Hello beautiful people! I'm back with a new blog entry, and apparently it's been over 2 years since my last post. Well, I have a good reason for getting back to it and I'm excited to share that with you.
I've been updating my website recently, with the most notable update being new photos by the incredible Denise Grant- along with a new look. This new look is a big change, one that is getting noticed and prompting questions- so I wanted to answer those questions here.
Yes, I'm bald now. No I don't have the big C, but kudos to you folks who are coping with that. What I do have is a scarring hair loss condition called lichen planopilaris. The scarring part means that it's permanent- the hair follicles die. It is progressive and started many years ago- a friend saw the back of my head while I was doing my hair and said, "Hey, you have a bald spot!" That spot on my crown kept getting bigger and bigger, along with thinning on top and eventually at the sides too.
Luckily I've always had coarse, curly hair, so even as it got thinner I was able to hide my baldness. But anything that caused my hair to flatten out became the enemy- swimming, hats, rain, wind. And I was starting to catch glimpses of my gleaming scalp in overhead lighting- not cool. So, I decided to take control and get rid of my hair completely.
The trick was to make it look like I could still grow a full head of hair if I wanted to- and that's where scalp micropigmentation came in. Basically, it involves inking your scalp with a whole bunch of tiny dots to simulate the look of hair follicles where you don't have them anymore. I had heard about this procedure a few years ago and I finally decided that it was the answer for me. I also did a lot of research on wigs, but decided I didn't want that to be my only option.
And boy was it the right choice- it's so freeing not have to worry about my hair, or rather the lack of it. And it's low maintenance. I still have wigs to wear for fun or for work, and they generally fit better. Plus I lucked out in the head shape department- no crazy lumps or bumps.
There is another reason why I decided that the timing was right to go bald, and it involved getting a background acting role. I look forward to sharing more about that when I can, until then I'm sworn to secrecy. Where's the fun without a little mystery, right?
Tune in next time when I discuss the pros and cons of razors vs. electric shavers. Kidding! Although I do invite any questions or comments on the topic below.
Much love,
J.