I know I am not the only one who experiences this, but it is so refreshing to read someone's story who is so close to my own. I first noticed a pin sized spot on the very top of my head when i was a junior in high school (2004). Like you, i thought it was because of the braids and weaves i loved to wear, so i lessened every non natural process: braids, sew ins, perms, dyes, ponytails etc. I let my hair go natural and just kept it "beehive braided" underneath half wigs, keeping the front half of my hair looking neat. That kept the spot from growing for awhile. I made the decision to join the military a year after graduation and made the decision to start over on my hair by cutting it ear length (since they were going to cut it in boot camp anyway). I thought the regular healthy diet, exercise and lack of chemicals would make a large difference on my scalp health, and that with the military money i earned, i would finally be able to afford better hair care products. i was sadly mistaken. The stress of boot camp and multiple overseas deployments caused my hair to continue to fall out at an alarming rate which was highly embarrassing at such a young age, especially being surrounded by women blessed with thick heads of hair. Long story short, 4 years later, i now only wear wigs and just like you, i dont bother even looking at my hair unless i am washing/conditioning it. It just hurts too bad. My husband knows about my condition but he has never seen my hair after the alopecia took hold. One thing that i am going to try as soon as i get my tax refund is the Hair Club. I suggest you try it; i went for a free consultation and they told me all the possibilities available to me that can at the minimum help stop my hair loss and manage what i have left. With continued membership, i could possibly get my long thick hair back. i am definitely going to give them a chance this upcoming spring and as a fellow young black woman i think you should do the same. our hair is our crown of glory and i know how it feels to at the end of the night pull off that wig and face your unfair reality. i am not going to try and sell Hair Club to youm especially since i havent tried it myself yet, but in sharing the same situation as you, i feel a kind of responsibility to pass on anything that could possibly help. Hopefully you check this site and read my testimonial because i will be sure to return and tell of my experience and the results. I hope this helps :-)
Feb 16, 2009 Rating
Hair Loss OptionsNEW by: Seymour M. Weaver, III, M.D.
Treating many individuals who have been through your experience and emotional injury is what prompted me to create this website.
I have had more ladies cry about hair loss than any other condition that I have treated over the past 26 years. It is no fun, especially when it becomes permanent.
However, you are still very young and I would caution you against doing nothing to help your condition. It is possible that it could gradually worsen over the years, so you might still benefit from treatment. Also,it is possible that you would benefit from a restorative hair transplant procedure to get hair to grow in the area that you now have to cover up.
So, there may or may not be hope for the hair that has been lost, but make sure that you do everything possible to keep the hair that you have and get the full benefit of any options that can replace it.
