A personal note from Maria...

 

I've lived with Alopecia since the second grade.  At that age, I began losing patches of hair (Alopecia Areata) and tried obsessively to cover them up so that classmates would not see, but they did, and that caused much insecurity. 

 

This hereditary, autoimmune disease is usually triggered by stress.  At that time, my teacher died unexpectedly.  It confused and burdened all of us.

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The successful treatment was the application of cortisone cream.  With that, the hair grew back.  However, bald patches returned throughout my young years, each time growing bigger.  The treatment became more painful.  By the time I was in high school, the disease was more severe and required shots of cortisone in my head.  They were painful, but they worked. The hair grew back, but not before increasing stress and insecurity as I continued to try and cover them up with my existing hair.  The patches were so big at this point, however, that was not always possible.  People noticed, and it further chipped away at my self esteem.  Then it got even worse.

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At age 26, I was dressing for a New Years Eve performance.  My sister was helping me do my hair.  She noticed six small bald patches at the crown of my head.  They eventually grew into one large spot.  I refused to get more shots.  I instead covered it with a fall that mixed with the hair that was left.  A few weeks later,  all of my hair was gone...eye lashes, eye brows, leg hair, nose hair...everything.  I now had Alopecia Universalis, and I began wearing full wigs.  

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It was traumatic, but as with my life with Bipolar Disorder, I learned that God turns trials into testimonies.  This is why my advocacy journey does not stop with those afflicted with Bipolar Disorder.  It also extends to those with Alopecia.

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