Alopecia led to attempted suicide for one UK woman

This news story from the Mirror describes the feeling of helplessness that many people suffering alopecia experience. Lisa Aveyard of the UK attempted suicide at her home in Bradford, West Yorkshire. While her mother was rushing her to the nearby hospital she asked her daughter in desperation "Why?" Lisa cried out about her alopecia and that no one understands what it's like to deal with it. She had been suffering from the condition since she was 13 years old. In the beginning, her hair was thinning in only a few places, but eventually—and inevitably—her hair began to fall out in clumps until she was completely bald.

Doctors believe Lisa's alopecia was onset from emotional shock suffered from the loss of both of her grandmothers and having recently moved into a new house and new school.

Without an end to the condition in sight, she felt that suicide was her only option. Many people suffering from alopecia have similar feelings of helplessness. This is why it is so important for organizations like the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, which work with sufferers of the condition to help them cope with their hair loss, to have adequate funding. Organizations like these also work to educate the public about alopecia in hopes of a greater acceptance of those who suffer from it—the end goal is to banish this feeling of hopelessness among sufferers.

Lisa Aveyard eventually saw the end of her hair loss when she was pregnant with her son Callum, but it only lasted until six weeks after she gave birth. In fact, this time she also lost her eyebrows. She's saving money to hopefully one day receive hair transplantation surgery, but she has accepted her baldness for now.