Anyway, I'm wittering away and putting off the inevitable, so here goes 'A' in our A-Z of Hairloss . Enjoy!
Adjustable - It's a shame this is the one to start with, as it is a little bit of a stretch, but hey, that's how the alphabet goes! Anyway, it's a common misconception that wigs come in only one size, but that is simply not true! A lot (particularly synthetic) will come in multiple cap sizes AND will be adjustable! This is a great feature as you can see here...
Adjustment - hairloss is a big adjustment! From changing your routines, having to think about wig care (if you wear one), changing habits and even just adjusting emotionally, it is all an adjustment which will feel difficult at first, but you'll get there in the end I promise!
Alopecia (Areata, Totalis, Universalis, Androgenetic, Traction): A common cause of hairloss, alopecia can cause partial or total hairloss from the head and body. It is an autoimmune condition and you can find out more about it here...
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| Alopecia - Me and my bald head... |
Alternative Hair - another word / description for wigs, 'alternative hair' is a common term and you can search online for an 'alternative hair specialist'. As well as wigs, this term also encompasses toppers, extensions, partials, and all sorts of other things too!
Anagen - Anagen is the 'growth' phase in the cycle of a hair follicle. Depending on genetics, the anagen phase will last 2-7 years for the average person. In cases of medical hairloss, the hair fails to return to the anagen phase, resulting in baldness.
Androgenic Hair - This is the technical term for body hair that develops after puberty. Its growth is affected by the Androgen hormone which means that typically men will have more androgenic hair than women. In many cases of hairloss, including both alopecia and chemotherapy hairloss, androgenic hair will also be affected, as well as scalp hair.
Angry / Anger - Unless you are becoming a #BaldHeadedBeauty by choice, it is inevitable that at some stage you will feel an overwhelming sense of anger! Whether you are angry about the 'betrayal' by your body, by the lack of support for you and your hairloss, the reaction of others, everyone will feel angry for a different reason and it is perfectly normal! You will reach a point where you need to let it go though, otherwise you risk long-term emotional problems!
Anxiety - As with anger, unless your bald look is by choice, anxiety will be a common emotion for you to experience. I certainly did - fear people would judge me or think less of me, that my wig was obvious, that my hair would never come back (although that no longer applies) and pretty much anything else you can think of! Anxiety is common, but you need to find coping mechanisms to ensure that it passes and you can handle it!
Appearance - hairloss will change your appearance. For some people, the close cropped look is a choice and for others it won't be. Either way, it will change your appearance, whether you opt for wigs to keep it concealed, or embrace being a #BaldHeadedBeauty it will change your appearance!
Artificial - Artificial can be used in two ways when it comes to hairloss. First, as another (less common) term for wigs or alternative hair, sometimes interchanged with synthetic. Second, some people say they feel 'artificial' or 'fake' or worry other people will think them so, if they opt to wear a wig! You shouldn't, this isn't a bad thing to do and you just need to remember, it is YOUR choice!
Assumption - This is most commonly a word used with alopecia; one of the things that happens to me quite frequently with my alopecia is the assumption that I have cancer, whenever I go out and about bald. Some people get offended by this, some upset and ultimately you will feel what you feel - for me though, I TRY (but don't always succeed) to embrace these assumptions, and use it as an opportunity to educate and raise awareness of my own condition!
Autoimmune - Alopecia is an autoimmune condition which means that the immune system is attacking the hair follicles and causing loss.
Awareness - Awareness is crucial when it comes to hairloss as it is so misunderstood by Doctors and in fact a lot of people generally. What awareness does is help sufferers encounter less negativity as each year goes by, not to mention helping with fundraising, research, improved care, support and many of things besides! If you feel up to it, get raising awareness - it is so important! This applies for alopecia, trichotillomania, chemotherapy hairloss and everything else too!
Awesome - some people (including me) absolutely love their hairloss, or at least grow to enjoy it! This takes time, but is something you can acheive! The reason I wanted to include this in the list is that otherwise, all the 'A' words like Anger and Anxiety are negative, and there are positives to hairloss too! Check out #100HairFreeDays for some of the reasons I have embraced my hairloss!
Awful - As with 'anger' and 'anxiety', awful is another descriptive words that many people will use about their own hairloss or somebody else's. It can be 'awful' and there were days (and still are now occasionally) when I struggled and this was the perfect word for it, but this too will pass if you want it to!
Phew! I think that is absolutely everything that I can think of, but there'll be something I've missed!
Have we missed something? Let us know via Facebook, Twitter or email...
Victoria x
www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald
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