Machine-washable...

Sometimes in life, I become attached to an idea or sentiment which I like and which I just cannot get out of my head! Every once in a while, that same idea relates to me and my bald head... You can see where I am going with this!

Anyway, as you may have noticed from my 'Sorry I've been absent' post, life has been pretty busy, one activity which has been drawing my attention has been a 'surprise' redecoration of my parents living room, while my mum was on holiday. As an aside, the '60-minute makeover' I had in my head turned into a two-week one and my mum was 'surprised' by a half-decorated room, but as I keep telling her, it is the thought that counts! It's nearly done now, but I grossly underestimated the time frame!

Anyway, I digress! Back to it!

Picture this, there I am balanced on a ladder in paint splattered clothes, trying to neatly 'cut-in' a bright turquoise for the feature wall, next to a brilliant white wall and a brilliant white ceiling. Much as I want them to be skills of mine, both neat edges and the ability to balance on a ladder sometimes elude me, leaving me with a pristine vision and a slightly less than perfect reality.

As I step onto the top rung of the ladder, it feels a little high and whilst I'm pretty happy up there at the top, I know in reality, I'm likely to stretch just that little bit too far and end up on the floor! Anyway, there I am painstakingly painting a thick teal line and I notice, my head is naturally resting against the ceiling, acting as a stabiliser for me up on my new perch.

I didn't think too much about it then, but two days later I met up with a friend who has a baby, and during dinner time, I had a handful of some tomato-based purée chucked in my general direction, much of it landing around my face and head. I laughed and so did she and then I casually wiped the concoction off my cranium. At this point, my friend looked at me with a SLIGHT glint of envy and said "God that's so easy. You're like the perfect human - baby-proof and wipe-clean without the hassle of a shower and shampoo". I have to say I could not stop laughing! The idea that my head has a better baby-proof 'design' than a normal one, simply because I'm hair and hassle-free! Perhaps if you look at the bottom of my foot or on one bum cheek, I'll have a little tiny label which says "Wipe-clean and machine-washable; do not tumbledry".

I know this is random, but since then, I've been seeing this as an advantage here, there and everywhere - from a lack of paint in my hair to my natural baby-proofing, there are also advantages at a mud-run, in the rain, out gardening and I'm sure many others too! I wanted to share this post with you not because it is in any way serious, but because it tickled me and I hope it will tickle you too!

I'd love your suggestions on your 'wipe-clean' situations, so please feel free to share them with me!

Victoria x

B is for... A-Z of hairloss

Having just tried writing the title, I'm not sure it makes perfect grammatical sense, but hopefully you get the gist! As promised, I am continuing in the vein of our A-Z of hairloss and understandably opting for the letter B (it comes next apparently!). Here goes and don't forget if you think I've missed something, let me know! 

B is for...

Backwards - this is not a veiled insult to our intelligence, but actually reference to the process I went through with my hairloss. All the time, I kept thinking to myself, I'm going backwards - one step forward coming to terms with it, then two and sometimes even three back. Getting used to artfully arranging my hair to cover the patches, only to have the patches expand; making mini 'wigs' to adhere to the patches as a hair replacement, only to have the patches grow still more. Gaining a small amount of regrowth from steroid injections (which weren't worth the pain) only for that to fall out too. The list goes on and on...

It's not all bad though; yes, initially it felt like I was constantly slipping backwards, but over time, as I adjusted, this feeling became less and less frequent. and now, I am doing nothing but charging forward! I am a changed person (at least a little bit) and hopefully for the better. It hasn't all been rosy, but overall as an experience, my hairloss has been more good than bad - a feeling that I hope you get too, or at least a level of certainty that the 'backwards' feeling will pass.

Bald / Baldness - OK, I know this is an obvious one, but in the majority of cases, the ultimate outcome is some or total baldness. There are conditions, for example diffuse Alopecia, which create general thinning, and of course not all cancer patients or people with trichotillomania experience total hairloss, but baldness is a fairly good bet! This aspect was one of the worst for me - there was no hiding it and my appearance was so very different - but it has also turned out to be one of the best aspects too! Read more about my experiences here, here and here...

Bandana - another word for scarf obviously, bandanas are often an option for covering / disguising partial hairloss and as a head covering for total hairloss. This one doesn't work for me - it drives me nuts - but I know a lot of people that understandably love them too! They are low-cost, flexible, comfy, versatile and snuggly when it is cold. Many people opt to match them to outfits and there are soooo many ways you can wear then too! One added bonus; you can buy them pre-styled too, taking the hassle out of tying them yourself and providing a great alternative to hats!

Basics - Losing my hair really pushed things back to basics. I know this sounds strange, but it did this in many senses of this word. For example, I was used to my natural hair and knew how to wash it, style it, care for it; no hair = a whole new regime. Learning wig care, wig maintenance, skin care, nail care, everything that my condition has affected. I felt in many respects like I was back to being thirteen, learning and experimenting; at times it was fun, but at times it was uber frustrating too!

One other thing worth a mention is that like any 'test' that life throws at you, hairloss is very clarifying. It made me realise the friends I could count on, what was important in life, what made me happy and what I really want to achieve in life. It took me back to basics and put things in perspective and many people I know have said this too!

