It's been almost 5 years since my last post.

Trichotillomania is still a part of my life, but it's not my life.  So although I don't post any more, I'm not planning on deleting the blog (as of now). Wherever you are on your journey with trich, hang in there. It may be a part of your life too, but it doesn't need to be your life.    

Just a look at my lashes

I don't fill in my brows anymore... haven't for awhile now.  It's not because they look great; it's because I just don't care that much.  But my lashes, I always try to hide.  Here's what I'm doing lately to hide the damage and loss.  Top left is no eye make-up (barely any top lashes).  Top right is with eyeliner.  Bottom left is eyeliner + eye-shadow.  Bottom right is my end result, eyeliner + eye-shadow + mascara.  

 Here's a close-up (not like the previous ones aren't close... sheesh!) of no make-up and full make-up.

 Overall, I have to say I'm pretty content with my trich.  My damage is bad, but it doesn't bother me too much.  Would I love longer lashes?  YES!  But I'm okay with what I have and don't have.  If I had lashes... they'd look a lot like these beauty's.  Afterall, she got them from me.

Check this out

A friend just shared this, so I'm passing it along to you.  

The Kindle edition of Trichotillomania Treatment: How to Stop Pulling Hair Out and Defeat Trichotillomania for Good (Hair Pulling Disorder) by Sharon L. Bonheur is available for free right now on Amazon. 

After looking around, I also found that the Kindle edition of Trichotillomania Disorder Cure: How to Overcome Hair Pulling For Life: Causes, Treatments and Workbook, Step by Step Guide Book for Kids, Teenagers and Adults by Susan Shaw is also available for free right now on Amazon.  

I've never read either of these books.  Heck, I've never read a book about trich.  But... they are free.  And anyone can read Kindle books even without a Kindle device.  There's a free app for smartphones, tablets and computers.  So go check it out.  If you've read these books before, let me know what you think.    

20/20 does a piece on trichotillomania

You can check it out here:

"You don't have to try"

I heard this song several weeks ago (and maybe you've already heard it too).  I knew right away when I heard it that I wanted to share it with you all.  Love song and the video.  Check it out: Colbie Caillat - Try

Wait a second, 

Why, should you care, what they think of you 

When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you? 

Do you like you? 

 You don't have to try so hard 

You don't have to, give it all away 

You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up 

You don't have to change a single thing.

Take your make-up off

Let your hair down

Take a breath

Look into the mirror, at yourself

Don't you like you?

Cause I like you

3D Lashes!

Have any of you see (or tried) these 3D lashes available through Younique?  I keep seeing it pop up on my Facebook newsfeed or have friends inviting me to a "virtual party" where they are selling them.

I'm sure this special mascara is great and makes your lashes look long and full.  But I won't be using it. 

One. You kinda need eyelashes in order to enhance them.  I'm not going to use a product that makes the few lashes I have stand out more.  Cause if they stand out more- you know what else stands out more!?! The gaps. And I would look ridiculous.  I imagine I'd look something like this:

    Ha!

And you know what else... I'm finding more and more that products like this annoy me.  It's making average, normal, beautiful people think that they aren't good enough.  Like we need our lashes to look like the people on magazines.  Well, guess what- those aren't the models real lashes!  People don't actually look like that.  It's fake lashes, make-up applied by make-up artists and then edited to look even more "perfect."  Us, normal everyday people are not going to look like that.  We shouldn't compare ourselves to those edited, enhanced versions of the models in the magazines.

It annoys me that the average woman thinks their lashes aren't good enough.  Cause then, sheesh, my eyelashes are really really really not good enough.  BUT I AM GOOD ENOUGH!  It does not matter what my lashes look like.  More and more I wish people would just be themselves.  More and more I wish I could just be myself.  I haven't quite reached the point of going out and about without make-up. But I have been around my extended family more without make-up and not cared.  Even when my family went camping last week, I went without make-up for days around the campground.  And I jokingly told my husband, "You know what? No one gave me funny looks or said my lashes looked bad."  He just laughed.  It's true though- people really don't care about my lashes, brows or hair.  I'm judging myself waaaay harder than they are.

Okay, so this post isn't bashing the 3D lashes (I'm sure they're great- heck, try them out for yourself if you think they'd work for you).  I guess the product more just stirred up feelings in me.  I just wish people (including myself) would just realize that they are good enough and beautiful just they way they are.      

Want to help? Why not participate in a research study?

TLC has a list of several research studies located in different states and even some studies that are anonymous and online.  Check out the studies here.