Patches

I don't recall why it started, but around the time when my dad was sick, my family was goofing around and they nicknamed me "Patches." I think it was because I developed this horrible habit of scratching my head when I got stressed out, which caused my hair to fall out. In patches.

Since that time, I have stopped scratching my head as a form of relief, and the hair eventually grew back. I then replaced this bad habit with shopping and Red Vines.

Hey, we all have out vices.

And since that time, my naturally curly, really thick hair has grown back, in full force.

However, yesterday morning I was taking a shower, and I noticed an unusually large amount of hair in my hand. Then last night, when I was taking another shower (yes, I shower often three times daily - maybe this is part of the soon-to-be-mentioned problem) and literally a CHUNK came out. It was all knotted up, and the size of a grape.

I was like, WTF?

And then finally, when I thought my week's quota of hair had come out, I was showering after my swim this morning, and guess what - same thing. Not to mention the fact that I threw my clothes in the laundry minutes before, and they were covered with strands of my hair, as is the floor of my arpartment/dorm room.

So suffice to say, I am now worried.

I remember a time, as a kid, I used to wish for pin-thin, straight hair. I hated my hair, and even remember asking for the hair-thinning device they show on info-mercials for Christmas.

If I only knew then....

But now I have come to LOVE my hair. I do. It's really soft, and curly, and flows down my back, and I just it. But now it very well might be leaving me.

Dudes, seriously, I am only 31. I am not ready for this. I don't want to be bald by my next birthday.

And why does it only fall out up there? Why can't it simply fall out in other places? Sure would save me a ton a dough each month in bikini waxing. Geesh.

Although, hold up - that might be a little weird. Can you imagine getting out of the pool one morning, and leaving behind a little swarm of private-part hairs?

Okay - just grossed myself out.

And what doctor does one go to see about this? A dermatologist? My gyne? I don't really have a GP, so I feel stuck. Maybe it's nothing, but I am kinda worried. Of course, it could be the fact that that I wear my hair in a ponytail everyday, wear a swim cap a couple times a week, don't often brush it unless I go out, and have a thing for a flat iron every now and then. But I have never colored it or done any real damage to it, so I don't know what's up.

Any thoughts?