Beauty - I'm not sure I can do this 'B' justice with my explanation / writing. There are so many things it represents and means to so many people, but I'll give it a go...

Beauty is something that we are judged by and that we judge people by. On the one hand, there are the sayings like 'Beauty is more than skin deep' and 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder', but on the other hand, there are also adverts which tell us our long glossy hair makes us 'worth it' and that the wrinkles on our face make us less so. I, and many others that I know, really struggled to adjust to the aesthetic changes that hairloss brings; not only is it incredibly emotionally challenging, but I was terrified that I would be somehow less beautiful and therefore less valuable without my hair. In true terms you aren't; it's simply a different beautiful look, and your personality feeds in a lot too, but that doesn't change the fact you feel less beautiful along the way. As an aside, I do now feel beautiful and perhaps more so than when I had hair even - I have a boyfriend who I love and who loves me, masses of confidence and a unique look, but it took me a while to get back to 'beauty'.

Being - Hairloss can be traumatic (sorry that is probably understatement of the year) and I and many others really struggled emotionally. Sometimes it is important along the way to let yourself just 'be' - to live in the moment, accept what you are feeling and let it wash over you. Anger, grief, envy, anything. Just be!

Besties - Hairloss is hard, period! Your besties will be really important to you (as always) and there'll be a lifeline. For me, mine kept me from retreating into my shell and while I must have seemed like a total stuck record, they were there for me! Enough said!

Bitching - Bitching is something that I really worried about when losing my hair - would people judge me, and be horrible about it? As a victim of bullying growing up (not anything too extreme don't worry), I worried that I would be worth less and that I would be subject to bitching behind my back, but as far as I know, everyone has been really positive and friendly about it. No bitching in sight!

Blackheads - this is an obscure side effect to hairloss and certainly one that I have experienced. Hair grows from follicles and as it grows, it naturally pushes dead skin cells to the surface and removes dirt. Since losing my hair, commonly my hair follicles become clogged and my skin gains the appearance of hundreds of tiny blackheads, particularly across my shoulders and the top of my arms. Regular exfoliation keeps on top of them which is fine, but blackheads are definitely a new problem!

Bold - I do mean 'bold' rather than 'bald'. Going without a wig is 'bold' and some would say 'brave' too, but it is! You will get stares, and people will ask questions or offer an opinion, but if you want to do it, go for it! I switch between wig and no wig and it's entirely personal choice. If you want to, do it; if you don't, then don't. Simples!

Boyfriends - this is something that a lot of people worry about; will you get a boyfriend (if you are single), will it change the way they feel about you (if you have one), will you be needy? So, so many questions and obviously the answers will vary on a case-by-case basis, but in my experience, the right one won't care. I met my boyfriend about a month after my alopecia started and actually stopped dating him out of fear, but now we've been together almost four years, we own a house together and my hairloss didn't change a thing! He's been great about it, sees me bald ALL the time and is gorgeous! If it does change the way they think about you, then chances are they are a toss pot and aren't worth it anyway, so move on and find someone who loves you for you.

Brave - this is something that you will be called quite frequently if you are losing your hair. Whether you tell someone about it, show them, or venture out bald, people will call you brave. Some people understandably find this very reassuring and I understand why, but for me I found this TOTALLY irritating - I did not feel not brave and this statement made me feel like a fraud. Brave is rescuing someone, or standing up to someone, not feeling rubbish about yourself because your hair is falling out, particularly when you would do almost anything to change it. Looking back now, I understand why people say 'brave', because it is really difficult to know what to say and it doesn't worry me so much any more, but it did before and I felt very guilty about it! 

Breaking Point - I don't use this term lightly, but at times during my hairloss I hit what felt like rock bottom. It is certainly the lowest I have been (but perhaps not the lowest I can go) and at times felt like breaking point. No matter how awful I felt, I always got through it thanks to the love and support of my friends and family! I cannot thank them enough and remember the old cliché 'what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger'. Embrace it and see just how far you can go...

Please let me know if there is anything I have missed via Facebook, Twitter or email...

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Is my regrowth a positive sign?

My hair is regrowing. There are tufts. It's more than a centimetre. Is this a positive sign? These are all questions that I've seen before, and ones that gain so many responses on forums or social media feeds. Understandably, any regrowth can be exciting and exhilarating and maybe, just maybe a sign that your immune system is back under control and leaving your hair alone! Or maybe not...

Hair regrowth will vary from person to person; I've met people who have lost all their hair, then almost immediately received full regrowth which has lasted for months or years or to this day. Others who are in a perpetual cycle of shedding, growth, shedding, growth, shedding again. Then of course there are people just like me who have seen no more than a millimetre of growth or the odd longer hair, but never for very long!

As well as being unpredictable, it also means it is impossible to determine a pattern and even more difficult to determine what the hair regrowth may mean. To understand it even a little bit, we have to look to the causes and process of alopecia...

