OMG!I have Alopecia...and i am only 13 years old!Its not fair for me cause i want help right now!I mean,why did this have 2 happe 2 me...ive been using the cream..and it hasnt worked...so now i just sit at homa crying..cause i dont want 2 go bald!!!!!!I think they should try to make better cures for peopla with alopecia!!!ITS NOT FAIR!!!!!

Tara, I was surfing the web,when I just happened on this web site. I did not have the oppurtunituy to see your show on Alopecia,however;I too have Alopecia. It started 4 years ago with a bald spot the size of a quarter near the crown of my head.My doctor prescribed steroids that worked for a short time and now nothing seems to work. I have lost over one third of the hair on my head. Everyday I lose clumps of hair now. Its on my arms,my clothes, I cant keep a scarf on my head,without it slipping off. I cannot find a wig store in my area and my friends and family are worried for me and my health because they believe there is something more serious going on and this is just a symptom. I wish I could have seen your show. Will you air it again? I have been to every type of doctor and have many other symptoms besides alopecia. I can't help believe there must be a cure. Thank you for this web site.

Tyra,
thank you soo much for doing the show about alopecia.
not many pepole know about that condition,and at times pepole will be so mean and lugh at me .
i think that more shows about it will be great ,your show gave me hope.
i know i am not the only woman with alopecia ,but i do think that more shows about it will help woman like me.

About two years ago my mother lost all of her hair to Alopecia. At that time my sister began growing her hair out so she could give it to my mom. We have found many sites that offer to make wings from donated hair for children but, not adults. Do you have any idea where we could get a wig made from my sister's hair or the steps we would take?

Thank you for your time,

Maggie Mason

Dear Tyra,

Like so many of your fans I too have Alopecia Universalis "loss of hair all over my body". I am disabled due to an auto accident 14 years ago and live on a limited fixed income which does not afford me the money to own a nice wig that doesn't look like a dead animal on top of my head. Please don't take that the wrong way,I am very thankful that I even have an inexpensive wig for when I just have to leave the house.
I'm writing to ask for your help in locating a wig manufacturer or company
that can help me out by donating or lowering the cost for me. With this disease I no longer have eye lashes or eyebrows, so having a natural looking wig such as the Amy's Presense or Cyberhair would make a world of difference in my life and self esteem so I can actually face people again and not feel like such a freak. Words can not express how this disease not only strips you of your hair but also ones diginity and pride. It is so difficult for me to even come out of my room. And as you know, people can be so very cruel.

Also, while reading this blog on Alopecia, a lady by the name of Christine from Canada wrote in on October 4,2006 and said that her doctor had given her medication and her hair is now growing back:) Is there any way you could contact her and find out the name of the products/medications/treat-
ments she is using. I was so excited for her!!!. It gives me the first hope that I too my be able to regrow my hair. Canada may have approval on drugs or treatments that the USA does not yet have.

Tyra, thank you in advance for your time and help in these matters and also for covering topics on your show that can actually help people like myself to gain knowledge and awareness of many
important issues that touch each of us in some way.

Thanks again. I look forward to hearing from you. Please keep up the good work as God is using you for so many blessing every day.

Sincerely, Belinda

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I have a girlfriend who has alopecia and we have looked all over for wigs. My girlfriend is African American an most of the wigs are made for caucasion. Tyra do you know of anyone who makes wigs for African American women.

Hi Tyra!!!!!!!!!
How are you doing? Me good but not as I should be. I hope you are doing well. Unfortunately in my family HAIR LOSS is HEREIDITARY!!!!!!!!! If really Dislike it because I just turned 15 YEARS OLD! I'm going to be a sophmore in highschool next year and i'm already showing bold spots! My mom is completely bold and so is my aunt. My older sister is already heading there. my family says so far I'm the youngest to show so soon at this age! It's so hard going through highschool like this because the only thing i really considered beautiful about myself was my hair color! although it was thin everyone complemented on how beautiful my color was. I'm overweight and not confident. My hair is like the only thing I can actually fix about myself to make it look pretty. I feel like that was my personality, like my everything although in life i truly know its not. It's just so hard to see all these girls at school with beautiful pretty hair all thick and fixed up. ever since i noticed my hair falling out I always look at every girls hair and wish that my hair was as thick as theirs. I cry because I know I have three years still left of highschool and I won't have any hair by the time i'm a junior! I just wish there was something that could help me! I've tried every product to help regrow your hair but nothing ever works! it's so depressing and it hurts. How will i look at prom with no hair. How will I make it through highschool without anyone telling or talking bout my hair? Please tyra if there is anything you can do to help me please write back.

