Redefining Beauty: How Alopecia Led Me Closer to God

By Elizabeth Sevigny – New Jersey, USA

Editors’ Note:

Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss. “It can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent. It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions, or a normal part of aging.”

 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20372926

Losing all my hair to an autoimmune disease, suddenly and within my first year of marriage, was a drastic physical change that became one of my greatest spiritual teachers. It wasn’t just the shock of watching my body fail in ways I couldn’t control; it was the internal unravelling and rebuilding of my identity that shaped me in ways I never anticipated.

BROKEN AND MADE NEW

Over the past three years, I’ve been learning about what it means to be broken and made new. The Scripture comes to mind: “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16) I never imagined that this verse about “wasting away outwardly” would become the anthem of my early twenties. At just 22, I was freshly graduated, newly married, full of plans and dreams. Alopecia stopped me in my tracks and led to a full-blown identity crisis.

 For context, chronic health issues weren’t new to me. Throughout my childhood and adolescence, autoimmune-related skin conditions were a normal part of life. Each flare-up left physical wounds that eventually healed, but the emotional and spiritual wounds lingered.

I carried shame, fear, and isolation like hidden scars. I became familiar with the link between physical suffering and spiritual struggle. I lived in a constant state of anxiety: afraid of when the next flare-up would come, when the next “normal” would be taken away. And when it did, I would retreat, hiding until I looked and felt better, only letting others in when I felt “presentable” again.

There was always a deep ache of never feeling good enough. Never pretty enough. Wondering if I was being punished for something I had done, or a lack of faith. I’d watch old home videos of my childhood- carefree, joyful, light- and wonder, where did she go? That free-spirited little girl God created seemed lost to me.

VULNERABLE

When I share my story of Alopecia, I love to set the stage by sharing these vulnerable heart moments because I don’t want you to scroll through my social media and mistake the highlight reel for the whole truth. It is true that I’ve overcome so much with Christ. He truly has led me from feeling like a victim of my circumstances to believing that I’m more than a conqueror in Him. Yet still, my health is a thorn in my side and the cross that I must carry. I’ve accepted my condition, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have hard days. I still have moments of questioning, doubt, and deflation in my walk with God. So if you’re in the same boat, please know: I’m with you, sister.

THE BALD MOM

My current passion project -- what I like to call my online ministry -- is my Instagram page TheBald_Mom. From the outside, you might think I’ve made it to the “happy ending” of my story. But let me be honest: I don’t believe in fairy-tale endings here on earth. That’s not where my hope lies. I’m now 25, a young mom, and still walking through this journey. My current diagnosis is complete hair loss due to Alopecia (though yes- I still have my eyebrows and lashes, so a win is a win!). But today, I can honestly say: I’ve accepted my condition. And I’m walking in the truth of God’s faithfulness and beauty, even in the hard places.

In April 2025, I competed in Miss New Jersey USA --  a beauty pageant -- completely bald. I did it to show women that beauty goes far deeper than appearances. I did it to show my daughter that our insecurities don’t have to silence us. I did it to stand on stage and glorify God with my boldness so that someone watching might wonder, how is she able to do that? And my answer to this question is simple: God is good. He deserves my praise. Even when He doesn’t answer my prayers the way I hoped He would.

For years, I prayed for healing. I still do. But He hasn’t healed me yet. I’m still navigating a range of autoimmune conditions. And yet -- I’ve made a choice: to follow God not because of what He does, but because of who He is. When I finally saw beyond the cloud of depression and the enemy’s lies that God had forgotten me, I found the truth: I’m still loved. There’s still hope. This world is not my home. And -- maybe one of the harder truths I’ve discovered -- I am not entitled to God answering my prayers the way I want. Thank God for that, because His ways are far greater than mine. He’s already given me more than I could ask or imagine. I see it in the messages I receive from women walking a similar journey. I see it in the breaking of generational cycles. I’m refusing to pass down insecurity. Instead, I’m committed to passing on confidence rooted in truth.

I see it, too, in the quiet joy of motherhood. In the photos of my daughter and me, taken during seasons when I felt broken, but still showed up. God helped me capture precious memories with my family in the midst of pain. That’s the kind of woman I want my daughter to remember. She’ll grow up knowing that Mommy went through something really hard, but that she navigated it with God. That beauty isn’t defined by what’s on the outside, but by the radiance of a woman who knows she is loved by her Creator. That confidence isn’t about perfection, but about presence -- being rooted in Christ no matter the season. This is my prayer, my mission, and my offering to every woman who needs a reminder today: You are not your brokenness. You are not your diagnosis. You are not your appearance. You are created in the image of God. And sometimes, we all just need that reminder. You are deeply loved. Fearfully made. And never forgotten. You are His.

Scripture to Hold on to: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

BIO

Elizabeth Sevigny is a wife, mom, and content creator passionate about helping women rediscover beauty, identity, and confidence through Christ. Living with an autoimmune disease that caused permanent hair loss, she shares her journey with honesty and hope on her platform, Instagram@TheBald_Mom. A disciple of Jesus since 2014 and semi-finalist in the 2025 Miss New Jersey USA pageant, Elizabeth creates content that blends spiritual encouragement and practical tips for life with alopecia – all the while pointing others back to the truth that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).