Each individual hair naturally goes through a three phase cycle, and it does so over a number of months, at a different rate / time to the hair next to it. The cycle is:

• Anagen Phase: In simple terms, this is the 'growth' phase of the hair. Each individual hair grows for somewhere between three and five years, reaching lengths of up to 30 inches in most people. With good care, diet and a bit of luck, this phase can last up to seven years, reaching lengths of up to a metre! That's if you let it grow out of course!
• Catagen Phase: Occurring immediately at the end of the Anagen Phase, the Catagen phase is a transitional period for the hair, when the hair follicle begins to collapse. This indicates the start of the shedding period and can last up to 10 days.
• Telogen Phase: An immediate follow-on from the Catagen phase, Telogen is a period of 'rest' for the hair follicle, lasting around three to four months for each individual follicle. The hair follicle releases the hair shaft (the individual strand of hair), which is shed from the head and falls out. The hair follicle remains in this period of statis, before returning to the Anagen Phase to start growing again.  

At any one time, 90% of the hair on your head is in the Anagen Phase and you will lose approximately 80 hairs per day from the head. As each individual hair is at a different point in the cycle, it means that in normal cases, you won't see any thinning or baldness. When this cycle becomes interrupted however, it will cause baldness or patches of baldness, which may have many triggers.

What this means is that any hair regrowth is in itself positive because it means the hair follicles are still able to enter the Anagen phase and able to produce new hair shafts, which could signify a return to a full head of hair in the future. Unfortunately, the longer hair follicles go without growing new shafts, the less likely they will restart or be able to restart BUT again, this is not a certain outcome either! To explain, we need to revert to the examples included previously, which show that hairloss and regrowth is unique to the individual...

• Some people will be a permanent state of flux, growing hair, losing it, growing it again, and it is likely will be like this forever
• Some people will have no regrowth at all for years, only to regain it again out of the blue
• Some people will have almost instant regrowth, which may or may not stay forever

Looking at the hairloss cycle, it is clear that any regrowth is positive in as much as the hair is growing, but that is about all you can draw from it! Those experiencing hair regrowth should be happy, but also wary and honest with themselves that it may change just as quickly, taking each day as it comes, and those with no regrowth ever should not be disheartened that it will be this way forever, as it may change on a coin flip too (not literally).

So yes, it's positive, but no it might not mean anything either!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Five bald celebrities stories for you...

When you google 'Bald Celebrities' or other similar phrases, it's not a surprise that quite a lot of men come up, from Bruce Willis to Anthony Carrigan, but there are plenty of women too! Baldness can be a lifestyle choice or a medical condition, and each show that being bald is beautiful. Hair loss in particular affects at least 50% of women, and 40% of men have noticeable hair loss by age 35. Here's some of my fave / most interesting celebrity baldness stories...

Pop Star - Jessie J

In 2013 Jessie J decided to shave her entire head of hair for Comic Relief, and she rocked the look for around about three months before she decided to grow it back. She told Glamour Magazine, “There’s no point in shaving your head for charity if you’re going to grow it back the next day”. She also said that she had to shave her head at least three times a week because it kept growing back. Jessie J donated her hair to support The Little Princess Trust.

Actress - Sofia Vassilieva

Although hers isn’t an overly well-known name, a lot of people will recognise her as playing Kate, a cancer-ridden teenager in 'My Sisters Keeper'. Vassilieva decided to shave her whole head for the film, and had her hair made into a wig that she donated to a charity called “Locks of Love”.

Designer - Victoria Beckham

Whilst you definitely won't peg her as a baldy, a few years ago Victoria Beckham’s hair started thinning just after she had her little girl, Harper. She attempted to keep her hair from falling out further by stocking up on various hair loss remedies and supplements but at the time, nothing worked apparently.

Basketball Player - Michael Jordan

As soon as Michael Jordan started thinning on top, he made the decision to shave. Jordan was so confident in his look that he started claiming that he was the reason why shaving your head became trendy in the first place. Shaving your head is now perceived as one of the best ways of dealing with male baldness.

Actor - Evan Handler

Evan Handler lost his hair after a battle with leukaemia when he was 24. There is usually a high chance that hair will grow back after treatment however Handler’s didn’t. He commented saying “I hoped my hair would grow back for a long time, but when it became clear that it would not, I shaved off whatever grew there. I am now known for the way that I look.” He also said that when you’re fighting for your life, you come out of it realising that hairloss isn’t the end of the world.

So there you have it, my top five male and female celebrity baldness stories!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

The significance of hair...

As you might have spotted in this blog post about alopecia, and this one about my own hairloss, I've had some very diverse experiences with Trichologists, and whilst they can't cure all forms of hairloss, they do really understand it, and know what's going on...

A few weeks ago, I started tweeting with Iain Sallis, a trichologist with a particular fascination for the psychological impacts of hairloss, and he certainly has some interesting things to say. Here he kindly guest blog's for us here at Pretty Bald, giving insight into his own experiences with patients that he's met along the way... Enjoy!

“So what! You're not going to die from going bald or loosing a bit of hair...so why are you worrying! It's not life threatening”

These types of statements are all too common if you speak to some misguided (and lets face it ignorant) people about hair loss; the medical profession has a tendency to dismiss hair problems as frivolous or people having a ‘slight case of vanity’. This, coupled with the socially awkward problem of talking to someone about it in the first place can leave sufferers upset, vulnerable and confused as to their problem.

