Picture Gallery

This picture was taken just days before my TTM started.  The picture was taken to show how long my hair was just before I had it cut for the first time. The moment I cut my hair, it felt very strange on top, and I just had to pull it out.  And that was it - my TTM had started.  I was 11 years old

This was where my trich was at it worst.   This is also the only picture of me of that time. I was 13, just going into highschool.  A very traumatic period for me - new school, and everyone asking questions and pointing fingers and talking behind my back.  At that stage everyone (including my parents) believed that I had alopecia (my hair just fell out), so I could still hide behind that a bit.   It was only a few years later that my father saw me one night pulling my hair, and only then realised what was happening all along.  I had to wear a knitted cap and even a wig to 'hide' it.  I had basically no hair left - only some baby fluff, and a small amount of very fine hair around the edges.  

Just out of school (a newspaper picture) - and my 'normal' hairstyle was formed - long hair with a very, very low sidepart to hide the bald patches underneath. 

This picture just shows my hair being shorter, but it was a bad time.  I still needed the longer part on top, but had so little left under the longer part, that I had a very strange 'fringe'.  Very sparse, and almost framing the longer parts.

Minutes after my second boy's birth.  My biggest fear of the whole birth process was  that I would be out of control and move my head in a way that would have people learn my big secret.  It was terrifying.

Here I stopped pulling from my head, just pulled 'below the chin'. This was done by sheer willpower, but I also had the substitute pulling that no-one knew about.   The only problem was that, as a reborn Christian, I had a hard time living with myself because of the lie I was living.  I told everyone that I wasn't pulling anymore, and as far as they could see, I wasn't.  It was the first time that I could have short hair on top of my head.  It is still my favourite hairstyle.  With my hair like this, I push my hands through my hair continually, just because I can! 

The pictures following now is after I discovered that I had a disorder called trichotillomania.  I started following the John Kender Diet and my whole life changed.  The urges diminished and I was on my way to really becoming pull-free.

This is a wedding photo, and I'm busy growing my hair, after 5 years of wonderful short hair.   The next one is one year later with my family - Louis (wonderful husband and my biggest support with my trich), Manie (in the back) and Izak.

And just to celebrate my victory and healing (with ALL the honour and glory to the Lord)  - Me Again!