Hair Loss and a Love Story
Your time is valuable. So is mine. That’s why, in a world where there’s about a million wig experts, the focus here at My Wig Coach is going to be on what matters - the whole picture. Holistic hair help, if you will. (I do love alliteration.) Laser-focused on your hair loss. Your emotional struggle with it. All the issues surrounding it, like the seemingly endless search for the perfect wig or the courage to take the first step out the door in one, IF it’s time to start looking for one. Coming out of the wig closet to friends and co-workers. All aspects of wig life. All that entails - meaning time, budget, courage, hair skills or lack thereof. No hard sell, just support. Isn’t it time something as devastating as hair loss and something as pricey as wigs can be, be addressed together? Here, you’ll find tips, tricks, courage and confidence laced with some entertainment to lighten your journey. Sharing all I’ve learned makes my journey easier too because….
I know a thing or two about wigs and hair loss. I’ve been wearing helper hair for the last third of my 6 decades on the planet and selling them for the last two (as in twenty years, not two years). Pretty ironic for a career hairdresser to get a disease where the only symptom is hair loss eh? I’ve lost my hair four times and regrown it three. Four. Times. Lost. UGH!!!! Are you KIDDING ME?! Feel my pain? I feel yours. The Hair Loss Club, where no one wants to be a member. Thank God for wigs.
Speaking of God, my faith is what got me into the wig business, first as a non-profit, then a sole proprietorship, then a corporation. As the business has grown, so have my faith, my skills, my confidence, my hips, my income and my determination to help as many women as I can. And the stories! You can’t imagine the hundreds of stories I have to share with you! With names changed to protect the innocent of course. Here’s a good one, as told in the first-person:
A few pretty tame, platonic but fun dates with him and things were starting to heat up for the first time as we were saying goodnight late at night. We were necking in the front seat of his truck under a streetlamp glow when he placed his hand on the back of my neck to draw me in closer. Because I had a long wig on and hadn’t yet told him yet that it WAS a wig, not to mention that I was 90% bald under it, I kept gently removing his hand rather than risk his hand removing my wig. After this played out 3-4 times, he said, “You don’t want me playing with your hair, do you?” I thought, “Perceptive! But uh-oh, here’s that opportunity I’ve been dreading, I might as well tell him and get it over with. Oh well, it’s been fun while it lasted. Too bad, I really liked this guy.”
Out loud, I said, ”That’s true, I don’t want you playing with my hair but not because I’m afraid you’re going to mess it up. I’ve been dreading telling you this but this is a wig. I was afraid you’d pull it off. A few months ago I developed this weird autoimmune disease, alopecia areata…” and I launched into a lengthy description of this condition that affects about 2% of the population.
My words trailed off as I realized I was going overboard with the medical stuff. I tried to decipher the look on his completely BLANK face. After what seemed like the proverbial eternity he said, “An autoimmune disease? Thank God! I thought you were going to tell me you used to be a guy and had a sex change operation…I thought for a minute you might have a package down there! I’m so relieved!”
Then he said all the right things, we ended up smooching goodnight, now in the glow of that streetlamp and mutual relief. The next morning he sent me an email saying bald women were sexy.
This couple ended up married and had a beautiful daughter together who has long hair halfway down her back, with no sign of alopecia areata. It’s hereditary in about 20% of cases so they were concerned.
It seemed appropriate by way of introduction that the first story be my own. And told in first person, as I’m the first person I’ve ever known to have alopecia areata, even in all my years of doing hair. I’d love to hear your story if you’d like it to be featured in a future post (name changed of course, whether you’re innocent or not). In addition, let me know what you’d like me to cover in future posts - it’s all fair game if it involves hair loss or wigs and all the edges of your life that those touch. In each post, I’ll combine one of these with a few of the hundreds of wig tips I’ve learned, everything from my favorite brand of synthetic wigs, why, to how to get the most from your first wig salon consultation and how to keep the darned thing from riding up the back of your head.
For personal, private assistance: mywigcoach.com to schedule a session with me from 15-60 minutes. While you’re there and should you so inclined, you can pick up a wig at a great price…because good hair should be as affordable as possible when you need hair.
I’d love it if you visit my social media, links below. Lots of wig images, tips and videos.
Warmly,