Sincerely

Sophmore, Darlene

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Well I lost my hair when i was 2 months old and now i am 26 years old. I have learned to live with it. I have also learned throught out my years that people who are insecure with themselves will try to make you feel less of a person. You have to learn to love yourself for who you are. If you feel comfortable around any one then you dont need to be around them. If you are not happy with yourself how can you expect others to be happy about who you are. Be proud of who you are it is what is on the inside that matters.

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Dear Tyra,
My name is Lisa and I am suffering with a tremendoust amount of hair loss. I've been having weave put in with glue and it's just getting worse. I feel so helpless and I am scared to go to a determatologist for the fear of hearing that the loss is permanent. I am thirty-seven years old and have always had thick hair. Tyra can someone help me find a determatlogist in my area that deals with African-American hair. I live in Gary, Indiana.

I think it is wonderful what you are doing for all the women out there who have lost their hair from cancer and disease. You are an amazing woman.
Francesca

My daughter is 10 years old, she was diagnosed with alopecia since she was 8 months old. It has a very negative effect on her self esteem. She has several she wished se would die. I am taking her to therapy and always reinforce the positive. But in reality I cry every night thinking of how my daughter suffers.

Hey Tyra, I am almost 23 years old and I have almost lost all of my hair due to Alopecia Areata. When I was a child my parents noticed a bald spot. My parents were fighting alot and going through a divorce. I had a spot or two that moved around until I was about 7. Then at about 17 like most teenage girls I was in love and went through alot of stress with my relationship. My Dad then pointed out a new spot at about 17. I went 10 years with no spots! Since the day my Dad has pointed that one out,I have not been able to get rid of them. They have just got worse and worse. I have tried several treatments. I was having to wear a hat all the time to hide my baldness and recently I had to by a wig. I have less then a quarter of my hair! I have been getting better with it. It is a condition that hurts your self esteem drastically! P.S. I love you Tyra, I am a big ANTM fan! I can't wait to see who wins this season, I think I know who will win!

Dear Tyra
I would for you to know that the National Education Assocation give agree to do this for there member. They have also put the story in their magainz in May 06,
New Business Item 60
NEA-HIN will coordinate resources and provide information through existing NEA publications and the NEA website to members regarding diseases that impact the learning environment as a result of the emotional functioning of students diseases and health conditions not widely publicized, such as Alopecia Areata, Lupus, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, any illness or disease that may cause temporary or permanent hair loss or baldness, etc.
ADOPTED AS MODIFIED
Rationale/Background
Many autoimmune diseases are becoming more prevalent in society. These diseases while not necessarily medically disabling can be emotionally challenging Educating our members will provide them with information to help children and school employees in their learning and working environment.
Submitted By
50 Delegates
Contact Person/Move
Denise Armstrong, Nevada
Relevant Strategic Priority
Quality School Systems
Cost Implications
This NBI can be accomplished at an additional cost of $5000.00 to NEA.

New Business Item 60
NEA-HIN will create resources and disseminate information through existing NEA publications and the NEA website to members regarding diseases and health conditions not widely publicized, such as Alopecia Areata, Lupus, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, etc.
Rationale/Background
Many autoimmune diseases are becoming more prevalent in society. These diseases while not necessarily medically disabling can be emotionally challenging Educating our members will provide them with information to help children and school employees in their learning and working environment.
Submitted By
50 Delegates
Contact Person/Move
Denise Armstrong, Nevada
Relevant Strategic Priority
Quality School Systems
Cost Implications
This NBI can be accomplished at an additional cost of $5000.00 to NEA. They are going to put together a training for the member of 3.2 million people and staff student to being awarenss. I am also thing to being awareness to my on state.

This is My Story
My name is Denise Armstrong. I have a autoimmune disease called Alopecia Universalis, total hair loss all over the body. Having been married for two years, I gave birth to a beautiful son at the age of 19th. Shortly after his birth my hair began to break off. You can’t imagine the devastation I felt. There were so many thoughts racing through my mind. What was my husband feeling? Was he going to stay with me? If he didn’t, how would I make it with the out my husband? He supported me for a short time, but coming home and seeing me totally bald for the first time, threw him for a loop and proved to be more than he could handle. He was so startled that day he said, “Oh my GOD I thought you were a man,” This was only the first of other cruel and hurtful statements I heard from my husband and other people.

If you ask him today did he have a problem with me being bald, the answer would be NO! He maintains that he loves me no matter how I look. After 19 ½ years of marriage, my life was suddenly turned upside down. My heart was filled with sadness, rejection, depression, anger, and embarrassment. The only positives in my life were the unconditional love of my babies and my Mothers prayers. My husband and I eventually divorced for many reasons. However, with the support of my family, children, best friends, and my church I went on to educate myself about the alopecia disease.