As a Trichologist my job is to help people with hair loss and scalp problems; I see the devastation it can cause in a person's life almost daily and it always amazes me how attached people are to this dead fibre that serves no physical purpose to our lives! More so than our nails or skin, our hair seems to have become a manifestation of our psychological well being. People know how important hair is to them (especially if they have suffered hair loss or thinning) I just think people do not realise why hair is so important to us socially and psychologically.

The importance of hair is ingrained into our history and our psyche from us being little... just think of stories such as Rapunzel, Samson and Dahlia, these stories teach us that beautiful princesses have beautiful hair, and a man with a full head of hair denotes strength and power (much like a mane of a lion). Through the ages ‘hair’ has denoted social standing:

• It told us who the warriors are in a tribe (the Mohawk) or who we should be ashamed of; socially the cutting off of a woman’s hair used to be a punishment for promiscuity in some parts of the world until the mid 1900s... of course the men never had their hair cut, just the women!
• Even the colour of hair has a large affect on us; red hair used to be the sign of a fiery temper, blondes are supposed to have more fun but may also be seen to infer a person to be dizzy or dim? 
• Many women (and men) change their hair colour and cut when something significant has happened in their lives; it is a signal to them and everyone else that says I have changed or moved on...I’m a new person!
• Grey hair is now seen as a sign of ageing, however, when we were more of a tribal animal, grey hair may have been a rarity (as we would not live for very long) so grey hair would denote the seniority and wisdom that would come with being around for so long! Again a positive unfortunately turned into a negative.

The lack of knowledge of hair disorders makes for very frustrated and worried people who quite easily fall into the hands of companies who tout their ‘miracle cures’ at a great cost (both emotionally and financially) to the sufferer. Hair loss on its own is not life threatening, but in many cases it acts as a ‘red flag’ to an underlying problem that need to be addressed. The psychological effects of losing your hair usually far outweigh the physical effects though!

• Men - Usually feel as though they cannot talk to friends or family about hair loss as they shouldn't be bothered about it...just one of those things, right? If you’re worried about your hair, you’re classed as vain and it’s definitely not masculine to be worrying about your hair (the average bloke down the pub will have little sympathy with a mate who starts talking about his worried hair line).
• Women – To admit that you're losing your hair can subconsciously feel like you're losing your femininity, youth, looks and in turn your self confidence...not exactly the easiest subject to bring up with friends or family!

We live in a world where perfection is rammed down our throats through every media, magazines, T.V and Films. This only serves to isolate the person with a hair problem as you very rarely see women suffer with hair problems in the media (unless they’re unfortunate enough to suffer from it in whilst the glare of the media spot light, and be strong enough to confront the problem in the full glare of the supportive but fascinated media). The common disguise is hair extensions, which can mask thinning and fine hair, but which can also lead to exacerbating the very same issues they are trying to cover. Hence every now and again you will see a drastic hair change as the hair would have got so bad it cannot hack it any more…fortunately for them, they also have a army of stylists to cover the problem in a different way!

With men the last resort is the shaved look, frowned upon until the past couple of decades, but thanks to celebrities such as David Beckham this look hit the mainstream and all of a sudden a shaved head is cool…not strange; a guy who shaved his head before this were looked upon as a thug (a bovver boy). When I was growing up the only bald guys on TV were Kojak and Yule Brynner (and Duncan Goodhew of course!) all of which stood out due to their complete lack of scalp hair. Other follicularly challenged men such as Bruce Willis decided to go down the toupè route until he decided to shave his head too…then he became hot property again?!

A New scientific study show that men and women who tried to hide a hair problem were rated, less confident and less attractive by a survey group, whereas people with a shaved / bald head were rated more confident and so more attractive; why? The scientists behind this social experiment concluded that the survey group subconsciously realised the subjects in the first group were trying to hide something, which then transferred to a lack of confidence in the person's mind. The group who did not show the tendencies to hide, were rated more confident…hence more attractive!

For women, the cultural change of “fashionable baldness’ has not taken place as hair and ‘beauty’ are far more intertwined in the female psyche than the male!

Take all of the above then focus it through the lens of medial consumption, the obsession with ‘whoever’s’ new hair cut, colour, style…we are consumers and we CONSUME our idols, celebrities (for want of a better word)...They are not allowed a ‘bad hair day’ therefore, (sub-consciously) neither are you!

It’s only when our conscious brain takes over, which argues the fact that “you are not your hair”, you can be feminine, beautiful and worthy WITHOUT this strange ‘dead’ fibre growing out of your scalp that you can place hair loss into perspective….so why does it still niggle you, prick the back of your mind??

I have been told that our subconscious is not logical; it is there to keep us alive, so, if in the past the females that ‘looked’ healthy (i.e.: fit, good skin, healthy hair etc) made our brains think they would make good mates, they henceforth had a better chance of perpetuating our species…this may be the reason why we ‘feel’ hair is important, the same way good teeth and good skin are, as a marker of ‘health’.

