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.

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.

How do I continue mundane daily tasks while injustice and pain are boiling over into riots and protests? I can't ignore my own anger and grief. But how do I wage war against such widespread and deeply ingrained systems of injustice? I may not be able to control what's happening out in the world but I can control my thoughts and perspective. I can contribute by using my voice to promote a more inclusive and empathetic environment. Black lives matter.

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.

Parenting can have some difficult moments. When a child is diagnosed with alopecia, the whole family is swept up into a whirlwind of change. There are doctor appointments, questions, treatments, and you are just looking to assure your child will live a happy life in a world that can be very cruel. Through honest conversations, we are given a chance to provide guidance through our experiences and the lessons learned.

Living a mentally luxurious lifestyle is about protecting your time, your energy, and worrying about yourself. But how can this mantra be put into practice? Here is what it means to worry about yourself…

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.

Along with feelings of embarrassment, I struggled with conflicted feelings of anger. I didn’t ask for alopecia. I didn't ask to be jeered at or ridiculed. It infuriated me that people couldn't be empathetic about something I have no control over. I was angry at myself, angry at my hair, and angry that I couldn't control my situation…

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…