When someone has Alopecia, their family members often experience a variety of feelings and frustrations. Reactions include feelings of loneliness, withdrawal, isolation, and grief. It didn’t take me long to realize there were many people with alopecia and with the same lack of support. This inspired me to form the Alopecia Areata Support Group-Health Information Network. This further inspired me to remove me own fig leaves. I am wigless now and make no excuses for what God has given me and for what He has taken away. I may not have hair on my body, but I have love in my heart and a passion for people.

My name is Nicole I am from Baltimore, I am 31 years old. In may of 2005 I found a bald spot on the right side of my head by my temple went to the doctor's and found out I have alopecia...Today as of 10/06 I am completely bald, my eyebrows and eye lashes are just about gone as well as underarms and private area......I realized today that there is no hair in my noise....This did make me depress but I am trying to get passed that but it is hard that for for 29 years I had hair and now I don't...I have bought about a million wigs, and I have made some. I was never a track or wig wearer and I was just thinking today that I feel fake cause I have to put this wig on and draw on eyebrows but this is me and I have to live with it I am glad that this is not a medical issue but it is definitly a physical and emotional scar...I just pray to deal with it daily..I saw the ending of the show with the girls with alopecia cause when your show comes on I am in route to pick up my kids...I do watch America's Top Model every Wednesday the year that I had got up the nerve to try out I was too old. It is nice to know that I am not alone with this cause I do feel that way, everytime I see someone with a wig on I wonder what is going on beneath I stopped getting the cortorisone shots cause I became fed up and disguisted and if it is meant for my hair to grow back then it will happen and I am not even asking for much just a boy's regular hair cut..Thanks for letting me expresss....Nicole

Dear Tyra,
My name is Breeann Schmidt and I'm fifteen years old, my ninteen year old sister has alopecia areata. Right now she is bald, and has had to wear a wig for three years. Her hair was once long thick and gorgeous, but through stressful times in her life, it has fallen out. My sister is beatuifull, but has never had a high self-esteem, and the alopecia only makes it worse. When she was a Junior in High School, she started balding. People were cruel, some accused her of pulling our her hair, while others made horrible coments like, "It looks like a bus ran over her head". I love my sister greatly, and is makes me so sad to see the pain she feels. At times I wish it was me instead of her, but then i realize how easy if is for me to say that since I have all my hair. For anyone who feels alone in this, there is a conference called The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAFF) which my mom and I attended in place of my sister since she was unable to make it. The atmospere was great, and it gives you a chance to meet someone your age that also has alopecia. I encourage anyone who can make it, to attend. You can visit their website and www.naaf.org

Always,
Breeann

This comment is on the Oct.24th show on beauty. I was watching the show agreeing to everything but when that young girl (I don't know her name) who took 3 hours to do her make up really got to me, because I, myself use to be like that now that I am older (52) I now know whats really important and somewhere along the way a mother or father did not comfirm in her self essteem when she was young so she use make-up to cover-up her inperfections and to be accepted in life by friends and family. I too was 13 when I started to wear make-up so I can relate to her. I also use to take 2 and 3 hours getting ready just to go to the store, I would't go anywhere without my face on but you learn as you get older that beauty fades away but only what you have inside you will last. please let her know that for me. THANK-YOU

Hi Tyra,
First of all i would like to thank you for having made this website! I too have alopecia areata and am really sad about it. Being a freshman in highschool where everyone judges you, it's even harder to cope with the loss of hair. I have had this since july of 2005. My sisters friend has this too since he was 3yrs old, now he is a junior in highschool. Knowing that it hasn't grown back since then it makes me think about my future and how my hair might not grow back. I wear a wig to school but was touched by how on the tyra show others feel beautiful without one. I've thought about puting the wig a side and accepting my beauty without it but i always seem to think about what people say. People in school always say things like "ohhh she got a wig" or "I ma pull her wig off" but they dont know that I don't like having a wig of or anything like that but i have to deal with it by the surcumstances. But everyday I'm treatend about having my wig pulled off or something and it doesn't help the matter at all. My eyebrows and eyelashes are all gone and I dont feel pretty anymore. I just want my hair back! :'(

HI IM 24 AND A MOTHER OF 2 ITS BEEN A YEAR SINCE STARTED LOSING MY HAIR I WEAR BANDANAS 24/7 EVERYWHERE I LOOK I SEE BEAUTIFUL HAIR I JUST WANT TO LOOK NORMAL AGIAN CAN U HELP

