Alopecia - @alison_mann

"I started to lose my hair at a very young age. By the end of 1st grade I was completely bald due to an autoimmune disorder called Alopecia. Losing my hair in a world where the “ideal” standards of beauty are extremely narrow made it difficult to fully accept myself and the way I looked. Society was constantly telling me that I looked like a boy, that I must have cancer & that I wasn’t as beautiful as other girls. Learning to completely love myself and find true self confidence was a long road, but I am very lucky to have reached a point where I can confidently say I would not want to have it any other way. I can not imagine my life without Alopecia and I am forever grateful that it gives me a platform to help others start accepting themselves for who they truly are. Awareness and speaking up is vital in order to break the stigma against hair loss. This was a big factor in why I decided to start my YouTube channel so that my message could reach more people. I am very excited to wear my A.W.A.R.E necklace because, to me, it represents making progress towards breaking the stereotypical ideal of beauty and teaching people that our uniqueness is what truly makes us beautiful. If there is a cause you’d like to raise awareness and show support for use the code “aware15” for 15% off!" @alison_mann