Felicia Flores began noticing her hair loss after her daughter was born in 2001. “Possibly childbirth triggered it. However I began noticing some bald spots.”
With nearly half of Black ladies struggling some type of hair loss, in accordance with Johns Hopkins Medication, Flores went to a dermatologist to get extra data. She was informed it could possibly be a type of alopecia areata, a power autoimmune illness that causes hair loss in patches, and started a routine of steroids and lotions. “It will develop again, however then it might progressively worsen, and we upped the remedies,” she recalled.
The intensified cortisone injections, which occurred each 4 weeks, had been with out anesthesia. After which the worst occurred. “I had a daughter, and she or he handed away,” Flores shared. “I had a weave in my hair, and after the funeral, my buddies had been attempting to consolation me. I stated let me take out my weave, and there have been actually clumps of hair popping out.”
By way of her tears, Flores determined to shave her hair and put on a wig, believing her strands would finally develop again. “They by no means grew again. I wore that wig when it was sizzling and sunny and sweaty; consider me, that wig was not leaving me.”
However after years of cementing glue and slipping models, she realized she had sufficient. “In 2015, they’d the ‘Don’t Decide Me’ problem. My daughter and her good friend inspired me to do that problem and divulge to the world that I used to be bald. No one knew I used to be bald. My dad and mom didn’t know, most of my buddies didn’t know. That’s after I took the second to disclose it to the world. That was the beginning of me popping out and being bald and free,” she informed EBONY.
Now Flores empowers others with hair loss to reside life to the fullest. She chronicles her experiences on her Instagram @baldandfree, reassuring others they’ll reside full lives strand-free. From September 27 to 29, she is going to host Baldie Con in Atlanta, a convention the place individuals who endure from hair loss or select to reside a bald life can work together, study and help each other.
Right here, Flores talks extra about her empowering transition and the way her convention provides attendees the braveness to like themselves hair-free.
EBONY: How empowering was it if you stopped sporting wigs?
Felicia Flores: It was fearful. I had excessive nervousness. I felt like folks had been watching me. And so they had been as a result of it wasn’t as well-liked again then as it’s now. I began changing into extra empowered when folks had been saying you look stunning with out the wig and that they didn’t have the braveness to do it. It constructed my confidence and I began to really feel extra relaxed in my pores and skin. I used to be like, “Oh, wait, I’m nonetheless Felicia; I’m nonetheless into trend and touring. Not having any hair doesn’t cease that.” Guys would strategy me, and I used to be like, “Oh, you want this?” And they’d say, “You look nice!”
What impressed you to start out Baldie Con?
I began Baldie Con by myself journey of looking for a group to deliver consciousness and encourage each other. It’s a convention that claims, “Okay, you’re bald…let’s simply settle for you for you, and you might be stunning as you might be.” There wasn’t essentially something on the market prefer it that empowered Baldies to be of their true, genuine selves and share in that camaraderie.
What do folks expertise on the convention?
I wished to create one thing for girls, youngsters and males too, anyone going by way of hair loss to take care of all that comes with it: the psychological anguish, the nervousness, the not feeling your self. At this convention, we have fun and empower you to steer a extra fulfilling life and get again to you. Your baldness or no matter your situation is doesn’t outline you. Now we have workshops, panels and a spread of motivational audio system, from dermatologists and docs within the medical area to psychologists and therapists. One of many main issues we deal with is the psychological facet. Listening to different ladies’s tales and seeing somebody from company America who’s bald and residing out her reality is empowering.
What are a few of the greatest subjects mentioned?
Certainly one of our greatest subjects is courting and relationships. Many girls battle to have faith in courting and really feel female or adequate in comparison with somebody with hair. Now we have a courting panel that addresses that as effectively.
Is Baldie Con open to anybody with out hair?
We’re inclusive. So, it’s not simply people who find themselves bald attributable to alopecia, lupus or most cancers therapy. It’s additionally by selection. For ladies who select to be bald, it may be a battle as effectively as a result of they are saying, “I don’t need this hair to outline me.” Once they come to Baldie Con, they’re surrounded by different ladies who’ve that feeling. What joins us collectively is that we’re all bald and have that very same commonality.
What do you utilize to handle your scalp?
I take advantage of cocoa and shea butter and a few fantastic merchandise from Ruby T Shaving that depart your scalp feeling easy. Just a few butter and I’m out the door. It’s really easy. I prepare in 5 minutes. I don’t fear about my hair. I placed on my lashes and go. I’m a fast date, honey!
If somebody has hair loss and is grappling with what to do subsequent, what recommendation do you give?
The very first thing I might do is search medical consideration. Positively go to a dermatologist and have them run assessments and your doctor as a result of it could possibly be linked to one thing the place your thyroid is off steadiness. You might see a trichologist who may analyze your scalp. Chances are you’ll not need conventional hair medication, so a homeopath could possibly provide you with different routes. Additionally, see a psychologist to your psychological wellness.
Once you get that analysis, otherwise you get a bald patch, instantly go to the dermatologist. Typically, if it’s detected early sufficient and relying on what kind of alopecia it’s, they begin one thing to forestall it from worsening. After all, it’s my mission and my ardour to empower others to know your hair doesn’t outline you and to vary society’s magnificence requirements of what magnificence ought to appear to be. Let me enable you get again to you and what makes you cheerful. Know that you just’re stunning, simply the way in which you might be.
