We all know at least one person in our entourage (family, friends, acquaintances, work colleagues, etc.) who suffers from alopecia, and it's often difficult to know what attitude to adopt in the face of this. Should we tell them that we think they have alopecia? Or should we keep it to ourselves? It's always tricky to find the right words, and it's a question I'm often asked, so I've decided to write this article to give you some advice on how to behave with someone suffering from this disease.
There are three different types of alopecia.
Case n°1: someone you know has noticed his or her alopecia and tells you about it spontaneously
Occasionally, someone you know will spontaneously tell you about hair loss (which you may have already noticed). In this situation, it's important to bear in mind that talking about hair loss is often painful and delicate for a woman who thinks she's affected by alopecia. If someone you know tells you they've noticed they're losing their hair and are worried about it, I'd advise you not to deny the problem.
You can tell her that you can't tell her for sure that she's suffering from hair loss, but that she's in the best position to know how dense her hair was to begin with. If she has any doubts, the best thing to do is consult a dermatologist, who may be able to reassure her and investigate the causes of her hair loss. After all, it's not our role to say whether someone has alopecia or not. Especially as hair loss can very well be temporary, linked to an iron or vitamin D deficiency, for example.
Don't forget that every sentence you say to a loved one about alopecia can mark and hurt them, so be careful in your choice of words. Indeed, they may have an impact on his self-confidence, so it's important to weigh up the consequences beforehand.
Case n°2: the person hasn't noticed his or her alopecia
Sometimes you notice alopecia in someone you know, but they don't seem to have noticed the hair loss at all. In this case, I wouldn't recommend talking to them about it. In fact, if your loved one hasn't noticed anything yet, talking to him or her about it won't do anything but worry him or her, raise questions and even create complexes he or she didn't have in the first place.
In fact, especially if you're young, it's hard to build up your self-confidence knowing that you have alopecia, which will no doubt progressively evolve over the years.
So I think it's important to let people make their own way and find out for themselves. As for me, my mother noticed my androgenetic alopecia when I was 20, at which age I was later diagnosed by a dermatologist. At that age, I hadn't noticed anything myself. But it quickly became a complex that I focused on.
Looking back today, I realize that I could have gradually realized this a few years later and saved myself 3 or 4 years of unnecessary suffering.
However, when your loved one notices that he or she may have alopecia and tells you about it, it's imperative that you refer them to a doctor to confirm or refute their suspicions.
But if one day the diagnosis is made, tell her that there are aesthetic solutions available (densifying powder, toppers capillaries) and that you'll be there to support her towards these solutions if she needs them. You can also point her in the direction of social network accounts that have opened up the subject of alopecia, and which can be a great help.
Case n°3: the person has noticed his alopecia but doesn't tell you about it
Sometimes, you can sense that the person is having a hard time with their alopecia, but won't broach the subject with you. If this is the case, there's no point in rushing her or encouraging her to talk to you. In fact, if your loved one hasn't decided to talk to you about it yet, it may be because he or she doesn't feel ready or doesn't feel the need to at the moment. When they feel confident enough to talk to you about it, they will do so naturally.
He may also choose not to discuss it with you, in which case you shouldn't force the issue, since alopecia is an intimate matter and no one is obliged to talk about it, even those closest to them.
Thank you for your support! Please let me know in the comments how you're coping with this situation 😉
Be yourself and be well! 🙂
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I understand what you're saying, but I wish someone had told me before, so I could have started treatment and acted on the cause since I've found it, and maybe I'd have more hair and less suffering by now. . .