Hi,
My name is April. I have 3 beautiful children, However my youngest daughter Alyssa Nevaeh was born and had beautiful dk brown hair until Oct of 2005. She will be 2 on Nov 2nd 06 and I was so heartbroken when I found out she has Alopecia Totalis. She lost all her hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. I felt as if a part of my heart died that day. I know it is not life threatning but in a world were society judges you and makes fun, she is up for a tough road and it breaks my heart so badly. I am still trying to accept this. I have made a myspace for my little girl. It is myspace.com/alopeica04
I know alopecia is spelled wrong :o) but the correct spelling was already taken. Any support, information or anything would be greatly helpful. I have never met a child or anyone else with this condition. Thanks
April

Hi Tyra,

I have had alopecia for about 18 months now. It started after my niece died from a freak accident. It started at the nap of my neck and instead of being in patches the spot has just gottent bigger and is it has now moved up to the crown of my head. Nothing has grown back and I am scared each time I wash my hair more comes out. I tried everything and now I have given up. It would be great for you to do a show on this to help people like me on how to find the right wig, and coping with this auto-immune disease.
You can contact me if you are interested in hearing my story.

I just wanted to say thanks for having a website like this. I lost my hair when I was 18 years old and had to deal with this illness for along time. I realize now that you can only find beauty within and that is what I see.

Hey Everyone!

My name is Catherine. I'm from Canada. I suffer from alpoecia. I'm 16! It started after a really bad break up from me ad my boyfriend of two years. After dealing with depression, and trying to hide the fact that I cried myself to sleep every night. I found that my head started to REALLY hurt. I'd wake up in the morning with chuncks of my hair on the pillow, but I never thought that it was something serious. Finally, when i went to school one day the pain coming from my head was SO PAINFUL i couldnt even have someone touch my head with out me crying. I asked a close friend of mine to look at my head to see if she had seen any bumps or something that maybe i had hit off something to see wether thats why my head really hurt. When she started looking at my head all i can remember her saying is "Oh my God cat..its gone". I couldnt beleive what she was saying. I grabbed a mirrior as quickly as i could. I looked atmy head, and it was true. I had about 4 big bald spots all over my head. They were about the size of my palms. I had barely no hair left. At first i couldnt beleive it!I was crying all the time. I couldnt even look in a mirror cause i thought ima ugly beast. However, when i went to the doctors he told me what it was. It was the mix between my stress and a family problem. He gave me some medicine that really helped me out. It calmed my stress out and made my hair grow back!:D Because of this my hair is growing back good! My hair has almost grew abck in fully and I'm really excited!

Hi Tyra. I am a 25 year old female who was diagnosed with alopecia at the age of 19. I used to see my dermatologist monthly for treatments, but I have stopped because I feel that once new growth came in, I would find another patch of hair gone. Through the years my condition has gotten progressively worse. I would have to say that approximately 50% of my hair is now gone. In Nov. 2005 I had my hair done by a stylist for my sisters wedding and I was left feeling unsatisfied and hopeless. I am ashamed to sit in front of people in class and stand in front of people in line and I refuse to leave my house without a headband of some kind. I was wondering if you know of any options left for someone in my case. I also saw the episode of america's next top model where there were "weaveologists". That episode made me think that if they can do those kinds of things with weaves, that maybe there is some hope for myself and those who feel like me. Boy,would I like to feel comfortable in my own skin again. Thank you for your time. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Hey Tyra! I'm 16 yrs old, and my two of my aunts and my uncle have Alopecia.my uncle doesn't struggle with it as much but my Aunt V really has a hard time with it because she had long and thick hair just like da rest of my family and it's just like and everyday struggle with it because she always worried about it!

Hi Tyra I know you wear wigs as well (lacefront wigs). I do not have alopecia, but I have experience hair loss. I am only 22 years old, and I dont know what to do. I am a woman of color, and I try not to stress my hair too much, because my hair is really thin to begin with. Do you have any tips or any things that I can do to stop this?

My name is Desiree and I am the mother of two girls, 2 1/2 and 16 months. Well, last Christmas my 2 1/2 year old was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. She has been one of the fortunate ones, her hair has grown back. It has taken almost a year for the hair to grow back but it did. But there is not a day that goes by that I don't wonder if she will lose all her hair. The doctors say since her hair did grow back, that's a good sign, but that doesn't mean she won't get another outbreak or eventually lose all her hair. We as a family are prepared to do what we need to do and I believe since she has lost her hair and it has come back, maybe it won't fall out, but if it does she is beautiful no matter what and her favorite saying is "I am sexy" I know it sounds funny coming from a toddler but it's her personality. well, I just wanted to share my story with others out there who might have children going through this condition.

