I want to share what my life looks like 9 years after experiencing alopecia areata and telogen effluvium—and what has remained true throughout my healing journey.
Alopecia areata has never returned for me in these 9 years, even through highly stressful seasons of life, including COVID, major life transitions, and moving across countries. In fact, within a span of 3 years, I moved from the Netherlands to Japan and then back to the United States. It was a fast, intense period of change and stress—but my alopecia did not return.
I also experienced pregnancy at 40 during this time. And again, my hair remained stable and healthy.
Living What I Teach
One of the biggest shifts in my life is that I now live and breathe everything I teach inside the Hair N’ Heal program.
Healing is not something I “did once.” It is something I continue to maintain.
I often compare it to maintaining a home or a car. We understand the importance of regular maintenance—oil changes, inspections, fixing small issues before they become bigger problems. We don’t wait for the engine to break down or for the roof to leak before we take action.
Yet when it comes to our health, many people operate in a reactive way instead of a proactive one.
Reactive vs. Proactive Health
A major myth I want to address is the idea that hair loss is simply due to age.
That is not the truth.
It is not just age—it is how we are aging. It is how we are living. It is whether we are proactive or reactive with our health.
Today, I am extremely proactive—not just with my home or car, but with my own body and health as well.
And even now, years after healing, I continue learning, refining, testing, and improving. There is always more to understand about the body and how it functions optimally.
Health Is Not a “One-Time Fix”
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is the belief that health is something you “fix once” and then move on from.
But health doesn’t work that way.
Just like education, growth doesn’t stop at one stage. We continue learning throughout life. We evolve. We adapt. We upgrade our understanding.
The same is true for the body.
And unfortunately, I am seeing more and more young people experiencing alopecia and hair loss than ever before. This includes:
- Teenagers
- Young adults in their 20s
- Even children under 10 years old
This is no longer a condition limited to older age groups. It is affecting people earlier in life and more frequently.
Knowledge + Action = Change
It is not enough to simply know what to do.
Knowledge alone is not enough—implementation is what creates change.
Just like going to the gym, the opportunity is available to everyone. But results only come from consistent action.
We are also seeing rising rates of lifestyle-related conditions globally, despite access to more information than ever before. That tells us something important: awareness alone is not the solution. Action is.
What 9 Years of Healing Has Taught Me
After 9 years alopecia-free, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this:
Consistency is everything.
Not perfection. Not intensity. But consistency over time.
Some days I give 50%. Other days 95%. And sometimes 110%. Life is not linear, and health does not require perfection—it requires commitment.
Over time, those small daily decisions compound, just like interest in a savings account. And that compounding effect is what creates long-term health and stability.
Becoming Your Own Health Leader
One of the most powerful shifts I’ve experienced is realizing that I am the driver of my own health.
This applies to all areas of life—not just hair.
When I began prioritizing my health, everything changed:
- My energy improved
- My emotional balance improved
- My confidence improved
- My relationships improved
- My ability to support others improved
Taking care of myself first did not make me selfish—it made me more capable in every area of life.
Hair Loss Is Not Permanent
Alopecia areata is often described as unpredictable or lifelong. I do not agree with that framing.
In my experience—and in the experience of thousands of clients—hair loss is not something you are doomed to live with forever.
When the underlying imbalances are addressed, the body responds.
Many people begin to see:
- Reduced shedding in 2–6 weeks
- Visible hair growth within 8 weeks or less
These are not guesses. These are patterns observed across real cases over time.
Everything Is Connected
Another important realization is that hair loss is rarely just about hair.
It is connected to overall health, stress load, nutrition, hormones, lifestyle, and more.
In many ways, healing alopecia led me to become healthier in every area of my life—not just my hair.
That ripple effect is something I never expected, but deeply value now.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I can say this with certainty:
I am healthier, more grounded, and more aware today than I ever was before my alopecia journey.
And I do not live in fear of hair loss returning, because I understand what maintains balance in my body.
This journey is not just about hair.
It is about learning how to take ownership of your health and becoming proactive instead of reactive.
If there is one message I want to leave you with, it is this:
You are not stuck.
Your health is not fixed.
And change is possible with the right understanding and consistent action.
