair just the right way. Loss of control as you can no longer keep the hairstyle you love. I had finally accepted Alopecia as a part of my life. Not in a way that defined me, not in surrender. But in self-preservation.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack your hair follicles triggering the hairs to fall out. Cheltenham Ave discusses what it’s like learning self-love and how to live well with the stress of a changing appearance.

We all know what comes next. The daily terror of finding more patches. Being anxious about patches growing larger. Fear over patches showing when the wind blows your hair just the right way. Loss of control as you can no longer keep the hairstyle you love. I had finally accepted Alopecia as a part of my life. Not in a way that defined me, not in surrender. But in self-preservation.

For those with Alopecia, it is a daily challenge to look in the mirror and accept that how we look, and therefore who we are, will change abruptly and without our consent. At some point, the disease becomes less about losing the hair itself, and instead about losing our identity.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack your hair follicles triggering the hairs to fall out. Cheltenham Ave discusses what it’s like learning self-love and how to live well with the stress of a changing appearance.

In life and alopecia, there are lessons and blessings. Unfortunately, some lessons are harder to swallow. Prom was one of those lessons for me. I'm still learning to let go of the anger and guilt I feel because I wasn't accepting of my appearance. But through the lesson, I…

I was sitting at the family computer writing a history paper on a school night, and in typical stress mode, I ran my hand through my hair. That’s normal, everyone does it. What wasn’t normal was suddenly feeling a spot that was...smooth. Smooth as a baby’s bottom you might say. I immediately ran downstairs freaking out, and collapsed in my mother’s lap in a puddle of tears…

I had been silent about my alopecia for so long, since it came and went erratically, that when I finally took the plunge and shaved my head for the world to see, I suddenly had to get very good at answering the question “What’s wrong with you?” diplomatically. 

Too many times I've stared in the mirror and thought negatively of myself compared to "hairy" people. Too many times I was ignorant thinking I was less than others because of my appearance. Too many times I lacked the courage to grow because I wasn't confident in my sense of self. For many of us, the conference was a celebration promoting the freedom to be authentic.