Tyra,
I'm a 26 year old female who has lived with Alopecia Areata since I was in Junior High. I am fortunate to not suffer from complete hair loss; I lose big patches of hair at a time. I know personally that this does affect your self-esteem mostly because of the society today pressuring you to be beautiful and when you're missing a patch of hair above your forehead it's hard to be beautiful. I still struggle with the disease occasionally and with ways to cover it up. I’m married now with 3 beautiful children and my husband loves me with or without the disease. I would also like to tell other females suffering from this disease that you are beautiful and to trust in God he's always looking over you! Thank you Tyra for discussing Alopecia on your show!

I am a divorced single mom raising my 13 year old disabled son and my 18 year old son just started college in Ventura, CA and I trying to help him financial as he gets his education. We are a very low income family and everyday is a struggle. I love that you are bringing up the issue of alopecia because I have major hair loss and as a woman this is quite a blow to my self esteem and it makes me very self conscience. I would love a natural looking wig especially the kind you can wear when you go swimming but my problem is affording a wig like this. I have very little money and the money I do have goes towards my children. Do you know of any charities or foundations that offer help for those who can not afford a wig? Thank you for your help and for bringing up this important issue. Alopecia is really horrible for women to go through and since I suffer from it, I know that for a fact.

Dear Tyra,

I was informed by NAAF that you are going to talk about Alopecia on your show. I am a 23-year old girl suffering from Alopecia, Alopecia Areata to be exact. I can not appear on your show but I wanted to share my story and thoughts about this illness.

I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata when I was 6 years old. Before that my hair had always been very strong and healthy so it came as a shock to my family as well. As a little girl I was very confused and did not know what this disease meant. The doctors prescribed me cortisone which was no help at all. When the illness starts at an early age, the forecast for future hair growth is usually worse. I knew then then that I may never get my hair back and there may never be a cure for it.

When school started I began to wear a wig and got teased constantly. I wore a wig until junior high school and naturally the other kids could not understand why I wore it and thought I had a cancer or some other disease. Not a day passed by that I would have not been called names or got weird looks. I even got my wig pulled out of my head once on the way back home.

In senior high school my hair grew well enough for me to lose the wig and life was happier for awhile. After high school I met my present boyfriend who to my surprise was fine with the illness after I told him about it.

In college my hair started to get thinner again and I went almost bald. I had to get a wig again and start living with it on a daily basis. I also started losing my eyebrows and had to get them tattooed.

Now as a college graduate I live my life with the wig and have got used to it. My boyfriend loves me and does not mind the illness nor the wig. He thinks he gets to almost have "two of me", with and without the wig. My hair has also started to grow back but it is not strong enough to let go of the wig. Maybe in the future..

I know that I may never have a cure for this illness but I know that the struggles have made me a stronger person and a better person. I understand that looks are not everything and they can be very diseaving. It took me many cries to realize that this is just cosmetic, I am not dying or suffering physically. Of course the mental suffering can be rough at times and hard to cope with.

I want to give courage and send my prayers for my fellow alopecia patients. Live your life to the fullest and no matter what other people say, you are beautiful!

This is awsome, there are so many men, women, & children who are victims and sufferers of this afflication. When I started losing my hair, I thought my world was ending, I would have rather lost a breast, because we are judged by apperance. I could hide a breast, but how do you hide your head. Women especially suffer more than hair loss, I believe our self-estem, even our sexuallity is compromised. There are so many people who deal with Alopecia every day. Bringing the awareness to the public via Tyra Banks will be an asset and hopefully will educate many. Thanking you in advance for your valuable time.

Hi Tyra, I am very interested in wigs for women with alopecia for myself. I have been taking steroid medicines for asthma for years and pain killer medication for my leg pain and I believe it had cause me to get alopecia throughout the top of my head. I am very self-conscious and need some informaiton and help for it.

Hi, Tyra. I saw this ad for your show supporting women with alopecia, and it really made me think of one of my family friends who has it. She really struggles with life a lot right now, just because she's working in a dead-end job trying to support her four kids, but at the same time because she's very self-conscious, she finds herself spending money she doesn't have on wigs being shipped over from abroad.I was kind of reluctant to tell you that we live in the UK, because it makes it even more difficult to see you, but I sincerely think she needs a break in her life. I've seen the people who get helped on your show and you and the people you work with have done some really nice things for people. It would be really nice if you would at least consider my friend Lucritia, and if you're interested, please, please contact me.

What a wonderful idea!

I love the Amy wig!