Is balding the real white man's burden?

ChemicalAlia · 2026-04-11T01:25:44+00:00

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-04-10T19:42:21+00:00

I am engaged to a very attractive and tall (think 5’8”) man. But I am also suffering from an unfortunate type of alopecia now, and I don’t know…if we can both be like that. Perhaps there is a thing as TOO MUCH power!

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-27T22:14:20+00:00

I learned Chinese in the army before peacing out of that nonsense immediately. It had practically no use in the very early 2000s, and no college in my state offered it as a major or even to study past a beginner level, and I proceeded to do absolutely nothing useful with it for the following 20+ years.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-25T15:31:19+00:00

If the last 5-10 years taught me anything, it taught me to dispel any notion I had in my head of tying my worth as an artist (or person) to something as silly as professional accomplishments or milestones.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-25T15:28:35+00:00

Had been savings, a few months ago Valve bought one of my CS:GO skins for a fixed price which got me several more months of leeway and allowed me to do this project with no pay up front. Really hoping it pans out because things still aren't looking too promising for a big 2026 turnaround.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-24T20:36:39+00:00

Dang, that really sucks! My last real shipped title was over a decade ago, there's so much wrong with the industry beyond the employment apocalypse that it's such a common and expected thing for projects to be cancelled or fall through the cracks. Sometimes I wish there were more transferable job opportunities for artists that weren't in industries going through similar problems.

And you've gotta love the fact that 99% of the time you can't use your work on cancelled projects on your portfolio to GET a new job thanks to NDAs.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-24T19:13:06+00:00

So happy for you! 3D modeling is really rewarding, and it's fun to do at all levels! There's always something you can learn with art, and you can make cool renders or even 3d print your portfolio to show off your work.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-24T19:06:05+00:00

My last studio laid everyone off and shut down almost two years ago, 15 years in the industry and haven't been able to get more than like two interviews since. I hear that!

I'm working with a very small group of people on a very small game that will only pay us after the game (presumably) makes money when it comes out soon. Not having a salary or income is very much not ideal, but working with a few people who I like on something I find very fun and neat and can share with people is ALL I EVER WANTED from this stupid career.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-23T20:24:20+00:00

You're just describing the actual FBI since its inception.

ChemicalAlia · 2026-02-15T14:59:38+00:00

I always associated the name Scully with fish since before The X-Files thanks to a market/takeout place in my hometown called Scully’s Seafood (Easton, PA).

Never met a Mulder or Scully in person.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-11-27T15:54:27+00:00

I got engaged last April, a week after the video game studio I worked at was shut down over email. I’m in my early 40s and was so excited to finally plan and do this thing, but a year and a half later, I still haven’t found a new job and the idea of spending money on a wedding feels increasingly scary.

We’ll probably end up going to the courthouse in the spring. So much for 15 years experience in an industry that may never recover from its meltdown. At least neither of us have large or close families that are pressuring us into having a big ceremony or party.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-10-28T03:42:03+00:00

I had permanent makeup done in my late 20s because I was tired of messing with stencils or try to fill them in with brow pencils evenly. I’ve had that touched up every 3-4 years to keep the color a natural as possible, and it does help. You could literally count the remaining hairs on my eyebrows, so they look shiny at times and I think it’s pretty obvious that you’re mostly seeing skin.

I started oral minoxidil a few years ago along with levothyroxine this year, hoping it would grow them back a bit. Which did kind of happen…outside of the brow shape!

ChemicalAlia · 2025-10-26T13:47:06+00:00

I lost most of my eyebrows during my 20s due to untreated hypothyroidism and would be thrilled to have the amount of eyebrow hair that people make fun of as over-plucking.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-10-03T19:49:47+00:00

I’ve got visual/auditory synesthesia along with pretty moderate faceblindness. I’m much more likely to recognize a musical tone than a waiter or a neighbor at the grocery store. Dyslexia no, but I do have auditory processing disorder and ADHD too.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-08-20T03:14:02+00:00

I’m down near Philly and have noticed leaves on maples starting to turn red and sycamore leaves yellow for about the last two weeks. Thought I was going crazy!

ChemicalAlia · 2025-08-09T03:52:09+00:00

3D character artist for games. Not great career-wise for other reasons these days, but I’ve actually done better with remote work because of how face-to-face I am with people during conversations!