So, how important is hair really? Well, in truth the answer is “it is as important as you make it”  as the lack of hair has no significant health implications. Hair is all important to our psychological health and well being, so what happens when you have to learn to live without it, to re-program your brain to let go of this superfluous fibre!...maybe you can tell me?

Iain Sallis M.I.T A.I.T

www.hairmedic.co.uk

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Part Eight - all the ones that you've emailed in to us!

So if you've missed us doing #100HairFreeDays for the last 49 days, you've either just joined our readership, or you must be unobservant! This week, despite having more of my own reasons to share with you, I'm going to share some of my faves from the ones you've emailed in to me!

• When you take off a static jumper, your hair isn't Frizzy! #NoFrizz
• No trimming of stray nose or ear hairs that women loathe! (For men that is)
• Was out in the garden battling with a shrub and no hair means no twigs stuck in it!
• No stubbly hairs sticking through your tights when you KNOW you left it too long, even for winter!
• My baby is at the stage of throwing her food around! No stray banana mush in my hair!
• If there's a hair in the food, I know it's DEFINITELY not mine!
• When your other half runs his hand up your leg, you know they're silky smooth!

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! If anyone has any more, tweet us @PrettyBald or email us!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Chapter Seven - handing over the reins to @Kay89leigh

After launching #100HairFreeDays, you might have spotted us asking others to contribute! We've already had a few in (which are coming up next week), but this week, I HAD to hand over the reins to fellow Pretty Bald blogger Kayleigh, who came storming in with loads more! Here's just a handful of her suggestions!

• No need to worry about shaving before THAT third date! ;-)
• Never having to worry about hairy legs in your gym shorts
• Never having to worry whether your pony tail is sleek enough
• Humid day? Who cares! #FrizzFree
• Showers are MUCH quicker
• Your other half shows off to their friends about how quick you can get ready for date night!
• You never have to worry about stray hairs while on the beach! #BikiniReady

She doesn't stop there, but we'll share her other reasons in amongst some more of mine and some of yours!

Victoria / Kayleigh x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Week 6 - we're getting there!

We're getting there folks! This week's #100HairFreeDays challenge means we're almost halfway there! Let's hope we can make a full 100...

• doesn't get in your face when you are playing sport / running
• provides a comedy act when your wig gets caught on a tree. #TrueStory, but you have to laugh!
• makes you more aerodynamic which will shave a half second off your winning swim time
• your hair doesn't get stuck to your lip gloss
• no more hair washing every other day - once a month will do!
• has made me a more patient, understanding and compassionate person
• means I have a whole new set of dad-style jokes that only I can crack!

Don't forget, if you want to let us know the reasons you love your bald head, please email us or Tweet Us!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Part Five - a full month gone and we're a third of theway through!

For part five of #100HairFreeDays, I was sat on the sofa with my mum, chatting about my hairloss journey and coming up with ideas! There's still lots of good reasons to come, but they're stretching my brain to remember them all!

• A personal experience one for me with alopecia was appreciating that I wasn't ill with something more life-threatening!
• No disgusting hairballs in the sink plughole! You know the ones I mean!
• On the same theme, no stray hairs clinging to the carpet, or wrapped round the hoover head, or anywhere else really
• Saves me 20 minutes a day that would otherwise be spent blow-drying hair
• and less blow-drying means less electricity - in fact now I don't even own a hairdryer
• Holding a friend's baby, there's no hair for them to pull! Very relevant when they're learning to grip!
• no more sweaty betty hair at the gym - actually it's the sign of a good workout, BUT the stringy hair look is probably out!

Phew! Another week done and we're still thinking of the positives of hairloss! As we've said before, these blogs aren't designed to make you covet hairloss (who would), but they are hopefully demonstrating that it's not all bad! If you have a hairloss positive, don't forget to email us or tweet us and we'll add them to the list! 

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Third Part Round-Up

Just in case you haven't seen it already, I've set myself the #100HairFreeDays challenge to come up with 100 positive things about losing your hair. Don't get me wrong, this challenge isn't designed to make you embrace your hairloss, but it is designed to highlight the silver linings so it doesn't seem quite so bleak! Challenge yourself to find the positives and see if it helps make things more bearable!

As promised in the first blog, here's a summary from the third week of posts on Twitter! The reasons are getting less obvious now, but I'm determined to do it!

#100HairFreeDays:

• means I never have a 'bad hair day' - at least not in my opinion! I just change wigs instead!
• gave me the opportunity to take part in a magazine photoshoot for Cosmpolitan Magazine which you can read here http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/body/news/a33154/my-amazing-body-alopecia/ and also my personal experience of it here
• stops me having to pluck stray eyebrow hairs that just won't stop growing
• gives me an opportunity to make a difference, at the same time doing something I am totally passionate about
• hairloss has connected me to people in every corner of the globe, from Jamaica to Australia, Brazil to Sweden
• helped me find the man of my dreams (aaaaahhhhh), someone who loves me for me, not for what I look like!
• allows me to join a great bunch of people at Alton Towers this year, all thanks to Alopecia UK

These posts mean I'm officially one fifth of the way there with #100HairFreeDays! Let's hope I can think of another 79 days! Don't forget, if you want to help me out with a suggestion or two, you can Tweet me or email me with a suggestion...

