The Month of September is Alopecia Awareness month. Alopecia is a medical condition that causes one to lose hair whether it is in patches or the whole head. This medical condition affects about 6.8 million people in the U.S. There is sadly no cure for this condition but there are treatments for the more severe cases. These treatments can work but they do have their own side effects and can only work for so long.

Micayla Darland is a junior at Castaic High School. She is someone who struggled with Alopecia and agreed to give us a more personal look on what it is and how it has affected her. “My Alopecia is autoimmune, meaning my immune system mistakes and attacks my hair cells as if they were invading cells,” Micayla explains. For most cases, the immune system fights off the hair cells which leads to hair on the scalp to fall off. Scientists believe genetics are involved. 1 of 5 people who have Alopecia have a family member who has experienced this condition.

Micayla made posters and hung them up around the school to spread awareness to the student body. It’s very important for everyone to know about this condition because knowing about it could prevent bullying. “When I lost all my hair in seventh grade due to my Alopecia and had to wear a wig, a lot of the bullying came from lack of understanding of what I was going through,” says Micayla, “By teaching others what Alopecia is and spreading awareness people will gain new knowledge.” Bullying is a really big issue so informing people on certain medical conditions and providing people with knowledge about the effects of those medical conditions will prevent a lot of people from getting hurt. 

You could also be like Micayla and spread awareness to people who don’t know about this. Passing out brochures at your local library, hanging posters at your local malls, even a post on your Snapchat story are small ways of spreading awareness. You could hold a book sale or have a jean day at your school are some bigger ways you could inform people. There are also many organizations that host walk-a-thons and fundraisers so the money can go towards doctors and scientists that are trying to find a cure for the condition. There are various websites you can visit, to donate and do your part to help spread awareness. If you struggle with Alopecia, know you’re not alone.