I first noticed 2 small bald patches (about the size of a 50p) twelve years ago, when I returned from holiday. My first thought was that it had worn away from wearing my sunglasses on my head too much! I saw my hairdresser a couple of weeks later and she suggested that I should see my doctor to check that it wasn’t something else. My hair had always been so thick and long and really was my crowning glory so I couldn’t contemplate that anything was wrong.
Unfortunately, my named GP at the time was a man close to retiring who had a full head of hair and was totally unsympathetic. He told me it was probably alopecia and that it might grow back or I would go bald. He then told me to look it up on Wikipedia! He said he would write a referral to a dermatologist but not to expect a reply for at least 6 weeks. By this time my hair was coming out in handfuls and I was convinced that within that time I would have no hair left.
I was pretty devastated when I left the surgery and didn’t really know where to turn. My mum decided that she would pay for me to see the dermatologist, for which I am so grateful. He arranged for me to have blood tests to rule out thyroid problems or iron deficiency and explained what alopecia was. When my blood came back as normal, he suggested a course of steroids but told me that if there was no improvement in 6 weeks, then they wouldn’t work at all.
As my hair got thinner, I started to think about wigs. I had no idea where I would go, but a colleague said her aunt was a hairdresser who also provided wigs for chemo patients. I spoke to her and she put me in touch with someone who worked at a salon in London. That first appointment was pretty daunting, but Michael was lovely, taking his time to explain the different types of wigs and letting me try various styles. I left wearing one as close to my remaining bio hair as possible, incredibly self-conscious and convinced that everyone would know I was wearing a wig. I was paranoid that it was going to be blown off in the wind!
‘Here are some of my other ‘tried & tested’ wigs that I like :)’
At this stage, I still had a bit of hair, but eventually the time came to shave it off. My friend (who had been my hairdresser for years) agreed to do it, but it was an emotional afternoon as the last time she had done something like that was when my dad was having chemo and she had shaved his head. After a good cry, I felt better and realised I just had to learn to live with my new normal.
Initially, I stuck to similar styles but started to experiment with different colours – I had been blonde all my life, but I tried coppery tones and dark browns. Whilst on holiday in Florida, my cousin-in-law told me she had found a wig shop in the town so off we went (with her two girls) and had a fun afternoon trying on wigs. I bought a long blonde wig and from that moment on I decided I could wear short one day and long the next – it didn’t matter what anyone else thought!
My hair did grow back and two years after it had first fallen out, I was able to go without wigs. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long and six months later it had all gone again. Around this time, I started to look for support and found the website for the charity Alopecia UK. It was a very small organisation at the time, but the staff were so helpful and gave me advice on looking after wigs and told me about a local support group. I started attending the monthly meetings and it changed my life! It was the first time that I had met anyone with alopecia, before that the only people I knew who had lost their hair had been through chemotherapy, and to be able to talk about how it affected us and to share experiences made such a difference to me. With their encouragement, I went back to my GP surgery and asked for a referral for counselling, which was the best thing I ever did. I also met a woman who had the most incredible human hair wig and ended up going to her wigmaker for a bespoke wig. It was expensive but worth every penny to me. It was lovely to have the freedom to be able to style it in different ways and to go back to my hairdresser when I decided I wanted it a bit shorter or a different colour!
Love, Hannah x
Would love to be able to like the posts from everyone who has suffered hair loss and been so brave to share their stories !
I’ve had alopecia since I was 14 and have gone through small patches of hair loss to losing it all before some hair grows back occasionally.
I’m currently wearing toppers rather than a full wig , but I always have one or two full wigs on standby, as my hair loss can be rapid when it happens.
Sadly alopecia is still not a readily accepted condition for women of any age which is extremely frustrating when faced with balding males everywhere that is deemed normal.
Thank you to simply wigs for the advice on vat relief ….as I’ve previously for many years paid vat on wigs and hair pieces and not been aware that aloepcia is recognised by HMRC.
I’ve had to wear a wig for about 20 years. I wouldn’t step outside my front door without one. Started losing my when my husband was very ill & doctor put hair loss down to stress.! He never suggested an alternative cause & I didn’t question him at the time . Some long-time later I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid & of course that was probably why I lost my hair BUT it was too late. I’m on medication now for years for the thyroid problem but am still.losing hair & will never be without a wig. I still blame my ex doctor for my hair loss. I lost my darling husband in 2001 after much pain & years of care. etc. & 48 years together. 9 months ago I lost my youngest daughter after she’d been in hospital a year .
To try to cheer myself up ive decided to buy a new wig. Hence all the searching I’m doing on here.
I too ended up having my hair shaved off. I bought a blond wig and no one was none the wiser. It was as my hair had been. Every year I bought a longer one, and now I am 63 and everyone loves my hair. It’s how I would have liked it in my 20s. My hair still is my crowning glory.
You look fantastic in the picture- no one would ever know that was a wig- it looks totally natural. Is that the bespoke one or an off the shelf wig? The colour looks so natural.
Thank you, for being so open about your experience of alopecia, I’m 61 years old, and suffered since I was 6 years of age. Something that has been a secret part of my life.
May well speak to Alopecia Uk, one day. Thank you once again.
All the best Lynn