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Part 2 Summary

On the 1st March, I started my #100HairFreeDays challenge, working to list 100 positives about having no hair. You can read more about it here...

As promised, here is the second summary of my #100HairFreeDays Challenge

#100HairFreeDays:

• means I've pushed myself to do new and unusual things, mostly in the name of charity!
• ensures that I never get shaving rash
• means I can't use mascara and therefore it doesn't dry out
• without my hairloss, I never would have launched my own business - PrettyBald
• gave me the chance to take part in my very first (and second) flashmob, and not only that, but take part in ones that were essential to support national education
• means I never get hat hair! I either don't wear hair under my hat, have a wig dedicated to my woolly hat and also have a hat with hair trim although I don't wear it very often
• you never get ingrowing hairs because they don't grow in the first place!

There'll be another update next week and in the meantime, you can keep up to date with the next lot of #100HairFreeDays reasons on Twitter!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Gotta love statistics...

Since launching Pretty Bald, I've started following feeds which point me in the direction of all sorts of things hairloss, alopecia and baldness! Whilst much of it is useful and sparks ideas that get incorporated into the Pretty Bald blog, sometimes I come across a little gem which just has to be shared as a story in its own right!

One such story is a survey from People's Daily, which discusses the growing issue of baldness in men in China; apparently one in four (25%) of men in China are now going bald, but the gem of this story is the fact that...

If you combined these bald patches, they would equal 4,725 square kilometres, covering London three times over!

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the survey looking into male hairloss in China, which is growing in correlation with increasing incomes and changing working habits. What I cannot fathom is the idea that it's someone's job to work out this bald pattern equation! Bonkers!

The only thing left to comment on this story is that if this question ever comes up in a pub quiz, you've nailed it! Other than that, it's probably a pretty useless piece of information.

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

WANTED: Are you the next Pretty Bald Blogger?

The Pretty Bald blog is growing and we're in need of some more bloggers, case studies and real-life stories; could you be the next guest poster, interviewee or regular columnist?

At the moment we have four bloggers (Myself, Jen, Kayleigh and Danielle) and we all happen to have Alopecia! We're now looking for individuals with other types of hairloss to tell us their stories or to become a regular columnist. We're also looking for Hairloss experts to write one-off blog posts.

Got what it takes? Please email us to tell us about yourself and apply...

Want to be a regular blogger? You will:

- have something interesting and unique to say

- suffer from a short or long-term Hairloss condition; at the moment, we're not looking for female alopecians (although we're of course happy to consider you) - our followers are asking for people with chemotherapy hairloss, trichotillomania, female pattern baldness, male alopecians, male pattern baldness and other forms of hairloss. We're getting emails asking for insights to support these conditions

- be able to commit to a minimum of one blog post per month, preferably more

If you don't have hairloss, but are an expert in a specific field, we'll also be happy to consider you!

Want to be a case study / real life story?

Please send us an email with some information about you... Some pictures would be great too and we'll email you back with any additional questions we need answering. We'll then write it up and post it out on the blog!

The reason?

We're working to make Pretty Bald a unique resource that offers support and advice through real-life experiences, not just expert opinion. Through this, we hope to support others, and also work to change perceptions within society, making it easier to thrive in spite of these conditions, not just hide and hope for a cure!

The reward?
Initially, we're working to raise as much money for charity as possible, so this is a voluntary opportunity; long-term however, our bloggers will benefit from free products to review and hopefully some other exciting things too!

If you do have anything else you want to contribute or of course want to see us write about,  please let us know! There's a lot of exciting things coming up and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy writing it! 

Victoria x

An eyebrow-raising story! Beauty blunder leaves girl with four eyebrows - how to avoid the same problem

A story doing the rounds in the newspapers this week features the real life story of Delsha Campbell, a girl left with four eyebrows after making the wrong choice when it came to her cosmetic tattooing!

In a bid to make her eyebrows neater and more defined, filling in gaps in her natural brow, Delsha decided to use an online voucher for cosmetic tattooing, having the treatment at a bargain £100 instead of £350. She left her natural eyebrows in place as a guide, and visited the therapist appointed to carry out the work; the therapist outlined the brows, carried out the aesthetic treatment and then waxed off the original brow leaving what should have been a gorgeously shaped brow that's perfectly defined.

At this point, Delsha looked in the mirror and knew something was wrong as she spotted the shadows of her natural brows beneath the tattooed ones. The therapist reassured her that the distortion was a result of the swelling from the treatment and that they would go down. Regrowth of the natural brow three days later showed how wrong this was, as Delsha was left with four eyebrows in place of two, and wobbly, sub-par tattooed eyebrows. The traumatic experience left her in need of counselling and two years on, the eyebrows have yet to fade, despite £400 spent trying to lessen their appearance.

