1) How It All Started
In 2021, I developed an autoimmune condition called Alopecia Universalis. Alopecia areata causes a patient's immune system to attack healthy hair follicles, causing the hair to fall out. Alopecia Universalis is a severe form of alopecia that attacks all hair follicles, including those on the head, face, and body. Unfortunately, there is no cure for alopecia, although some patients may find treatments that help reduce attacks on hair follicles.
Due to this condition, I had to find a new level of self-worth, one that was confident in being a bald 18-year-old girl. Like many women and girls, I believed my hair played a huge role in my self-image. I always kept it long, got it professionally dyed platinum blonde, and was very content with how it complemented my features. Never in a million years did I think I would have to shave it off because I was balding at the ripe age of 18.
In 2021, one day, the time had come. I only had a handful of brittle hair left on the very top of my head. I was losing my eyebrows, my eyelashes, and thankfully, my arm and leg hair too! I knew I would have to shave my head, and I knew this would be a little traumatic for me. That’s when I decided to take some control of the situation and have my best friend shave it for me while we listened to our favorite songs at full volume. She hyped me up, I hyped myself up, and I was ready. After she did it, she told me she couldn’t believe how well I looked being bald. I braced myself before turning to look into the mirror. It was weird, unfamiliar, and different. But it was also, to my surprise, not bad. I believe this is the exact moment of when I truly found my self-confidence. I realized I was beautiful with or without hair. And I also found that hair doesn’t define who you are. Your confidence doesn’t need to be based on how you look, it’s more about how you feel.
2) "Bald Gal Photography"
In the previous year, after I graduated from high school in 2020, I went to Iowa State for a semester as a psychology major. After the semester was over, I realized psychology wasn’t for me. Unsure of what career path I wanted to go down, I took a gap year and worked at a fast food restaurant as a full-time employee. Unfortunately, it was during this time that I started my alopecia journey. After a year of working in the fast food industry, I decided it was time to start focusing on my career. I had previously been very interested in photography, and decided to give it a shot. In 2023, I started taking classes at Des Moines Area Community College as a photography student. Around this time, I decided to start my own photography business. I made a website and named it “Bald Gal Photography.” At the time, this name fit me perfectly, as I was a bald gal, doing photography.
While I enjoyed being a bald girl, I would be lying if there wasn’t a part of me that wished I could have my hair back. Going out in public, many people would stare at me and even ask me questions. They usually assumed I had been battling cancer. Thankfully, I wasn’t, but I didn’t always enjoy looking like I was ‘ill’ to others. Another thing that bothered me was thinking about my future wedding day. I didn’t want to be bald, but I didn’t want to wear a wig. I was always a ‘natural girl’ in terms of my appearance. I liked to be myself. But I didn’t want to be bald forever.
This led me to work with my dermatologist on treatments I could take to start growing my hair again. At the time, the only treatment practices were scalp injections, minoxidil, and oddly enough, Allegra. I tried this method for about a year and only got a small amount of growth back, and that’s when I was introduced to another dermatologist at a different location within the company, Dr. Karen Hunke.
3) Growth
Dr. Karen specializes in clients with alopecia, specifically Alopecia Universalis. She introduced me to a drug called Olumiant that had not yet been approved by the FDA, but it had amazing growth results. She reassured me that I was an exceptional candidate for this drug, and she could almost guarantee me good growth results. I was eager to try something new, and after just a month of use, I saw results. A couple of months in, friends and family began to notice how much my hair was growing, and they were just as excited about it as I was. My hair grew back, along with my confidence.
4) "Radiant"
Now, my hair has grown past my shoulders! I still struggle from time to time with patches of hair that fall out, but thankfully, it is usually hidden by other hair. My bald days have been long over by now, which takes me back to my business name, ‘Bald Gal Photography.’ I knew it no longer made sense, since I am no longer a “bald gal” but I still wanted my photography business to align with my hair journey. I knew I wanted my name in the business title, as this helps clients recognize who you are. That’s when I started thinking more about my dermatologist’s office, and how they were the ones who were able to help me grow it back. My dermatologist’s office is called “Radiant Complections Dermatology.” I liked that ‘radiant’ was in the name, as I wanted to go into a brighter style with my brand, and it fits well with my name, Rozlynn. Thus, Rozlynn’s Radiant Photography was born.