Alopecia Gave Me the Freedom to Be Whoever I Need

Because of alopecia, Abby Andrew may be whoever she needs to be. You would possibly catch her in a blonde wig as Barbie sooner or later and bald as Cassandra Nova from Deadpool the subsequent.

Andrew is a part of the cosplay scene in New York Metropolis, becoming a member of others who love to decorate up and embody fictional characters. Cosplay emerged as a useful outlet whereas Andrew navigated her private fashion as a younger grownup with alopecia areata, an autoimmune situation that causes hair loss. However alopecia has been a part of her story since toddlerhood. She shares that story with Well being beneath.

You haven’t at all times had the daring, various wig types that you just proudly put on right this moment. Inform us about your preliminary expertise with wigs throughout grade college. 

Andrew: My hair began falling out once I was round 2, so I don’t keep in mind a time once I had hair. I simply wore hats and had some enjoyable making an attempt on completely different wigs. 

I’d change between carrying hats and wigs to high school, which was very complicated to different youngsters. My classmates’ questions made me uncomfortable. I ultimately determined it was simpler to simply put on the identical wig day by day.

By center college, the one time I’d change up my wig shade was throughout summer time break once I wasn’t seeing the identical folks day by day.

When did that shift towards openness about your situation actually begin?

Andrew: School was a recent begin. No one knew me, and I noticed it as an opportunity to attempt being extra open about my alopecia. That didn’t precisely work out at first. As a result of no person knew me as the child with alopecia, I discovered it exhausting to deliver it up in any respect! Certain, I’d made the dramatic change to a brunette wig after years of carrying a blonde one—however I used to be the one one who knew that. 

Courting introduced a brand new layer of hysteria. I didn’t need to date anybody until they knew about my alopecia, however I used to be terrified to inform folks face-to-face. So in 2014, I posted a Fb standing to inform everybody . It was simply two traces:

“Hey, simply so that you all know, I’ve alopecia, which implies I put on wigs. You would possibly see me switching them.”

I shut my laptop computer and didn’t take a look at it for hours. After I lastly opened it, I had so many supportive feedback. That second modified all the things. Till then, I had this fixed psychological listing of who knew, who would possibly know, and who I wished to inform however didn’t understand how.

Did that public announcement flip a change in the way you carried your self with alopecia?

Andrew: No—it nonetheless took a few 12 months to really begin altering my wigs extra freely. I began small: identical wig, completely different shade. When talking with somebody, if I felt snug within the second, I’d clarify that alopecia was the explanation behind my altering hairstyles. Each time I did it, it acquired a bit of simpler. Generally I’d choke on the phrases, however over time, I realized that folks weren’t reacting negatively. I want I’d realized sooner no person was going to shun me. 

I spotted folks weren’t paying as shut consideration to me as I used to be to myself. And I spotted there may be a lot magnificence in being distinctive.

You’ve mentioned cosplay is a confidence-boosting instrument for you. How so?

Andrew: In faculty—possibly sophomore or junior 12 months—I actually wished to begin carrying completely different wigs to class however was terrified of drawing consideration. Halloween helped. That vacation routinely served as “coaching wheels” to put on enjoyable and completely different wigs in public with out anybody questioning it.

Finally, I acquired into cosplay. There are characters who’re bald, and it was the primary time I felt assured going out with no wig. Tank Lady was my first character. Taking off my beanie and moving into Comedian-Con gave me a type of freedom I hadn’t skilled earlier than. That consolation finally carried into my day-to-day life.

What’s your relationship with the alopecia neighborhood like? Do you want you’d had extra publicity to this sort of assist earlier in life?

Andrew: My dad and mom took me to my first Nationwide Alopecia Areata Basis (NAAF) convention once I was 5 or 6. It was the primary time I’d ever seen a bunch of youngsters with alopecia. I keep in mind swimming within the resort pool with no wig and never feeling completely different for as soon as. At residence, taking off my wig to swim at all times felt like a factor. There, it was regular.

Till final 12 months, that was the one one I attended. I want I’d been capable of do it yearly. Attending alopecia conferences could be very costly. That type of price generally is a actual barrier for households, regardless that these occasions may be so useful for youths. Fortunately, consciousness and assist for folks with alopecia are extra accessible now because of social media and choices like digital meetups. 

Final 12 months, NAAF invited me to attend one in every of their conferences as a speaker. They discovered me by way of social media and requested me to steer a session on make-up for alopecia, like making use of faux lashes and doing brows. After my speak, folks saved coming as much as me saying they’d by no means worn lashes earlier than however had been carrying them now. That meant quite a bit.