Delsha's 'clown' brows:



Now, despite horror stories like these, cosmetic tattooing or semi-permanent make-up is actually a viable, realistic choice for women, particularly those suffering with hairloss. It's something I personally opted for (as have many people I know) and although I haven't got round to having them redone, it isn't something I've ever regretted - thank god!

Eyebrows have two key functions; first, to keep dust and dirt away from the eyes and second aesthetically they add definition to the face. Whilst cosmetic tattooing cannot help with the former, with the latter its great for those who have little or no eyebrows and want facial definition. What's more, they can look really natural when done by an expert!

So how do you know if you're picking the right expert?

• Do your research - start by researching experts in the field and look for recommendations from others. Good reputations have to come from somewhere and the same with bad reviews. Obviously this won't be definitive, but if you opt to look for an expert, rather than the cheapest price or the best voucher, you're more likely to end up in safe hands. 
• Start with the training - semi-permanent make-up is complicated but safe when carried out by an expert; to become an expert however the therapist needs proper training. Unfortunately, there isn't a definitive list of training courses that people can take (the Government is working on changing this at the moment), so you need to use a little bit of initiative here; ask questions about who they trained with, how long the course was, whether they had to submit case studies, were supervised during training etc. Someone who has done good quality training will be confident talking about their qualifications, will be able to answer your questions and what's more, you'll be able to check out the academy they've trained with. You can also then ask how often they revisit their training to make sure they're keeping up with the latest information and guidelines. Therapists whose training isn't up to standard will most likely struggle to answer your questions, may start to act uncomfortably and won't necessarily check out.
• Ask for testimonials and before & after images - people who've had a good experience will be happy to talk about it, so look around for testimonials, online reviews, ratings etc. and also ask the therapists for their before and after images. If possible, also ask for 'after' shots that are taken after six and 12 months to see how they look and last; not all therapists will have these, but if they do, you have extra reassurance! 
• Consider the price - again, this will require you to make your own judgement, but price should be a factor in your decision! Rather than opt for the cheapest, go for the best value - it's about those that will look after you and understandably, some of the more expensive ones will be better! Now this isn't an exact science, but the price they are charging should be fair and prices should be consistent in the area. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is! Cosmetic Tattooing isn't cheap for a very good reason!
• Ask about insurance - this isn't just something you should ask when it comes to cosmetic tattooing; you should ask about it for any beauty treatment even waxing. Whilst the insurance itself doesn't stop the treatment going wrong a) a professional won't be without it - it's a good sign and b) it will cover you in case of any repair work required.

Once you're happy with all of the above, you should also feel personally comfortable with the treatment and the therapists; there should always be a consultation BEFORE you go ahead and you should be given time to think about it (a few days) before the actual treatment happens. 

What can you expect?

Personally here I can only comment on semi-permanent eyebrows because they're the only thing I've had done; eyeliner, lip liner and other areas of the body may be a bit different!

Once you've chosen your artist, you'll be given two appointments (for eyebrows), usually two weeks apart. You'll have a consultation and 'before' pictures taken. You'll chat through the options and what you are specifically hoping to achieve; I opted for a 'feathered' look where individual strokes are used to create the appearance of individual hairs, rather than a block colour approach for really defined brows. You'll also discuss size and shape at this point. (For a guide, don't forget to read up on how to measure your brows).

Numbing cream will be applied in advance to help lessen the pain in the area and then the tattooing will be carried out, with cosmetic-specific pigments. The second treatment will be used to fill-in any gaps, darken the pigment and make any small changes. Personally, as a result of my alopecia and the effect it has on my skin, it actually took a third application in a few spaces, but that's a personal experience!

I hope this helps. If you do have any questions you want us to get answered, please email or tweet us and we'll be happy to answer them or get a reputed expert to help with any technical bits. If you've had semi-permanent make-up done, please send us your pics and we'll share them and add them to the blog!

Victoria x 

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Strength in Numbers

Often when going through a hidden condition, like hair loss, we can feel isolated, paranoid and embarrassed. From my own personal experience when I lost all of my head hair to alopecia, I felt all of these emotions. I was too embarrassed to speak to my friends about losing my hair, I was paranoid that everyone knew I was becoming bald and in turn I felt isolated from those around me, as I thought nobody could or would understand what I was going through.

A turning point for me was attending the first annual BeBold conference in Durham in 2012 and meeting lots of others with alopecia. Having kept my secret for so long, it was amazing to finally feel at ease with those around me – I didn’t even have to explain anything, they knew what I was going through. Since that date, and meeting people I now consider good friends, I've gotten involved with many Alopecia UK awareness events, reached out to other alopecia sufferers via social media and, most importantly, opened up to friends and my wider family about the condition. I'm not afraid.

With this in mind, I urge anybody suffering in silence to do the same. I know it's a scary HUGE step but it's one that could change your life forever, for the better! The more people who know about your condition, the more that can support you, and the bigger the weight that is lifted from your shoulders. You're never alone – there's strength in numbers!

One thing I always found awkward while I was "in hiding" was invites to theme parks! What did I say?! I LOVE adventure parks and the like but I couldn't risk it as my wig would most definitely fly off.

