Bosley Hair Loss Blog

Naomi Campbell ever-shrinking hairline

Model Naomi Campbell's disappearing hairline has been getting quite a bit of attention recently. A picture of her that was snapped at the opening night of La Fille Du Regiment at the Metropolitan Opera in New York yesterday reveals the significant recession of her hairline — the obvious starting point of her hair extensions make it a bit obvious.

According to sources, her significant hair loss may have occurred during the past month and a half. Just six weeks ago she was spotted in Brazil with a full-intact mane atop her head. Now, we can't help but wonder — could the hair loss be a consequence of her use of extensions? That's called traction alopecia, and we've written about it a few times in the past.

Traction alopecia is caused by the constant stress from hair extensions, or wearing a pony-tail to tightly. It can result in permanent hair loss, but is reversible if caught early on.

Worcester Sharks to have "Bald is Beautiful" event

This Sunday (April 6) in their game versus the Springfield Falcons, the Worcester Sharks, the AHL affiliate of the NHL San Jose Sharks, will host "Bald is Beautiful." The event will feature the Sharks' AHL Man of the Year Riley Armstrong getting his head shaved at the end of the game on the ice for the crowd to witness. His hair will be donated to the Locks of Love.

Armstrong has been growing his curly main since late October to prepare for the event.

Meet Joe, the hair farmer

Joe Kennedy of Seattle, Washington was a clean cut man with a close-crop do and a job in business. Well, he held onto the job (as far as we know), but he tossed the close-crop. In July of last year, after his most recent haircut to date, he let his golden locks unfurl. According to him, the idea came to him as he slept.

"I just woke up one day feeling like I'd been told to be a hair farmer" says Joe.

And farm he has. Here are  before and after pictures.

Joe plans on donating his hair to Locks of Love to make wigs for children suffering from hair loss. He sympathizes with these children because when he was in junior high, he spent some time at the Children's Hospital to be treated for what doctors thought was bone cancer. Well, lucky for him, it was just an infection but Joe witnessed the pain other children went through, and took note of the difficulty of coping with the hair loss caused by chemotherapy.

Joe set up a website—TheHairFarmer.com—to post updates on the progress of his "crop" and to create an opportunity for more people to join him. His goal is to coordinate at least 999 more hair farmers to grow their mops out to donate to Locks of Love.

It's a Bald Bald Bald World. AlopeciaWorld.com

We briefly mentioned it in the Bald Report last week, but AlopeciaWorld.com is worth more than just a shout out. This online social network brings brings people from all over the world who suffer from hair loss together to share their experiences.

Just like Facebook or Myspace, the site brings its members together to network, to share, to inspire, to encourage and to enlighten. Each member of Alopecia World builds their own profile, and can post blogs, photos, videos, events and announcements. They can create groups and spark discussions.

Many users agree that it's a special place—life-changing, even. So far, there's nearly 400 members, but it continues to grow daily. The more people that get involved the greater the sense of community among those who suffer from hair loss. This community will do a lot to help people cope with their condition.

Calling all alopecia victims!

We found some fantastic, uplifting words of inspiration from a fellow alopecia sufferer. A man who goes by the name "AlopeciaMan" on HealthCentral.com's forums shares the wisdom that he gained from personal experience with the disease.

"I've been living with alopecia for around 12 years, and while hair loss may not seem like an instance of chronic pain to some, let me tell you... it can be. I wanted to offer a word of inspiration for anyone who has alopecia and is unsure of how to deal with it... be comfortable with who you are. I was unbelievably self-conscious about my hair loss; for years I wouldn't even leave the house without a hat. Then I began to realize that other people noticed it far less than I imagined them to. And even when they did notice, it didn't effect how they treated me. So if you're living with alopecia, don't worry too much about it, it's only as limiting as you let it be."

P.S.  Get a warm winter hat!

-AlopeciaMan

The Little Princess Trust gets a big donation

The Little Princess Trust, the UK equivalent to the U.S. non-profit Locks of Loves, has received is largest donation ever. Rachel Rourke, a 14-year-old Englander, chopped off 20 inches of her blonde hair (in one sitting, mind you) to help other girls who suffer from alopecia or cancer. Her generosity didn't end there; Rachel donated the £200 (roughly $400) that she raised in sponsorships to the PDSA, a charity for animals.

Her locks will be sent to wig makers in the United States or China, and the finished product will help at least one child in need.

Sports Illustrated presents "Athletes Who Care"

Several weeks ago we wrote about Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva and his contributions to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. Here's a photo of him surrounded by many of the children who's hearts he touched since he began financial and emotional support to those suffering from the condition. He was featured in Sports Illustrated "Athletes Who Care" segment, which highlights athletes who spend time trying to make a positive difference in the world.

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.

Bald model a spokesperson for alopecia

New Zealand model Anna Fitzpatrick has recently been named a spokeswoman for the Australasian Princess Charlotte Alopecia Areata Foundation. The bald bombshell will work to bring alopecia universalis, the most common form of the disease, to the forefront.

Having suffered from the condition herself, Fitzpatrick can empathize with other victims. She went through a traumatic experience and wants to help others who have or are currently going through the same thing. The most important pointer anyone can give about alopecia is to learn to cope with the disease, especially considering the unpredictability of the prognosis.

Fitzpatrick tries to lighten the mood by describing some of the advantages to having no hair—she can have a different color hair every day. She has about a half dozen custom wigs at home, of all different shapes, sizes and colors.

Alopecia areata victim lands modeling contract

Helena Holmes, a 17-year-old girl from the United Kingdom, landed a three-year modeling contract just months after losing all of her hair from toxic shock syndrome.

During a New Year celebration last year, Helena contracted an infection that eventually resulted in toxic shock syndrome. She began to lose her hair while she was recovering from the infection, and by March, her hair was coming out in clumps. According to doctors, this was happening as a result of an allergic reaction to the illness or the treatment.

For three months, Helena wore a wig until her friends convinced her that she looked better without it. The rest is history. She met a modeling agent while vacationing with friends and eventually sent some head shots. Only a few days later, she began her career.

What's wonderful about her story is how not only she overcame her hair loss and proved to herself that her life has not changed, but also how much it has done for other women in her position.