My alopecia journey:
art as refuge and resilience
When hair holds history
Alopecia crept in like an unwelcome guest, quiet at first, then resolute, shaping the landscape of my life before I even knew its name. As a girl, I tied my hair into tight ponytails, wrapped with rubber bands that held so tightly they left their mark on my roots. Later, I turned to box perms, the sharp tang of chemicals quietly robbing me of the very thing they were meant to preserve.
It was a lesson learned too late: the things we reach for to make us whole sometimes pull us apart.
BEFORE ALOPECIA
THE COST OF CONFORMITY
Then came the military, with its strict grooming standards.
CONFORMING TO MILITARY HAIR GROOMING STANDARDS
At one point, I embraced sisterlocks as a natural, protective style, but I was forced to cut them off twice, as they were considered “faddish” and unauthorized, even though they were always neat, clean, and compliant with length and bulk standards. The combination of inadequate support, styling restrictions, and regulation pressures took a toll, and my hair continued to thin.
Sisterlocks
quick weave
Letting go of my hair was incredibly hard, and even today, I have moments where I miss it or feel self-conscious, particularly as I often find myself the only bald woman in the room. But the numerous compliments I’ve received over the years remind me that I can find strength in my journey.
Combing Through Memories: The Art Born of Alopecia
When words fell short, art became my voice, my refuge. My Roots & Resilience collection is a series of combs, each one carrying the weight of what I’ve gained and what I’ve let go. These combs are my relics, my testaments, each tooth a memory, each handle a piece of the story that lives within me. They speak of beauty, yes, but also of the quiet strength it takes to bear witness to one’s own transformation.
In art, I found a place where pain became power, where loss found its voice. Art has become my sanctuary, my language, a way to hold space for others on journeys of their own.
Join Me on This Path of Resilience
Alopecia has redefined my journey, but it has not redefined me. If anything, it has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be whole. I invite you to explore my Roots & Resilience collection, where each piece is crafted as a reminder that true beauty lies not in what remains, but in the strength to stand in our truth.