"sometimes the hardest chapters lead to the most beautiful chapters"
I have asked myself ……….. Why am I starting a blog?
Many reasons come to mind, but the main one is so I can keep a kind of diary — something to look back on in the future, and hopefully help others going through the same journey.
I noticed the first bald spot on my daughter’s scalp on 12th October 2024. Within ten weeks, she had lost around 95% of the hair on her scalp. We were first told the bald patches were caused by a type of fungal infection, which was a huge relief at the time, as I initially feared it looked like alopecia.
Week after week, she was losing ten times more hair than usual on wash day. When I washed it, her whole head would become matted, and it took me around 30–40 minutes to detangle each time. I managed to book a private dermatology appointment for 30th November, and that’s when I was told she had Alopecia Areata.
I had to stop myself from bursting into tears in front of my little girl. She was colouring quietly, not paying much attention — or so I thought. Needless to say, I was devastated, and as soon as I got home, I broke down while telling her dad.
Jaime had thick 4B/C hair, gorgeous and healthy — how could this be happening? I used the best products, deep-conditioned, and always did protective styles. It’s very hard not to blame yourself at first.
We both jumped online to look for information, but instead of answers, it felt like we were hit with even more devastating news:
it could get worse and develop into Alopecia Totalis or Universalis. There’s currently no cure, and doctors don’t fully understand what causes it.
My Biggest Fear
My main fear was, how will my baby deal with this?
She has two sisters (one older and one younger) and myself, all of us with hair. I worried this would make things even harder for her. Not only that, but how would she be received at school?
At that point, I could still hide her patches, but I became increasingly anxious about doing her hair because of the shedding. From the start, we were honest with Jaime about what was happening. She even asked to see pictures, and I felt she deserved to. I wanted her to understand her body and process everything safely at home, surrounded by love.
🩷 Finding Confidence
I went from hiding the patches with specific hairstyles, to buying thick headbands — which was surprisingly hard to find for a child her age. Once the headbands no longer concealed the patches, she started wearing head wraps and bonnets.
She didn’t mind them, especially because I would plait a small section of hair at the front that sat outside the bonnet. I think that made her feel more secure, and we hoped children wouldn’t ask too many questions if they could still see “a little bit of hair.”
Over the Christmas period, Jaime made the brave decision to cut her hair.
In the months that followed, it became a journey of acceptance — finding new ways to support and uplift her, and helping her embrace her new normal.
From the moment we first heard the diagnosis right up to today, we’ve looked into every type of support available — from natural medicines and supplements to seeking a second opinion.
This journey has changed us all, and while it hasn’t been easy, it’s taught us strength, honesty, and compassion in ways I never imagined. 💛
