Alopecia Awareness

We hear from Hairware brand ambassador, @wigswithcarina, to discuss her journey with alopecia acceptance and the struggles along the way.

Please tell us about your experience with alopecia

My hair began falling out during my teenage years, and I experienced severe bullying in school while my stepmother was also diagnosed with terminal cancer. A dermatologist diagnosed me with Alopecia Areata and told me there were no guaranteed cures, and due to chronic health problems, it wasn’t recommended that I try immunosuppressant’s.

My hair fell out incredibly slowly over six years, with the majority falling out during my first pregnancy. I put the hair loss down to the stress my body was undergoing, as I was also experiencing heart failure. I have since been diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis, and the majority of my body hair has fallen out.

The diagnosis was the start of my wig-wearing journey, and it has taken 23 years for me to come to terms with my hair loss.

What would you say is the most challenging thing about having alopecia?

As a teen, my self-esteem plummeted, and I headed into a really dark place. I found it incredibly challenging to join in on activities that my friends were doing, and as I got older, I found myself not wanting my children to have sleepovers due to embarrassment and hating unexpected visits.

Do you believe there are any advantages to having alopecia?

Having now accepted hair loss, I can see many advantages: you can be ready in the blink of an eye, and if you wear synthetic styles, the style will hold.

If you’re open about your hair loss, you can change the colour of your hair and the style. One day you could be a redhead, the next a blonde, have long hair one day, and have a pixie cut the next.

What advice would you give to anyone struggling with alopecia?

The biggest piece of advice I could give anyone struggling with alopecia is to find the hair loss community, as it will help you feel less alone. Allow yourself the time to grieve, and don’t feel pressured; everyone copes differently.

What made you decide to start sharing your experiences?

After years of watching many amazing YouTubers who dedicate videos to sharing wig content, I thought, “Why can’t I do this?” So that was when @wigswithkristina was born, and a month after creating the page, I “came out” as totally bald. I receive countless messages from others who have hair loss and need advice, and I feel so grateful to be in a position to help and support others.