Alopecia | Poppy's Style

I’ll admit I have been in two minds about sharing this in a post. My blog is after all about fashion, family, friends and fun, not alopecia. I’m sure there are many blogs (I haven’t looked) dedicated to people like me who suffer with alopecia containing lots of medical information and support, but that’s not why I am talking about it. I decided to share after reading a couple of comments regarding how ‘happy I always look’, and words like ‘self-congratulatory’ being mentioned in forums. I’ll admit that I am a tremendously positive, upbeat person – I’m a Leo after all, with a lot to be happy about – but now you know I have my little issues to deal with too! I am real, (relatively) normal, and I sometimes lose patches of hair.

To be honest I don’t really think about it that much and I just tend to get on with it when I have an ‘episode’ – what else can I do? Worrying over it can just exacerbate the problem. I actually consider myself tremendously lucky that I can always conceal my patches of hair loss, and, to date, it has always grown back.

I first lost a patch of hair back in 2009 around Thanksgiving. I’d had an enormous blow out with a work colleague and I was LIVID. Fuming in fact – so much so I cursed him out on the phone. He was actually my employer at the time but I felt so let down by him I no longer cared what I said so I told him exactly what I thought. The following morning I woke up to discover a bald patch the size of a quarter at my hairline. I was devastated. I didn’t actually link the two events until after I had visited my dermatologist. I initially just thought I was dying – I was so gutted by what I saw in the mirror. Since then I’ve had a couple of patches of hair loss each year and my dermatologist (who is amazing!) has always reassured me that it is purely my body’s reaction to stress, or an autoimmune response. I never consider myself to be under much stress – I don’t think I’m a worrier – nor do I feel anxious – but stress triggers can be minimal. There’s never any real rhyme or reason, and certainly no warning that I’m going to lose some hair. It always occurs in the same place – on the front right hair line – except for once when it was at the nape of my neck at the hairline.

This time I think the the loss is associated with my body’s stress from travel and jet lag. I am guessing that all the prep and organization that goes into getting the family out of the door and on a transatlantic flight has taken it’s toll. Fortunately a quick visit to the dermatologist for a cortisone shot in the scalp, followed by regular applications of clobetasol always seems to stop it in it’s tracks. I’ve already decided that if it ever progresses I’ll wear my bald head loud and proud. My Grandad was bald as a coot, and my Mum suffers from psoriasis – so maybe it is an inherited autoimmune issue? Who knows! Regardless I am at peace with the fact that alopecia areata is now part of my life. There are far worse things that others are dealing with every day.

Now you see it, now you don’t!

I’m really enjoying my outfit of the day today – some of you will loathe it – others of you may be on the fence – but I love it. It’s the light denim jumpsuit from Zara. Super comfortable and I even got the seal of approval from Poppy who gave me a ‘wow Mom that’s so cute’. On second thoughts maybe a 7 year old’s approval shouldn’t be listened to by an almost 42 year old! This is a Medium so it is generous for Zara sizing.

Regardless here it is in all it’s glory.