Inspiring Women Daily In A Digital World - An Interview With Health & Beauty Influencer Lacie Rodriguez
After hearing her doctor say there was no cure for her genetic hair loss, Lacie Rodriguez decided to “shift [her] focus and money from trying to regrow [her] hair to finding really beautiful alternative hair”.
Through the journey of falling in love with hairpieces and regaining her confidence, she also found beauty in sharing that new gained confidence on her Instagram page. Gaining over 35K followers, Lacie has built a community of women who she inspires daily.
Interview conducted via email April 6, 2022.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi! I’m Lacie Rodriguez! I’m from a tiny town in rural Utah and married to a cowboy from Mexico. We have three beautiful kids and speak both English and Spanish in our home.
I love talking to women about beauty and confidence, especially when it comes to hair loss.
I help women find the right alternative hair piece to help them with their confidence after losing hair and there’s nothing I’ve ever done that is more fulfilling professionally!
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When were you diagnosed with androgenic alopecia? What was that like?
I was 19 when I had my first major shed. I was in college and it was one of the darkest times in my life.
I felt totally alone and doctors dismissed my hair loss every single time I brought it up saying it was “just stress.” Trying to go to school and work everyday and have a social life while dealing with a crippling lack of self confidence was almost too much for me to take. I don’t know for sure, but I think I can pinpoint this time in my life as the trigger that started my androgenic alopecia.
I wasn’t officially diagnosed until after having my first child when the doctor said, “It’s just female pattern baldness. It’s not coming back.” I was devastated. I felt like I was the only woman I knew of that was struggling with this. I felt incredibly powerless to stop it or fix it. I couldn’t believe it when he told me there was no cure. I thought “of all the scientific breakthroughs we’ve had in the last 100 years, there’s really still no cure for hair loss?!” It was a dark time for me emotionally and my self esteem was at an all time low.
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How did you find wigs & hair toppers?
Every once in a while I’d get a wild hair and research my brains out on the internet for hair loss solutions. My stylist was trying to convince me to get tape in extensions but I kept explaining that it wasn’t going to give me the coverage where I needed it.
At one point I came across an integration system that looked promising but it was extremely expensive and I would have to travel 5 hours to a swanky salon in Las Vegas. It didn’t seem realistic. Then I came across a YouTube video about a “hair extension topper” and I was like, “WAIT! That’s what I need!” So I jumped on it and ordered it, with no idea how it was going to turn out!
After some customizing and lots of practice styling it, blending it, etc, I knew this was going to be my forever solution!
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Top piece of advice for people first entering their hair loss journey?
You’re not a freak of nature! That’s how I felt. I had no idea that more than half of women will experience significant hair loss in their lifetime.
It’s a process and you can’t rush it or shame yourself for feeling any which way. You just have to hold onto the hope that one day, you’ll come out of this fog and embrace the fact that there are options to dealing with this. You can still be beautiful and feminine and live a full life with alopecia.
My hair is literally one of the last things on my mind these days and I NEVER thought that could be a possibility.
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What do your children think about your hair loss and wearing hair pieces? Did you have a conversation with them about it and how did that go?
When I got my first piece my first two kids were 3 and 6. I wore it for them and they laughed a little because it seemed a little like a costume. But I laughed with them and then they saw me putting it on everyday and it’s just normal to them now.
They’re 11 and 8 now and my baby is 2 and they’re always offering their opinion on new pieces. I’m confident that if either of my girls lose hair in the future, they’ll already have an idea of how to deal with it. That makes me super happy!
I’ve had a hard time with my hair loss for sure but I try to keep it in perspective for their sake. I don’t want to give them the impression that your life is over if your hair falls out. Secretly I’m super jealous of my girls’ hair lol! I tell them it’s beautiful but I never obsess over it and try not to make them feel like their hair is their identity. That’s really important to me.
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When did you start posting about your hair loss online? How has the response been?
When I got my first topper I was already posting online about beauty and things. I knew toppers could be a game changer for some people but I thought it wouldn’t be that many. I figured I could talk about it and hopefully it could help someone. I was blown away by how many people started sending me messages and asking about it.
Over the years my hair loss has progressed and I’ve morphed my platform into a hair loss and alternative hair niche. Now this is what I focus on primarily and the growth has been tremendous because there are so many more women out there struggling with this than I ever thought possible!
I’m committed to ending the stigmas of both female hair loss and wearing alternative hair and hoping to bring many new people into this community. I think it can be very healing to find people going through similar experiences.
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What’s the last TV show you’ve binged?
Oh gosh! I’m not much of a TV person (I prefer movies) but I really loved New Girl when it first came out and I watched it while nursing my second baby! I’ve missed all the new seasons lol
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How is it living in a super small town with no traffic lights? Do you ever crave the “big city” life?
I actually LOVE living in a small town. It can be frustrating to be this far from amenities and resources but the city can give me anxiety after a bit.
I love to visit and eat at a nice restaurant, shop, etc but I’m always ready to come home to the calm. No traffic lights means very little traffic and that’s how I prefer it.
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Current hair trend you love?
I’m obsessed with curtain bangs! Almost every single piece I own has them lol! I think they’re flattering on literally everyone if you get the right length and they keep your hair out of your face.
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If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Coconut ice cream. Hands down. It’s my favorite in Mexico!
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Follow Lacie on socials:
Tik Tok: @lacie.rodriguez
Instagram: @lacie.rodriguez
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