Episode 55 - Ryan Gallagher: Losing My Hair, Finding My Purpose "Seeing the comments of my regrowth really helped me. It's the best I've ever felt in my life, and now I want to get my PhD and work in medical research." Tommy & Frank are joined by Ryan Gallagher, who lost all of his hair to alopecia universalis around four years ago, just as he was starting his freshman year of college. Ryan's hair loss happened incredibly quickly, and the impact went far beyond his appearance. Suddenly dealing with alopecia at the beginning of college, Ryan struggled with his identity, confidence and sense of direction. He found it incredibly difficult to continue with college, eventually moving home and dropping out. What followed was a very dark period in Ryan's life. Without his hair, the identity he had built for himself felt completely different, and he struggled to see what his future looked like or what the point of it all was. Around three and a half years ago, Ryan began a clinical trial for the JAK inhibitor Rinvoq. Getting onto the medication was far from straightforward, but the treatment eventually changed his life. His hair began to regrow, and today Ryan has experienced full hair regrowth. His Crohn's disease has also been doing remarkably well. But getting his hair back wasn't the end of the story. Ryan talks about the long process of rebuilding his confidence and figuring out who he was after alopecia had completely changed his sense of identity. He also shares how he eventually found a new sense of direction through science. Now studying biology, Ryan wants to use his own experience to better understand conditions like alopecia and Crohn's, and ultimately help other people going through similar experiences. In August 2026, Ryan also joined the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) for their “Thriving Through Transitions: Navigating Young Adulthood with Alopecia” panel, where he spoke alongside other young adults about navigating college, friendships, confidence, healthcare and becoming an advocate for your own treatment. Ryan shares some of the same experiences in this episode, but we get to go deeper into the story behind them: the isolation he experienced during his freshman year, the challenge of rebuilding his confidence, making his own treatment decisions, and how those experiences ultimately helped shape what he wants to do with his life. We talk about identity, college, mental health, autoimmune disease, JAK inhibitors, finding purpose and what it means to rebuild your life after something completely changes the way you see yourself. Ryan's story is ultimately about much more than regrowing hair. It's about losing your sense of identity, finding your way back, and turning an experience that once left you feeling completely lost into a reason to help other people. Watch Ryan's NAAF panel: Thriving Through Transitions: Navigating Young Adulthood with Alopecia National Alopecia Areata Foundation, August 19, 2026 Follow Ryan on Instagram: @ryanxaviergallagher Contact Alopecia Connection! Connection is everything! Remember to rate, review, subscribe and share! Alopecia Connection Linktree Alopecia Connection Website *Discussions on Alopecia Connection are from the personal perspectives and experiences of its host and guests, and should be considered that. Any personal medical decisions should only be made after consultation with one's health care provider.