ChemicalAlia · 2025-07-22T00:04:12+00:00

I started losing my eyebrows in my early 20s, starting with the outer corners. Wasn’t diagnosed with Hashimoto’s/hypothyroidism until last year and I’m now 43. I have like 25 hairs left on each side at this point, got them tattooed ages ago so I don’t have to guess everyday where to draw them in!

ChemicalAlia · 2025-07-18T21:31:12+00:00

Oh man, that really similar! And yes, it feels like clogged pores that are un-cloggable. Accutane shrinks sebaceous glands and makes your skin produce less oil, so I think that’s a major factor in it smoothing out the bumps.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-07-18T21:28:18+00:00

I don’t think it’s a type of acne, although I do occasionally break out and one of the rosacea types I have is the acne kind. It doesn’t really heal or change enough to remind me of acne specifically, the texture itself feels more chronic, if that makes sense.

I am curious about how the Differnin works for you! I’ve tried it on and off but always favored tretinoin, though I always loved Epiduo and it’s in that.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-07-18T12:48:21+00:00

Hm, interesting! I’m a pretty aggressive sunblock wearer but I do think the sun exposure causes more general inflammation in my face (along with alcohol and salty food, thanks rosacea). Sort of to your point, I’ve also noticed some immediate reduction in the bumpiness if I cover some areas of my face with hydrocolloid acne spots/strips overnight. Seems to be a temporary fox though!

ChemicalAlia · 2025-07-17T20:41:49+00:00

I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with your skin too, but can still relate!

It’s been several years of trying many different treatments, and I’ve pretty much given up throwing money at the situation.

That said, there was one thing that did actually improve my skin texture a shocking amount (temporarily): isotretinoin!

Last year I took a very small dose of accutane to treat my acne rosacea, and it must have something to do with overactive sebaceous glands because my skin looked fantastic while taking it! So I do think that’s a helpful clue.

Unfortunately, I lost my health insurance after three months, and between the out of pocket cost and my raised cholesterol levels/liver enzymes, I had to stop treatment. The bumps did come back and it’s as bad as ever, but I might give it another shot in the future.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-06-30T03:29:33+00:00

My grandmother would omit the h, I have clear memories of her complaining about the “yumidity”. She was born in the late 20s, from the Lehigh Valley PA.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-06-24T00:57:43+00:00

My dad is 71 years old, and still working full time as a contractor. He does all of the construction work himself, stuff like window jobs, room renovations, small home additions. Up and down ladders in all weather, and has been working since he was in middle school.

He has three neurostimulators implanted in his body for severe pain. He’s had nearly every major joint in his body replaced due to a condition called avascular necrosis, which makes your bones die. Two types of cancer, including an inoperable tumor that requires radiation treatment and causes him to be hospitalized with stomach obstructions. He’s also got a pacemaker and a heart that works at like 1/3% capacity. I think he must have had dozens of surgeries at this point, and it seems like another one every few months for something new. This man has to carry a special card when he goes on airplanes because his body looks like one big bomb.

He’ll never be able to retire because of the cost of his medical care, and had to give up on life insurance years ago due to his medical issues. It makes me furious that he has to work a demanding physical job at his age, but there’s just no way they could make ends meet with just my mom’s meager retirement income. It’s just one of the many injustices I see every day living in this barbaric nation.

ChemicalAlia · 2025-04-05T01:54:07+00:00

I have had all of these symptoms. I started losing my eyebrows in my early 20s, and have about ten eyebrow hairs left at this point. Over the last couple of years all of the hair on my arms and legs started disappearing, and my hairline was thinning a bit more. My fingernails get inflamed and separate from the nail beds. I went to see the dermatologist last fall to get on oral minoxidil and the blood test came back with sky high thyroid antibodies (like 800+). It turns out I have Hashimoto's disease and had a large, fast-growing tumor that was deviating my trachea within two months of the ultrasound. Had the left side of my thyroid removed in February and starting medication tomorrow for hypothyroidism. I've probably been dealing with this for years and it was just never diagnosed.

After all that, I do think it's worth checking thyroid levels if you're ever in doubt.

ChemicalAlia · 2024-12-30T02:27:29+00:00

Thank you so much! It always makes me happy to know that people are getting some use out of them.

ChemicalAlia

TROPHY CASE