For the past 26 years the National Alopecia Areata Foundation put on their four day International Conference, changing the lives of thousands of people.

This conference provides those with alopecia areta as well as supporters with tons of information about the disease, the latest medical research updates and the invaluable connection with others who care.

The 2012 National Areata Foundation Internation Conference ie being held in Washington DC from July 19 through the 22. Tickets and information are available at
www.naafconference.org
and
www.naaf.org

Unlike Alopecia Areata or Androgenic Alopecia, hair loss from cancer signifies illness that is potentially fatal and is not to be taken lightly. Chemotherapy drugs make a person sick and can cause hair loss while fighting cancer. Many people see baldness (especially when it comes to women) and think “cancer” or “sick” regardless if the woman is fighting cancer, or simply has a form or Alopecia.
This can be incredibly hard for a woman. Hard not just because she is fighting cancer, and hard not because she is loosing her hair but also difficult to explain to the ones around you what you are experiencing and why. Especially children.

Meet Sue Glader, a woman, a mother, an author and a breast cancer survivor.

With the help of illustrator, Edith Buenen, the quirky children’s story No Where Hair was created. Glader was diagnosed with breast cancer right after her son’s first birthday and was inspired to find a way for adults and parents to communicate to their children about cancer and how it is effecting them.

This story is about a little girl who is seeking for the answer of why her mother has lost her hair. It shows that chemotherapy may cause a mother to loose her hair, make her tired and even sometimes cranky, but not her sense of style, humor, happiness or love for her child.

” It does the heavy lifting, without being heavy.
It addresses a child’s guilt, fear, sadness and anxiety with a light touch. ”
- http://www.nowherehair.com

The requirements on the Miss America’s Website are as follows:

• Be between the ages of 17 and 24.
• Be a United States citizen.
• Meet residency requirements for competing in a certain town or state.
• Meet character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization.
• Be in reasonably good health to meet the job requirements.

And although it doesn’t say here explicitly that you must be good looking, being attractive is definitely a given.
We live a world where attractiveness has some social standards. These standards are obviously subjective but there are some items that seem pretty universal- A general appearance of youth and health, which includes flawless skin, clear eyes and lustrous thick hair.
How is it that a woman suffering from Alopecia Areata became a Miss America Contestant!?

Allow me to introduce Kayla Martell, Miss Delware 2010!



Kayla Martell started loosing her hair at age 10 and by the age of 13 was completely bald. She grew up in Delaware and was a Miss American fan long before she began loosing her hair. Her mother took her to watch her first Miss American Pageant at age 4. Regardless of her hair loss, she won her first pageant at 13 yrs old and didn’t stop there. Unlike many who loose their hair, Kayla chose to go wig-less. She attended many of her pageants without a wig and spends her personal life, comfortable in her on skin.
She now can be seen sporting a blonde wig as after a few years of not winning Miss Delaware, she decided to see if the public would respond differently to her with a blonde wig. Although she is completely confident and comfortable without a wig she acknowledges that bald women are not something seen everyday, and she wants to remain approachable to everyone. Wearing a wig also allows her to address her Alopecia on her own terms rather than having the first question be- why are you bald and are you ok?

Her confidence is inspirational. Here is a video and article from ABC News featuring this amazing woman.

If you or someone you love is suffering from Hair Loss read more here:
Coping with Hair Loss