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Joanna

Joanna’s Story

Hi, my name is Joanna; I am 20 years old and have been getting Locks of Love hairpieces for 6 years now.

At 18 months old I began losing my hair, it started as a spot on the back of my head. Eventually the alopecia became aggressive and I lost the hair on my entire head by the age of eight. By that point my alopecia areata turned into alopecia totalis, then alopecia universalis. I had lost every hair on my body; eyebrows, eyelashes, leg hair, etc.…

Alopecia at one point consumed my life. It held me back from doing things with friends and having a “normal” childhood. Growing up with alopecia put me in a terrible place emotionally; being subject to bullies at school is something I wish no one has to go through. I have been whispered about, called names, and I have had my wig pulled off at school before and it was my worst nightmare coming to life in front of all of peers, it was horrifying.

Soon after my mother found out more information about Locks of Love and applied and I was so thankful that I was going to receive a beautiful hairpiece. My confidence returned just in time to start my freshman year of high school! Knowing I had the security of a vacuum sealed hairpiece that was extremely lifelike washed away all of my worries. I became more comfortable with myself, less insecure, and more social. I excelled in sports without a worry in the world. I went to pool parties and sleepovers. I did these things without having to worry about what people might think or say I got to be free from alopecia. I got to live.

At 20 years old I still struggle day to day with my own insecurities that I still haven’t overcome completely but Locks of Love has truly made my life so much more emotionally manageable. Locks of Love took one of the things that has caused me so much pain, emotionally and physically (treatments aren’t very fun), and turned it into something I could completely forget about. Locks of Love made me feel beautiful again. For that I am forever grateful.

I am currently about to receive my fourth hairpiece from Locks of Love and could not be more thankful for what this amazing foundation has done for all the little girls and even boys, for restoring the smile on our faces and our confidence. I would also like to say thank you on behalf of my mother, Locks of Love made it so she would not have to see her little girl cry over something neither one of us could control.