Hi everyone, my name is Francesca and I am 45 years old. My androgenic alopecia started before I turned 20 and now my hair is very thin and sparse on the top and sides of my head.
When I became a mum of two girls, who are now 7 and 10, I started thinking about what I would do if they inherited my genetic disorder. I wanted them to feel that there was a way to overcome the shame and embarrassment of being a woman with male pattern baldness.
Starting My Hair Loss Journey
Three and a half yeas ago, I came across some YouTube videos of women with alopecia who had started wearing wigs. From there, I connected to social media groups for wig wearers and I wondered if I, as well, could be so brave. I so desperately wanted to try. After a few months of pondering, I pushed myself to do it. I ordered my first wig and since then, my life has changed.
Things I did or did not do during the 20+ years since my hair started falling out:
How I Found My Confidence
Firstly, I was scared of starting to wear wigs and worried about how that may have come across in my work environment. The first couple of weeks were certainly stressful (oh my goodness, I felt I had to explain to every one of my colleagues and introduce them to my new hair!). This journey has brought so much joy, and wearing wigs has been the best decision I have made in a long time.
My daughters no longer have a mum who wants to hide from pictures, or whose wellbeing is severely impacted by hair loss. I still feel self-conscious sometimes, but I know I shouldn’t worry! I certainly hope that research in this field finds an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia. If it doesn’t happen any time soon and one of my daughters gets the diagnosis, I hope to have modelled a healthy way of coping with it. Finding Simply Wigs has been life saving and everyone there has been supportive and helpful!
Love, Francesca x
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THE AUTHORS
We just love when our customers share their reviews, detailing their hair loss journeys. Each story is unique and incredibly inspiring. These personal accounts offer valuable insights..
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Comments (4)
What an inspiring story, thank you for sharing it here. Especially as you’ve made a conscious decision to inspire your daughters as they grow up in a world that’s increasingly obsessed with “image”.
I’m 75 diagnosed with FFA in 2021 and have been wearing wigs for a few years now. I’ve been very open about this with my family. One of my adult granddaughters has subsequently been diagnosed with LPP at 22 years old. I’m hoping the way I’ve managed my hair loss and adapted to wig wearing will be a positive role model to her going forward.
Your story mirrors mine exactly Francesca. I started losing mine in my 20’s due to androgenic alopecia and went through exactly the same anxieties. After years of trying to cover up my balding head in 2008, I bought my first wig and I’ve never looked back. I even get comments on, where did I get my hair done. Not one person has ever commented on it being a wig. I’m out and proud now and if anyone asks about my hair, I proudly say, ohh I bought it online! To everyone’s shock. I’ve never looked back and the stigma of wig wearing has changed massively over the years. I love my wig and my confidence. I’m in my late 50’s now and it’s knocks years off my age! I’ll never go grey, unless I choose to! ? X
Hi Francesca, I too have androgenic alopecia which started in my teens (I’m now 72) so I can completely empathise with you and what you have been through to get to this successful point in your life.
I used to dread swimming lessons at high school because afterwards my hair just used to stick to my head in limp strands, whilst every other girl in the class had hair that bounced back once dry again. This is a terrible blow to one’s confidence at that age
Years later, in my 50s I discovered Simply Wigs (nothing like this had existed in my younger days and wigs were purchased off the shelf, really only suitable for fancy dress parties). Once I was wearing a proper head of hair due to my realistic wig, I found confidence in myself for the first time in my life and I have never looked back. The best thing is that no one ever suspects I’m wearing a wig – and the other thing I like is that I can have different colours and styles whenever I wish, don’t have to visit a hairdresser ever and don’t have to waste time faffing with my hair every morning! Good luck to you as you embark on your wig-wearing journey. You’ll soon discover that wearing wigs is actually more fun than having your own hair!
Thank you for being brave enough to be so honest! You’ve really helped me to make a conscious decision to move forward. Your photo is so inspiring! Thank you ??!
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