What is alopecia?
Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that occurs when one’s immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in our skin that help form hair. There are 3 common forms of Alopecia: Alopecia Areata (hair loss in small round patches on the head), Alopecia Totalis (the total loss of hair on the head), and Alopecia Universalis (the total loss of all hair on the head and body)
-National Institutes of Health
Why it matters to us
Did you know that about 7 million Americans and 160 million people worldwide (about 2% of the population) have Alopecia? This autoimmune condition causes hair loss – either in patches or in totality.
Creative makeup artist, video creator and vocal Alopecia advocate, Abby Wren, is celebrating those like her who experience every day living with a visual difference. Abby is sharing her own uplifting message: Different is Dope.
Born in rural Montana, Abby was diagnosed with Alopecia Totalis in 2006, losing all of her hair just as she was starting high school at age 15. While trying to adjust to her new identity, Abby searched for ways to express her femininity with no hair, and found her love for makeup artistry. She always felt connected to unconventional looks and styles, and losing her hair made her more interested in bold colors, editorial styles and avant-garde makeup artistry. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Abby went on to study fashion and beauty makeup artistry at John Casablancas Institute in Vancouver, Canada and turned her passion into her professional craft.
Abby’s husband Wade has been with her every step of the way through her journey with Alopecia – even being the voice of encouragement to shave her head for the second time after her hair had regrown, only to fall out again. Abby took the challenge of Alopecia head on, and turned it into her life’s mission to empower and inspire others.
Her mind bending artistry has been recognized on the runways of New York Fashion Week, Good Morning America, the Jennifer Hudson Show, and throughout national commercials, campaigns and countless publications around the world.
Abby + Wade have made it their mission to create a save and creative space for others to heal and grow through the power of creativity. Their love and passion for spreading the message that Different is Dope has become their life’s mission, and the important work has only just begun. Abby has dedicated her life to spreading awareness and positivity around Alopecia, uplifting others everywhere she goes and spreading her message of inclusivity and empowerment.
While Different is Dope started with Abby’s personal experience with Alopecia, the global movement is expanding to encourage anyone and everyone across the world to embrace and celebrate what makes them different. Because... Different is Dope.