Find A Youth Mentor

Hi! My name is Lauren. I’m 27 years old and live in the Lansing, MI area. I’m a full time Web Designer, and went to school at Michigan State University and Lansing Community College. I love art; am a photographer in my free time, and I grew up riding horses (I love all animals!). Recently, I’ve taken up meditation and yoga to help deal with anxieties that Alopecia can cause. I’ve pretty much had Alopecia Areata my whole life. The only time I had a full head of hair was when I was born. Around the age of 3, I had no hair on my head, but eventually ended up with patches of hair. I struggled a lot when I was younger, especially when I was in middle school. My mom would try to help me hide my spots using a variety of methods before school every morning, but kids started to figure out that I was hiding something under my bandana or fake pony-tail. The bullying got so bad that I developed PTSD, and became a very depressed and anxious person. To this day, I wish I had someone to talk to and relate to while I was going through these struggles. That is why I am volunteering as a mentor for NAAF: so that I can be the support I wish I had, for someone else who struggles with Alopecia Areata. After moving out and living on my own, I started to figure out that Alopecia should not define my life. I met many wonderful people who have taught me that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, including a wonderful guy who loves me and all my flaws. I started seeing life in a different light, and that things weren’t as bleak as they once seemed. I’ve learned to look past the negative and dark things to truly appreciate the positive things in life, and to be thankful for the life I was given. Even though it’s been a struggle having Alopecia, I feel like it has shaped me into being a wiser and more compassionate person, and I wouldn’t change any of that if I could!

Hi everyone! My name is Scott Weitman and I am a 16 year old junior at Yorktown High School in Westchester County, NY. I was diagnosed with alopecia just before my 4th birthday and my journey has been somewhat of a roller coaster. From kindergarten to middle school, my hair fell out and grew back in cycles. It wasn’t until 6th grade that it all fell out and did not grow back for almost 5 years. I have experienced it all; alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis. Now at 16, after being bald for 5 years, my hair and my eyebrows have grown back but I am still missing my eyelashes. My family and I have learned that the more we educate our family, friends, and community, the easier it is for me. I also found it valuable to meet other children and adults with alopecia. I traveled to meet Charlie Villanueva at his Charlie’s Angels events, attended several NAAF conferences, and I traveled over 600 miles to meet Ryan Shazier. All these experiences have helped me in my journey to becoming the confident teenager that I am today. Some things that I enjoy doing include watching and playing sports. I currently play Varsity Baseball and Varsity Soccer at my high school. I am a pitcher for the baseball team and a goalie for the soccer team. I love watching football every Sunday and I am a huge Steelers fan. In addition, I play basketball and coach a basketball team for 5th and 6th graders. I also love to play video games especially NBA 2K ‘19. In the winter, I love to go skiing. Growing up with alopecia has taught me how to take adversity and turn it into the opportunity to help others. Even though I have alopecia, alopecia does not have me.

Born and raised in Syracuse, NY, I am the middle child of 5 kids (4 girls and 1 boy). I started losing my hair when I was around 8 years old. No one in my family had experienced hair loss like this before, so I remember going to doctors to figure out what was going on. We tried lots of different treatments, but nothing seemed to be helping. I remember the embarrassment, shame, sadness, and anxiety I felt whenever going out in public or having people in my own home. At times, I felt like no one could ever love me looking the way I did. I experienced bullying at school and was often asked if I had cancer. I was afraid to wear a hat to school, as I did not want to draw attention to myself. I was afraid to go into a pool and get my hair wet, as it made my bald spots show even more. Overall, Alopecia made me afraid of many things. From these experiences, I decided I wanted to spend my life helping children and adolescents that experience anxiety and sadness. Now living in Connecticut, I am currently living that dream as a Licensed Professional Counselor (basically a therapist), working with people of all ages (mostly kids) that struggle with this stuff. On my free time, I love spending time with my 4-year-old identical twin boys, Louis & Luca, going to the beach, doing arts and crafts, trying new foods, listening to music, and laughing as much as possible! When I signed up for this program, I could only think about how my life may have been different if I had someone growing up going through the same thing as me. I hope to provide that for you. From my view, things do not seem as scary when we don’t have to go through them alone. Please reach out with any questions. I look forward to connecting with you!

Hey there, I'm Molly! I'm a 25-year-old touring musician from California now living in Nashville, TN. I love music and travel all over the world performing with my band. I was diagnosed with alopecia universalis at age 3. I went through many stages of acceptance and denial with my alopecia. As a child I wore a lot of hats and transitioned into wearing wigs in high-school. My biggest fear used to be someone finding out that I wore a wig, but now I love telling people that I have alopecia because I think it's an important and amazing part of who I am. I also like to use my music as a platform to let my fans know about alopecia. As a kid, NAAF was an indispensable resource to my family and me. Each time I went to a conference I was able to come out of my shell, and see not having hair as something cool and special about myself. Having someone to talk to year round who understands what it's like to grow up with alopecia would have been so helpful to me so I'm thrilled to be a part of this youth mentor program. In my free time I like doing yoga, going to the movies, reading, writing songs, riding my bike and going to concerts. I'm here to help however I can by lending support, listening, answering questions, being a friend or just having fun together (or all of the above :))!

Hi! My name is Courtney and I’m from Odenton, MD. I’m 23 and studied International Affairs at James Madison University. I’ve had hair loss on and off since I was about 10 or so. Around my senior year of high school the patches got so bad, I decided to take the plunge and shave it all off! From that time on it’s been a lot, from losing eyelashes and wearing wigs, I’ve seen it all and would be happy to talk about my experiences. I’m also interested in all things travel, music, writing, hiking, and t.v shows. I’m excited to meet others and help in any way I can!

