I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at 5 years of age. My name is Connor, and this is my experience with it.

I don’t remember much when I got the consensus on what it was. I just remember people feeling bald spots on my head. It felt weird, unusual. I remember initially my mum tried a bunch of different things to get the alopecia to die down. None of which I remember being particularly effective.

I wasn’t terribly worried about it initially as there were only a couple of bald spots. I remember having many friends who would ask about it. But never dislike me for it.

Throughout the period of life, I have lived, the bald areas of my head have ebbed and flowed moving like continental drift. Additionally, they have also become bigger or smaller and it seemingly doesn’t follow any rules or order. They could be anywhere, anytime.

I’ve never had one of those horrifying experiences like I have heard so many times before, where hair has just fallen off whilst sleeping. And if I have, (which I might’ve) I don’t really remember it which is a good thing.

As I aged, I grew more cognisant of my alopecia. This wasn’t a problem, but I hated explaining to others what I had. I understood why they asked. I would probably ask too if I were them. But it’s like when you have a broken arm and have to tell the story to people over and over again. I just want to ignore it and get on with my life.

Though, I had good friends, and they would explain it to me because they knew I was tired of it. And what really helped me most was having friends that liked me for me no matter what.

Later in primary school, I started going to the gym. It built my size considerably and put me physically ahead of all my peers.

It wasn’t my intention, but any previous bullies I had or people that messed with me either ceased communication or started being nice around me. I haven’t had anyone antagonising me for years.

Perhaps being buff isn’t the best strategy to fight off people making mean remarks or bullying me, but it worked brilliantly and significantly improved my quality of life.

Once I moved to high school my awareness of my own Alopecia somewhat plateaued. I wore a hat 24/7, so it was rare that others asked what was wrong with my hair. I built a solid friend group quickly, and my awareness of my alopecia was very high. But my acknowledgement was very low.

Very recently I got a haircut and took off the cap for school. Now I don’t wear a cap to school, and I am very proud of this fact. My bald spots this year are all relatively easy to cover and I haven’t gotten a single question about it.

The AAAF has helped me find a sense of community when attending things like camps. It makes me more aware that other people are like me. And that I don’t need to go through any of this alone.

Additionally, my recent escapade into game development and the AAAF graciously giving me sponsorship has given me more confidence in myself which I lacked. It feels as though my work and therefore myself have more value.

Overall, Alopecia, as much as my bests attempts to ignore it always seeps through the cracks of my life. But sometimes as opposed to sewage seeping through the tiny crevices and being a nuisance, it can be liquid concrete, patching myself up and giving me more stability. Things like this sponsorship are the liquid concrete I am talking about. Giving me more confidence in myself and my abilities so that next time when I start doubting myself, I can remember different things that I have achieved.

Thank you for reading.