I did not understand why I was having a heavy hair fall?

She was losing her hair by the handles, not knowing what was happening to her. Then the diagnosis was made: androgenetic alopecia. 

The American Maya Gering, 28, a graduate of the Beaux-Arts Cergy, directed an animated short entitled The Fall , to inform this syndrome unknown. She tells us the treatments with heavy side effects, her femininity undermined and her appeal to feminists, for a greater visibility of women who get a heavy hair fall.

"I had just moved to Paris for my studies. And I started losing my hair in large quantities. I did not understand what was happening to me, it was shocking to see this mass of hair accumulate in my shower, in my apartment. At that time, I was in denial.

A year and a half after the appearance of the first symptoms, I went to see a dermatologist. It was very difficult to go beyond that, to accept the possibility that I could witness my hair constantly falling out. 

The appointment was very fast, he looked at me half a second: "Miss you have androgenetic alopecia. And he gave me some medicine to try to slow down the hair loss.

Heavy side effects of Heavy Hair Fall

I did it very badly. At the same time it was reassuring to have a name for what was happening to me, but I had already done my own research on the internet and I knew there was no real solution or magic cure that we could possibly slow down the heavy hair fall but not stop it, and that I had to accept it.

It was the beginning of a long process towards acceptance. I started trying drugs but they had heavy side effects. Minoxidil, first. It is a vasodilator that I apply to my scalp twice a day.

 It expands my blood vessels to allow more oxygen, blood and nutrients to reach the hair follicle. But it also brings more blood on my face. So I blush a lot and I sweat a lot ...

I also took a contraceptive pill that promotes hair growth, but I recently discovered that in the long run it can cause tumors. It also had an impact on my libido. 

Already that hair loss has a big impact on my libido ... And no one had told me about these psychological effects.

I could not talk about it, it was too shameful

In the early years I spent hours looking at myself in the mirror and did not tell anyone. It was not something thoughtful. I just could not talk about it, it was too shameful. 

I said to myself: if I do not say anything, the thing will not be real and the others will not realize it. It was my biggest fear that someone would ask me why I was losing my hair.

And then I jumped. Talking about it around me, it was a great moment of freedom. It freed me from a weight. And I discovered that I was not alone. That others were losing their hair. I started to get tips: take vitamins, supplements, wash my hair with mineral water, apply serums ... But we can not control something genetic ...

But the biggest step was the video The Fall . It was at the time of #MeToo last year. This movement gave me strength, inspiration. See these women who were demonstrating, who told their personal story and that this "staff" became political.

Millions of women concerned about hair constantly falling out

We talked about a lot of subjects, sexual harassment, hair, the glass ceiling, patriarchal taboos, gender ... 

But not hair loss. I knew, however, that millions of women were affected by androgenetic alopecia in the United States alone. Not to mention other reasons to lose his hair ... But we did not talk about it, it was ignorance.

I then said to myself, "I have to talk about it if I want to see a change. One of my professors at the Beaux-Arts had told me that one of the functions of art is to include those who are invisible and to reveal unjust systems. I had that in mind when I created this video.

I thought of all the women like me who remained invisible and silent and who did not feel comfortable talking about it. They lacked someone to identify with. It gave me courage.

Hair, an asset of femininity

At the end of the video, I call on feminists. When we talk about feminism, we talk about the idea of ​​including all women. 

Being a woman is disabling in our societies, but it is even more disabling when it is coupled with another source of discrimination such as skin color, homosexuality or alopecia.

We are in a society where women who do not have hair do not have power. They are considered an asset of femininity, but we must know how to free ourselves from these standards, not only for women who lose their hair but for all women.

So I ask feminists to include us in their speeches. If there is someone who can defend women, it is women.

This video helped me a lot to accept my situation. I freed myself from a lot of weight. Since then, I have received many messages from women who have their reasons for extreme hair loss and do not dare to talk about it. It did me good.

Maya Gering calls for greater visibility of hair loss in women. (Screenshot: Maya Gering / Vimeo)

Medicines are not covered by social security

Side treatments, I still use minoxidil but the pill. I no longer look for miracle products, I will not see any specialists who could advise me new products. But I continue with the treatment, because I see that it works. I do not lose my hair excessively anymore.

Medicines are not covered by Social Security and are very expensive. The more we use them the less they are effective. 

So when they stop acting, it will be a new step to take. For now, I'm not yet at the level of acceptance where I am able to lose everything ...

Each one accepts it differently

After the video, I was contacted by a girl I met six years ago. At the time, we both had hair. Today, she has a musket, she had to shave her head. I find her courageous, she lives it with a lot of grace.

We ended up with less hair but with the desire to be activists with women who lose their hair. We want to create a feminist association to talk about hair loss in women, patriarchal taboos, analyze what it is to be a woman today, to be a space of femininity. And also to accompany women who are at the beginning of their process.

Hair loss is always personal. Each one accepts it differently. But to be able to talk about it and that it has more visibility, it can make you feel more comfortable. Less alone.

I know I'm not just my hair

As for my future with alopecia I am worried and serene at the same time. I know I will always have this shock in front of the mirror when I lose new hair, but I am now able to no longer make a crisis, no longer want to hide them at all costs.

I am no longer violent with myself. I know that I am not only my hair and what I am worth in this society as a woman. "