Hair Confusion

I grabbed my hot chocolate this morning at a local coffee shop before heading into work. I chatted up the guy behind the counter, and eventually made a little small talk about the weather to a lady sitting by the counter. She took one look at the white streak in my hair, and asked "Is that natural?".

I get this all the time, it's a birthmark, and I'm forever getting that comment on it. Doesn't matter what I'm doing, someone is going to come over and ask me about the hair. I used to work in a coffee shop kiosk, and people would cross the mall to ask me that question. (The best was a woman with pitch black dyed hair in a goth-bar asked me that question) No, I don't dye it, it's a birthmark. Usually the conversation ends up with an "oh..." and the person walks away. Did this small piece of information now make their day? Do they feel better now that they know I don't dye my hair? Do they feel upset they can't do the same? I dunno. It's weird.

So, for the upteenth time this month I said... "Yes, it's natural. It's a birthmark." I got a new reply from the woman... "My friend has something like that too... it's a syndrome... something to do with people who are smart... it's definitely a syndrome!". I tried to convince her that my mother had attributed it to the cow that kicked her while she was pregnant. "Nope, it's a syndrome" She liked that word just wayyy too much! Syndrome.

So, it got me thinking. Of course I looked it up. Hello Google. I never thought any more of this hair of mine, other than I cut it all off when I was 4, because the attention was too much. Turns out she is right - it is a syndrome. Waardenburg Syndrome.

"Waardenburg syndrome is a group of genetic conditions that can cause hearing loss and changes in coloring (pigmentation) of the hair, skin, and eyes. Although most people with Waardenburg syndrome have normal hearing, moderate to profound hearing loss can occur in one or both ears. People with this condition often have very pale blue eyes or different colored eyes, such as one blue eye and one brown eye. Sometimes one eye has segments of two different colors. Distinctive hair coloring (such as a patch of white hair or hair that prematurely turns gray) is another common sign of the condition. The features of Waardenburg syndrome vary among affected individuals, even among people in the same family."

Yeah, people that are smart. No, people that can't hear! Yes, I have a white patch of hair, and blue eyes, but the blue eyes are from my Finnish heritage. And I'm 34, and my hair is still not gray. So, I'm not betting the farm on Waardenburg syndrome. I'm betting more on that damn cow, or some mixup in chemicals when I was born. Or, just a plain white patch! Period.

Now I have to start worrying about hearing loss? Umm... no... I'll just leave it as a white patch of hair, thanks! Or, maybe I can convince you that lightning hit me there?

No?

Oh well

-Rella