Hi! My name is Glenn and I grew up in a small town outside of Syracuse, New York. I’ve been a part of NAAF for four years now. I decided to stop wearing my wig after my third NAAF conference which was the beginning of my junior year in high school. I have made so many friends through NAAF and I’m truly blessed to have found such a great community of support! I have learned through Alopecia to be more confident and embrace my true self. Last year I got my eyebrows tattooed on and I wear eyeliner in place of lashes. I have a few wigs and now I only wear them on the occasion of very cold weather or just wanting to have some hair! I am currently a senior in high school and I’m applying to college for business next fall. I enjoy being outside, playing lacrosse, watching movies and traveling! I’m always up to try something new and learn more about other people! I look forward to talking with you and helping in any way I can!

Hi! My name is Andrea (Anj) and I grew up in Canton, Massachusetts. After living in Nashville, TN and Portland, ME, I moved to Newton, Massachusetts. I studied human and organizational development at Vanderbilt University and am currently working full time as a Revenue Cycle Technology Trainer. My hobbies include swimming, trivia, reading, traveling, hiking, and watching movies. Now a little more about my alopecia journey. When I was nine years old, I began to lose my hair. Within one year, all the hair on my head had fallen out and I began wearing bandanas, my signature look. A few years later, I began to lose my eyebrows and eyelashes, which miraculously grew back. I definitely understand alopecia’s unpredictability. Although I own a wig, I prefer to wear a bandana (for warmth and sun protection) or just go bald! During cold weather, I love wearing my fuzzy moose hat I acquired in Maine. Thankfully, due to the support of family and friends, I live a normal life full of relationships and adventures, and embrace my uniqueness! I truly believe alopecia has shaped who I am today and has made me a strong, self-assured individual. Due to my confidence, I have already helped others experiencing baldness from alopecia and chemotherapy. Whether someone needs advice, a shoulder to cry on, or just a friend, I am there for them! I am excited to share my experience and be there for others, since I certainly needed it when I began my alopecia journey. Together, we can conquer anything!

My name is Traci and I was born and raised in sunny California! I currently live in Los Angeles, after 5 years of living in New York, and am a journalist and writer. I started losing my hair when I was 7 years old and was diagnosed with alopecia shortly after. Growing up with alopecia was challenging because it was such a new experience for my parents and for me to navigate those conversations with my peers (as well as trying to figure out the world of wigs!), but I think it's made me a stronger person too. I've been lucky to have supportive friends and I've learned to talk about alopecia without feeling self-conscious and scared about judgement – but I also know how challenging that process is, and it's not always easy, but I know with the right support system, we can all make the world a kinder and more accepting place!

Hello! My name is Christine and I am originally from Stillwater, Minnesota and currently I am living out in Salt Lake City, UT. I attended the University of Minnesota where I studied Economics with an emphasis on Mathematics. Fresh out of college I began working for General Mills (go Cheerios!) and since then I have been relocated from MN to Utah where I absolutely love what I do. On a more somber note, I was diagnosed with alopecia areata the summer before I headed off to college (18 years old). At the time I was absolutely devastated, but as I got more comfortable with my diagnosis it became very clear to me that those who love you do not care about what you look like and that inner beauty is what truly matters. This is something that still holds true for me and has impacted my life in numerous ways. Although this disease is burdensome there always is a silver lining and hope! When I was first diagnosed, I chose to keep my alopecia a secret by covering up spots in sneaky and creative ways as well as utilizing hair extensions. I didn’t have anyone to talk to or to discuss my feelings with, looking back that was my biggest mistake. Wanting to help others with this disease and give them the outlet I so wish I had when I received the news is why I chose to reach out to NAAF and become involved in this program. I am who I am today because of this disease and it seems crazy to say but I would do it all again, it has given me strength and confidence and has instilled in me a spirit of endurance and acceptance that has led me to become the successful business woman I am today!

Hi, my name is Katy! I am from a town outside of Detroit, MI, but I am currently a student at Michigan State University studying human biology and bioethics. I aspire to go to medical school and work in pediatrics. Outside of that, I love singing, movies, reading, all things science, hiking, and spending time with my friends and family. My alopecia journey began when I was 13 years old. My first spot was on the back of my head and easily concealed… for a while. However, shortly after I had lost 75% of my hair. It grew back, only to fall out again a year later. Again, it grew back, until it fell out for a final time. With each period of growth, I was filled with hope that this time it would stay for good. The emotional toll of losing your hair is intense; mentally I struggled. During this time, I wore hats, headbands, and a hairpiece to add in some volume, but this was difficult as I very clearly stood out as “different” in the uniformed masses at my school. I also tried many different treatments, from steroid injections to topical shampoos to Anthralin. However, when my hair fell out that final time, I decided to stop treatments and instead went wig shopping for my new hair! It was daunting, and I was worried that buying new hair was “giving up”, but really it was taking back control and embracing my diagnosis instead of hiding from it. Now, I wear a wig or just go bald (though getting comfortable enough to do that took some time!). I love my alopecia. I love discussing it and educating new people on what it is. Now it is just another piece of me, like how my eyes are brown or I love to sing. However, I still remember those dark moments when hair loss was all-encompassing, and I hope to be able to provide support and a listening ear that gets it to those newly diagnosed, or those just struggling with where they are in their alopecia journey.