A woman who had never experienced alopecia has documented her shocking experience of developing the condition and losing all her hair in just two months.
Having never had any major hair loss in the past, Alberte Schack, 29, was stunned when her boyfriend pointed out a bald spot in August of this year. She thought it was just a joke at first, even warning him that it's "not something to make jokes about." However, he wasn't kidding and he captured a photo of the top of her head to show the small patch on her parting.
"I immediately freaked out and started shaking and crying," Schack told Newsweek. "It was like my body already knew what it was. I knew about alopecia, and it was the first thing I thought about."
In the following days and weeks, Schack, from Denmark, watched as her hair continued to fall out in large clumps, and more bald spots appeared on her scalp. She tried to hide it for a few weeks by changing where her hair was parted, but when it became harder to conceal, she started wearing headscarves instead.
Schack said: "After 14 days, I finally got a doctor's appointment, but the only answer I got was that is normal. I knew this wasn't normal for me, though.
"Then I found a dermatologist who specialized in hair loss. I went to him and started treatment. After two months, I stopped because my hair just kept falling out anyway and by that time, I'd lost around 70 percent of it," Schack continued.
The 29-year-old said it was incredibly demoralizing to watch her hair fall out every day. To make things worse, she didn't even know why it was happening.
What Is Alopecia?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, causing patches of hair loss on a person's body. It causes the immune system to attack the body, regarding hair follicles as foreign invaders that could cause infection or illness. As a result, hair falls out in clumps, usually the size of a quarter.
As explained by The Cleveland Clinic, anyone can develop it, but the chances of it occurring are higher in children, when there is a family history of it, or if family members have an autoimmune disease such as diabetes or lupus.
It is a common disorder, with around 7 million people in the U.S. living with the condition, according to The Cleveland Clinic. Indeed, it's the second-most common form of hair loss, behind female-pattern baldness and male-pattern baldness.
Within two months of discovering the first bald spot, Schack had lost most of the hair on her head. By October 19, she made the decision to shave off the rest of her hair and began wearing wigs instead.
Throughout it all, she tried to remain optimistic and thankful for what she still had. But that became increasingly difficult.
Schack told Newsweek: "I was just so sad, but I tried to remain grateful that it isn't a life-threatening illness. I was determined not to let my hair define the person I am, and I tried so hard not to let my hair loss control my life.
"I'm not 100 percent sure what caused it, but last year, I lost my grandma to a rapid cancer battle, and my whole family was devastated. During that time, I also had a job which made me very stressed and unhappy. I think all of this might have triggered my alopecia as it seemed to appear the second I allowed my body to fully relax again."
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Carmen Castilla, director of clinical research at New York Dermatology group, told Newsweek that stress can be "a common trigger" for patients with alopecia. It could be stressful life events, or illnesses that take a physical toll on the body.
"Losing most of your hair in two months is incredibly fast and unusual," Castilla said. "Most people have just one or a few spots of hair loss, which can be on the scalp, face (eyelashes, eyebrows, beard), or even body. It is very uncommon to have such fast progression of alopecia areata, although it does happen on some occasions."
There is still a lot to be learned about alopecia areata, including what triggers it, and how it can be prevented.
"The majority of people with alopecia areata manage it with steroid injections into the affected areas. Usually, this is done on a monthly basis until the hair regrows. The injections treat the visible hair loss, but it does not prevent other spots from appearing. It can be combined with topical prescription medications as well," Castilla said.
Sharing Her Story Online
Schack has been documenting the whole experience, since finding the first bald spot-on August 24. She took photos to show how the hair loss progressed, how she tried to conceal it, and how she "decided to take back control" by buying her first wig on October 19.
Ordinarily, she is a very private person, but Schack wanted to raise awareness for this common condition that can feel shameful to many. She wished to connect with others and provide hope for those who may feel alone.
Schack posted about her experience on TikTok (@alberte_schack) and her story went viral with almost 300,000 views and over 12,200 likes so far.
"I feel so strongly about spreading awareness for female hair loss. I found it therapeutic to be open about my journey and to let people see me bald," Schack said. "Shaving your head is so hard, but once you do it, you will feel so much more control. So, take that control as soon as you are ready."
Since going viral, Schack has been astonished by the support and positivity she has received from social-media users. Many people thanked her for sharing her experience and even wrote about their own stories, too.
In time, Schack hopes people will see that hair loss isn't a taboo subject, and people going through alopecia shouldn't feel embarrassed. She urges people to connect with others through online support groups and encourage one another, rather than feel isolated.
"I really want people who struggle with hair loss to know that it doesn't affect your worth. It's a very harsh and humbling experience to watch your hair fall out in big chunks, but your mindset shouldn't change in a day. I'm still struggling and will for a long time," Schack added.
With over 425 comments on the TikTok post already, many people praised Schack for being so transparent about her difficult experience.
One comment reads: "Crying so much at this. I've been losing my hair for months and some days I don't even want to wake up. Your courage has inspired me."
Another person wrote: "I love this. You are amazing."
"Saw this while I'm sitting here crying about having alopecia. Thank you for making this," one TikTok user responded.
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