I am a 20 year old woman who residesin NY. i have had alopecia areata since I was 14. 14!! My highschool years which were supposed to be the best years of my life, were hell. Until I decided to make the most of it. I decided not to let it hold me back. I knew that people would talk about me behind my back, but it didnt matter to me because they werent my true friends. Alot of the treatments that I was recieveing didn’t work for me.

After 2 years of treatment and dermatologists,I decided to give up on treatment and to take it as it is. If you weren’t willing to accept me as I am then I don’t need you in my life. All of my friends accept it and now my life is great.I have a boyfriend going on 2 years now and he loves me hair or no hair,wig or no wig.

I have come to realize that hair does not make me who I am. It gives me the courage and strength to walk with my head high and a smile on my face. And something that always makes me feel better is when someone talks about the fact that I wear a wig, my boyfriend says “well I mean it is your hair, you paid for it”. That always puts a smile on my face.

So remember, hair does not make you who you are and outer beauty can only take you so far,it may not seem like it but trust me it does. Thanks for hearing my story. - LaShay