Hey! I’m Dorin Azérad.
I’m a hair-puller and a hairstylist - the Trichotillomania Hairstylist. I’ve been living every day of the past 20 years with trichotillomania, the hair-pulling disorder.
I haven’t always loved my trichotillomania and hair loss.
My journey with trichotillomania began over 20 years ago when I started pulling out my eyelashes and eyebrows at age 4. A few years later, my hands moved to my left hairline. With that, the number of hairs I pulled increased exponentially.
Just a few years ago, if you even mentioned the word “hair” around me, I’d flinch and change the conversation. Wanting nothing more than to stop pulling, I tried everything from doctors and meds to fidget toys and hair pulling journals. Nothing worked - my bald spots only got bigger and bigger, as did the headbands and toppers I wore everyday to cover up those growing spots.
Slowly, I decided I no longer wanted to live my life feeling defined by my deepest, darkest secret - my trichotillomania. Even more, I didn’t want others to feel defined by their own experience with hair loss.
In 2016, I quit my first job out of college and joined the beauty industry to support those with trichotillomania and spread awareness about it and other hair disorders. Today, I am a hairstylist at Élan Hair Studio, a salon specializing in hair loss solutions, in Houston, TX. Behind the chair, I strive to provide each of my clients - men, women, and children - with a safe space to begin taking control of their hair loss journey.
My life changed for the better when I could wake up feeling confident about my hair and my hair loss. I want to help others who are struggling to feel the same.
I am now on a journey of acceptance and self-compassion; I’m learning to love my trichotillomania, my hair (or lack thereof), and most importantly, myself. Yes, I still pull out my hair everyday (actually, I haven’t had a pull-free day in years), but I’m ok with that! I no longer live my life wishing for a day without trichotillomania, because I love my life NOW with trichotillomania.
I’m passionate about helping people accept, love, and own their hair story. If I can learn to love my hair loss then so can you!
