March 2011

A full head of hair is something most people take for granted, especially girls. However, there are those like 10-year-old Jenna Cooley who don't have that luxury. They have a disease called "Alopecia Areata," that turns the body's defenses against body hair, leaving hair patchy at best and completely gone at worst.

Cooley, who lives in Alpharetta, has had the disease all her life. Her hair comes and goes in waves, often appearing as just bald patches in the scalp.

But for many others, the baldness is total. In men, the disease might not mean so much, but for the little girls who love their pigtails and ponytails, this can be a dramatic blow to their self esteem.

"You just don't know how bad it's going to get or when it's going to happen," said Cooley's mother, Diane. "The interesting thing is that when Jenna was little, we tried to shield her from it, even hide it from her. As she got older, we realized that wasn't the best thing. So we're trying to get her more involved with it each year."

So Diane started "It's Just Hair" five years ago to help those with alopecia. The stylists at Taylor Brooks Salon give a little of their time to chop off ponytails for donation to Locks of Love, a charity that makes wigs. While often associated with cancer patients, the majority of their wigs go to those with alopecia. To date, nearly 400 ponytails have been donated by It's Just Hair.

"As a girl, it's really hard," said Karen Deshazor, an Alpharetta woman who has had the disease since she was a young girl. "Being able to feel normal and accepted is really empowering," she said, and the wigs provided by Locks of Love provide that normality.

It's Just Hair will take place Monday, May 23 between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Taylor Brooks Salon and Spa, 11550 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta. For more information or to register, contact Diane Cooley at itsjusthair@gmail.com or 678-521-5639.

Source

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