I used to snicker at the men walking around with the really bad comb-over. I used to secretly laugh at the ones who had the really bad toupé - it looked like a squirrel nesting on their head; men with the horseshoe, or the part that was so low, it was almost at their jaw-line.
My Dad had the horseshoe, with a few strands desperately trying to cover up the large area of real estate on his head, unsuccessfully. For some reason it didn't look funny or weird on him it was just Dad. Except of course when the wind would get a hold of those precious few strands and stand them straight up, revealing to all what lay (or didn't lay) underneath, kind of like the infamous picture of Marilyn Monroe, not so desperately trying to keep her dress down as it scandalously revealed her legs.
Donald Trump does continue to amaze and confuse me. More because he has millions of dollars he could spend to make it look good, but he doesn't!
Some men embrace the bald, and shave it all off. I love these men! I find bald men incredibly sexy, I have ever since Telly Savalas.
Today, I no longer secretly laugh or snicker at those who are balding. I apologize to all. Because at the age of 58, I have come out of the closet to declare that, I too am going bald.
The only difference from those others is...
I am a woman.
I am a woman who is going bald. Not so funny now.
I dove into researching this, what I thought to be, horrible, self-esteem destroying thing called Androgenic Alopecia. Here is what I could find:
There are more than 40 million women in the U.S. who are dealing with some form of hair loss.
Statistics show that by the age of 80, some 57% of women will experience some level of female pattern baldness.
Approximately 50% of men by the age of 50 years and 15% of women before the time they reach menopause have some degree of androgenic alopecia says an article at body andhealth.com
According to Canadian Dermatology Association, however, around 40% of women show signs of hair loss by age 50.
One out of three women will suffer excessive hair loss during her life, a problem with no very clear causes
Women don't usually have total hair loss with Androgenic Alopecia, but rather a thinning at the crown (creating the 'horseshoe' effect) Some, like me, have a general thinning all over- front back and sides.
It is a common disorder in Asian men and women, with a reported incidence of up to 73% among general population.
So why is it such a secret? Why are women hiding instead of living fully? We have come to accept men with hair loss. We probably don't even look twice.
Yet seeing a woman with hair loss is still an anomaly. With the above statistics, there should be women everywhere walking around with some form of Alopecia. Where are they?
Some are wearing wigs, some have hats, some scarves. A few beautiful women have chosen to go 'au naturelle' or shaved it all and gone with the 'bald women rock' mentality. And some have gone 'underground', taken themselves out of living.
But most don't have support - a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board to vent. Most women don't know where to go to get information, tips, ideas, help... and hope.
That's because it's such a secret!
I am on a personal mission to bring awareness to women with Alopecia, specifically Androgenic Alopecia and to the rest of the world. If being 60 is the new 40, I certainly do not want to look or feel 'old' because of my hair loss. It may be part of my life but it certainly doesn't have to destroy it. I want to look, feel and act the 'new fit and 40'. I am energetic and full of life and just beginning to define who I am and who I want to be. I will not let one little thing like my hair 'predicament' get in the way. EVER.
Hair is NOT the only part of your looks that matter - it's just one part of your body.
Hair does NOT define who you are - that comes from the inside
Hair does NOT make choices about how you live your life. You do.
Solutions are found when people come together. You are not alone. So please, let's come together.
Let's show and share!
Please check out my blog at http://www.diaryofabaldlady.com to read about my personal journey. You can also follow me on Twitter at baldladydiary