How Alopecia Areata Effects On Everyday Life

How Alopecia Areata Effects On Everyday Life

Alopecia Areata in the workplace

Though an alopecia areata diagnosis would have no effect on one's ability to perform in the workplace, many times individuals become distracted by their new appearance and the perceived reactions from co-workers.

Whether or not you decide to open up about your alopecia areata in the workplace is entirely up to you. For many individuals, it depends on the nature of their work environment, the level of closeness they feel with their co-workers, and ultimately, the level of safety they feel in discussing what they are going through.

There are many different ways individuals have opened up about their alopecia areata in their workplace, though it generally involves a component of education about the disease. If you would like to hear about different strategies used to educate the workplace about alopecia areata, as well as different ways that individuals have opened up about their disease, please contact the NAAF office.

Alopecia Areata in School

It is important to educate the administration, teachers and fellow students of your child about alopecia. Though the autoimmune disease is common, many people still do not know about alopecia areata. It is important to stress, particularly in a classroom setting, that your child is not sick, that alopecia areata is not contagious, and that alopecia areata will not limit a child from doing all of the activities that other children do.

The National Alopecia Areata Foundation has created a School Pack to help parents, teachers and administrators educate students about alopecia areata. Please contact NAAF if you would like a hard copy mailed to you directly.

Alopecia Areata in Relationships

The alopecia areata diagnosis in adulthood differs from the diagnosis in children in that once most individuals have entered adulthood, they have established their place in society. Most adults are involved in many relationships based on their identity, including how they view themselves and how they are viewed by the world.

Opening up to a significant other about one's alopecia areata can be a stressful endeavor. Many individuals choose to do this immediately upon embarking in an emotional relationship with someone, while others choose to wait until deeper trust in this significant other has been established.

NAAF has heard many inspiring stories about how individuals have shared their experiences with alopecia areata with a loved one, and we would love to share these with you. If you are unsure about how to open up about your alopecia areata, please contact the NAAF office for support!

Having Children after an Alopecia Areata Diagnosis

As an adult with this disease, the question of having children is practically inevitable. Many adults with alopecia worry that they will have children with alopecia, which impacts their outlook on bearing children. Though no one will be able to give you a definite answer as to whether or not you will have a child with alopecia areata, the odds are in favor of not letting the disease stop you. There is a one in five chance that an individual with alopecia areata could pass the disease onto their children, though there are many individuals who have had more than five children, none of whom became affected. Ultimately, the choice is up to you and your partner. If you would like to discuss this more with the NAAF office, please feel free to contact us

Source: National Alopecia Areata Foundation