08/24/2026
I posted this on my personal page but wanted to share here as well..
As I kick off another trip around the sun, during Hair Loss Awareness Month, today feels like the right day to share.
This was the first time in five months I had let someone take my picture without a wig.
“Lose all my hair” was not on my 2026 bingo card.
I did not lose my hair to chemo. I think I worry a lot that people are worried about my health.
It just started rapidly falling out, toward the end of February, every time I touched my head.
I was unable to look in the mirror as I lost chunks of hair every day. I cried a lot.
Also at that time both of my in-laws were in hospice and Dave and I were balancing lots of travel independently while alternating tagging in to care for them. (“Anything stressful in your life?”)
Through a combination of blood work with my doctor, hair follicle analysis with a trichologist, collaboration with an herbalist, and the advice of a dear friend in the medical profession, we got answers. My long-standing thyroid imbalance, hormonal swings of being fifty something, a leaky gut, adding in HRT, and an overburdened liver trying to process my medications had created a perfect storm in my body. My hair follicles shut down.
These practitioners identified foods that were hard for my body to digest and substantial vitamin and mineral deficiencies I didn’t know I had.
I began healing my body with food both by subtraction and addition. I cut out sugar, gluten, and alcohol, and added in things with Omega 3’s and B vitamins. My herbalist created tinctures and recommended supplements based on my chemistry.
My hair didn’t stop falling out, and I quickly learned about hair toppers, wigs, and other options.
My hairdresser shaved my head while we played songs that she had chosen to help me feel empowered. I cried some more.
I trusted the process and kept up with my protocol (except for a trip to Spain in April – all bets were off that week).
By May my hair started to grow back in small patches.
It was emotionally exhausting for me to talk about. If I saw you during this time and didn’t tell you, please know I just didn’t have the energy, or I wanted to talk about anything else, or just be distracted by enjoying our conversation. I love my wig and it helped me to feel so much better about the way I looked.
But then summer hot weather hit, I had really short hair on most of my head by early July, and that wig made my head sweat. So I got brave and just stopped wearing hair coverings.
I’m sorry if I worried you. I’m healing, and probably healthier than I’ve been in a long time. People ask me if I feel better now, and truly, I didn’t feel physically unwell in February.
Thank you to everyone at Region 6 for embracing a big change in my appearance. I’m sure it was a shock and know it says a lot that I felt safe enough around all of you to go for it.
I also felt superficial for being so emotional about my hair. There are people going through much more serious health conditions. Mine is fixable and cover-up-able. But emotions are emotions and processing them is important.
I’ve learned a lot about myself over the past 6 months, and I would do it all over again. I’m grateful for the few people who did know what was up and for their unconditional love and support.
August is National Hair Loss Awareness Month, and if you or a loved one is experiencing this and I can share resources or support you in any way, please reach out. See less
