When Did You Start to Go Bald? A Personal Journey Through Hair Loss

When I was 38 and engaged for 25 years to my wife, I noticed for the first time a bald spot in our engagement photos. It was a moment that made me realize my hair wasn't as full as I had always thought. Over the years, my hair has continued to thin and gray, but I still have quite a bit left.

My journey with hair loss actually began much earlier, in 6th grade. Due to severe anaphylaxis from a reaction to a specific plant, a dermatologist had to remove much of my hair. They left only a few tufts, which I used for my combover. The doctor even went so far as to say that my scalp was too traumatized to ever regenerate hair. I never knew that hair could be so resilient!

Understanding Hair Loss and Empathy

Some people, like me, aren't bothered by hair loss due to medical reasons such as long-term steroid use for inflammatory bowel disease. However, this can be a sensitive topic. I was not bothered by what was happening until others pointed it out, and some even made fun of my hair loss. If you made fun of a cancer patient going bald due to chemotherapy, would that be okay? Of course not, so why make fun of someone with hair loss due to another health condition?

A Personal Experience: Born Bald and Growing Back

It might be hard to believe, but I was actually born bald. Doctors call this alopecia universalis, but it went into remission after a while. Gigantically, my hair started growing back like a Chia Pet, and by the time I was 16, my head was a ball of hair and an Adam's apple!

My twenties were a full mane of thick and unyielding hair, dark and lush like a Dickensian novel. A rumor circulated that people lived inside my hair, but they were just camping. When I hit my thirties, my hair loss returned, starting at the top of my head. By 40, my head was a shining hill of baldness, signaling that it was time to move on.

Positive Aspects of Hair Loss

There are some perks to being bald. At 42, when asked if I wanted the senior special at a restaurant, I declined as I helped a poor kid off the ground. I was allowed to stay and eat if I promised not to punch anymore staff! My baldness has also made me a mobile Christmas tree ornament. Lights shine on my head and many families attempt to drag me into the shopping cart, earning me a complimentary stay on the couch each year.

Conclusion

So there you have it, the answer to the question, 'When did you start to go bald?' Through my experience, I hope to shed light on the reality of hair loss and the empathy needed to understand those going through it. Each person's journey is unique, and while baldness may bring challenges, it also comes with unexpected perks.