Adjusting to a new appearance can be very challenging. Depending on the extent of your hair loss this might involve employing a number of techniques to cover up patches of hair loss. Or you might decide that you're happy not covering it up and concentrate instead on dealing with reactions from others. 

There is no simple solution to dealing with awkward or difficult situations. The important thing is that you have a way of coping with situations that can feel uncomfortable. This can take time and may need a bit of practice. Everybody makes mistakes in difficult situations; don’t give yourself a hard time if you feel you didn’t handle a situation very well. 

If someone asks about your hair loss, you could try one of the following:

Explaining

'I have alopecia, it's a condition which makes your hair fall out.'

Reassuring

'You've noticed my alopecia; don't worry, you can't catch it.'

Changing the subject

'It’s just how I am, did you hear about that story in the news?'

Making a joke

'It's just the way I look. It makes me easier to spot in photos!'

In response to 'What's wrong with you?', you could try:

• 'Nothing'
• 'Please don’t ask me to explain'
• 'Why do you want to know?'
• 'That’s not an appropriate question'.

In response to staring, you could try: 

• 'Please stop staring'
• 'Can I help you?'
• 'Your staring isn't helpful'
• Or stare right back with a smile!

These are quite direct, but completely acceptable responses. When the question was blunt – the answers were too. And remember, you don't owe anyone an explanation. If asked about your alopecia, a perfectly valid response is to say 'It's not something I wish to talk about'.