I have alopecia areata which started in August last year. I am finding it very difficult to hide now, although I have long hair and the few people that know about it kindly assure me that they cannot see the bald patches unless I show them. The problem is that I know the patches are there and my confidence has been knocked beyond belief. Getting ready every day is a chore because I have to ensure that I have a hat and scarf to wear in order to save any embarrassment and as the weather gets warmer, this look will become increasingly difficult to pull off! At this stage it is impossible to know how much more hair I will lose but if it carries on at this rate then I feel that I will soon have to think about taking steps towards wearing a wig. My hairloss is from just above my ears downwards. Maybe I could get a hairpiece to cover up the missing 3 or 4 inch strip at the back?? Wish this wasn't happening to me (or anyone else for that matter). Really difficult to shut it out and it is constantly on my mind. The emotional pain that it causes is a remarkably potent side effect and sadly it has changed me from the person that I was before this all started. Its a lonely old place to be as its difficult to share with people that haven't experienced it.