Teen with alopecia had her mom paint her bald head for her senior photo shoot

Chelsea Taylor Photography/Facebook

Madisyn Babcock was diagnosed with alopecia areata earlier this year and soon after, her hair began falling out. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes hair to fall out in small, random patches. But Babcock decided to spread awareness about the disease by putting her bald head on display in a photo shoot.

Not only did she bravely stand in front of the camera without any hair for her high school senior photo shoot, but she also had her artist mother paint flowers on her scalp to draw even more attention to her head—making a bold and beautiful statement.

It Wasn’t To Fill A Void

“It wasn’t about filling some kind of void or signifying that there’s something missing from those with hair loss, it was to embrace and embellish it,” the high schooler told the Huffington Post UK.

Admittedly, she wasn’t always this confident during the hair loss process, but now, she’s learning to embrace it.

Her Message: It’s OK To Be Scared, Sad

“It’s perfectly natural to be scared and feel less confident. There’s no right or wrong way to react to losing your hair,” she told Huffington Post UK. “I think going through a sad stage is needed to come out stronger.”

And the flowers are symbolic of her renewal.

“I chose flowers because they fit me as a person,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle. “I feel I’ve really blossomed into the person I’m supposed to be.”

She’s hoping to inspire others to feel comfortable with the way they are, too.

“After seeing lots of posts about alopecia, I thought it would be really cool to use my senior pictures to raise awareness and support for those with hair loss,” she told Today. “I want those who suffer from hair loss to know that I see you, I love you, and you inspire me. I wouldn’t change you for the world.”

7-Year-Old Bedazzles Head For “Crazy Hair Day”

Babcock isn’t the first person to totally own her bald head. Seven-year-old Gianessa Wride had her mom bedazzle her head in a flower design for “Crazy Hair Day” at school, and the outcome couldn’t have been more amazing.

We certainly hope that this embracing of natural beauty is a trend that continues. Hair or no hair, you’re beautiful—and these fearless females are here to prove it to you.

 

Chip Gaines Goes Bald For A Good Cause

“Fixer Upper” star Chip Gaines was barely recognizable in an Instagram photo posted by his wife and co-star Joanna on Nov. 8.

That’s because his signature shaggy, strawberry blond locks were completely gone, as the reality star has shaved his head! (Unlike the young ladies with alopecia, we should note that Gaines got to rock his bald dome by choice.)

“We are leaving Memphis changed. Kiddos of @stjude we go with your faces on our minds and your stories in our hearts. Thank you for letting us be a part of your home at Target House. We are cheering you on every step of the way,” she wrote in the caption of the photo of her husband surrounded by kids rubbing his newly bald head.

The couple had visited the Target House at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Target House is an apartment-style housing facility for the families of pediatric patients receiving long-term treatment at the hospital.

Chip chopped off all his hair to make good on a promise he had made on Nov. 2 via Instagram.

“So here’s the deal: Next week, Jo and I are visiting the beautiful kids at Target House with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. No family ever pays at @StJude for treatment, travel or food–so basically, we want to bring them a giant check from YOU to help cover costs–let’s come together to do something big to bless these kiddos,” he wrote.

“Donate to @StJude through the link in my profile, and the more money we raise over the next FOUR days, the shorter my hair goes. That’s a promise. And, who knows, maybe if you really exceed expectations…I’ll buzz it all off. #OperationHaircut,” he continued.

It appears that fans did indeed honor his request, as evidenced by his new hairless look! In just a few short days, fans raised over $230,000 for St. Jude in Memphis. Kudos to Chip and Joanna for their support of a great cause!

Check out his bold new look:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbQaskOntWY/

It looks pretty great, if you ask us. Then again, when it’s for such a great cause, who cares if it looks good, right?

The End Of ‘Fixer Upper’

The couple announced in September that the current season of “Fixer Upper” would be their last.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba2KfMnn1e4/?taken-by=joannagaines

“It is with both sadness and expectation that we share the news that season 5 of Fixer Upper will be our last. While we are confident that this is the right choice for us, it has for sure not been an easy one to come to terms with,” the couple announced on their Magnolia website.

“Our family has grown up alongside yours, and we have felt you rooting us on from the other side of the screen. How bittersweet to say goodbye to the very thing that introduced us all in the first place,” their announcement continued.

It appears that there’s no cause for concern—they’ve just got a lot going on and want to take a step back.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFWC_gHMNf/?taken-by=joannagaines

“Our family is healthy and our marriage has honestly never been stronger. This has nothing to do with a fraudulent skincare line or anything else you’ll inevitably read. This is just us recognizing that we need to catch our breath for a moment,” they wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZhTmhRnGIX/?taken-by=joannagaines

But hey, at least we have their new Target line to give us our “Fixer Upper” fix in the meantime!

In line with the couple’s signature chic farmhouse style, everything in the Hearth and Hand collection will have the same look and feel as Magnolia, but at a fraction of the price.

Good News, Health, News

About the Author
Augusta Statz
I have a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. I’m an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. I feel the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what I spend most of my time writing about.

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