Alopecia UK solved that for me when last year they hosted their first day out in Alton Towers. Surrounded by others with the condition, I felt I was comfortable enough to bare all in the theme park and enjoy a fantastic day out free from the worry that wearing wigs can bring. I cannot describe the feeling of freedom you get from being around those who know your struggle. I was in my element.

The charity are hosting this event again this Spring and will be heading to Alton Towers on Saturday 11 April 2015 – and I strongly urge you all to join us! Whether it be your first meeting or you're a seasoned AUKer (do you think that'll stick?) it is a guaranteed BLAST!

So, head over to http://www.alopeciaonline.org.uk/altontowers.asp and check out the details. Sign up to the Alopecia UK newsletter so you are never out of the loop (doing this can also help you access discounted tickets for Alton Towers!) and I'll see you on the Smiler ;)

Much Love, Kay x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Too Ugly For Love? Or is it a happy ending?

At the beginning of January, you may have seen our post about TLC television programme 'Too Ugly For Love?' and our take on the controversial title! The programme, which features Alopecia UK Charity Manager, followed ten singletons as they embarked on dating adventures, all the while hiding secret medical conditions. For Jen, this was Alopecia Universalis, the hairloss condition which means she has no hair anywhere. Jen appears in Episodes 1, 2 and 4 alongside others, telling her very personal story!

Many people have mentioned the fact that unfortunately, they didn't have access to the TLC channel to watch the programme, so for ease we've added Jen's excerpts to our YouTube channel for you to watch! Don't forget to subscribe to the channel!

Episode 1:



Episode 2:



Episode 4:



Victoria x

P.S. Sorry the recordings aren't perfect!



www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Meet Miss March #PrettyBald #Calendar #NudeBald

This is the 'model' intro I have been dreading writing since I started this blog, simply because Miss March in the calendar - well it's me! I've already told some of my story on this blog, plus there is a whole profile of me on the website, so what can I say that's interesting...?

I guess instead of telling more about my story (I've written up all the good bits), I'll tell you instead about the calendar...

For me, the calendar represents and opportunity to educate the public and change perceptions of the 'right' body image, as well as fundraising for a cause close to my heart! It was an incredible learning experience for me, not least on the organisational front where everything took twice as long as expected! I always said it would be a one-off; just one year, to make an impact and create a difference; then... I got the bug and now I'm looking at doing it again this year, but totally differently!

We will be looking for people to take part and whilst this isn't the official shout-out, if you do want to do it (no nudity this year), please send us an email...

Next month's profile will be a proper profile, but that's because you probably haven't met Miss April yet!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Challenge yourself to change your perspectives...

Our perceptions of things is formed over time as we grow, develop and experience things. In fact, we'll start to categorise things from a young age, based on experiences, simply to enable us to make decisions faster and more efficiently. Many archaeology-anthropologists will argue that it's a safety mechanism evolved to protect us in potentially dangerous situations; it's why many people (wrongly) have an ingrained wariness and suspicion of anyone who is 'different' to them, born of a deep, ingrained perception or pre-conception.

These perceptions are influenced and changed by a number of factors, from our environment to our experiences, to our culture and our parents. In fact, so strongly can our own perceptions be influenced by others, we'll adopt them despite no first-hand experience; this makes considering another point of view totally alien. To give you an example, when doing my degree, we did a small amount of Anthropology, which is the study of humans and their behaviours in societies; one example which really illustrates the point I am making and has stuck with me since then is when you considered the eating habits of Romany Gypsies. According to a research study, the average white, middle-class person would never consider eating without a knife and fork, and except in socially accepted scenarios (like eating a burger), will never opt to use their hands / fingers to consume food. In fact, the majority will consider the germs on their hands and rule eating with their hands as dirty. Turn instead to the historic Romany Gypsy, and they consumed all of their food using their hands and fingers! Sounds madness, but in their culture, eating implements are considered dirty as it is unclear where they have been, whereas their hands are considered preferable as they can be assured of their cleanliness. Now, when you look at it this way, their logic is sound, meaning neither option is wrong, simply different.

I promise there is a point to this rambling, but these thoughts were prompted when cruising through one of the Facebook communities. I came across a post from a gorgeous lady called Summer from Oregan, USA. She posted "my daughter just turned three, two weeks ago and has really started noticing that others are different from me. I always thought I would end up having the "why does Mommy not have hair like everyone else" talk, however it has turned into, "why do others have hair". I never realised how normal it was to her for me to be bald, as I lost all of my hair to AU when she was a year old. She has never asked me why I am different, but wants to know why others are different. This really made me grin, I never realised before just how perfect we are to our children."

You know that saying "Out of the mouths of babes" which assures us that children can be bluntly and brutally honest? Yep! At times, it can be harsh, like the moment I was asked why I had massive red dots on my face (massive acne break-out), but it also has a fabulous side - that moment when they say something which stops you in your tracks and which you know must be true and heartfelt because they don't say things any other way? That statement from Summer's daughter is just that!

For me, what this prompted me to think about most is that whilst we each judge ourselves by our own standards, we shouldn't automatically expect those same judgements from others. They will have their own thoughts and opinions (and not all of them will be nice), but I think there's a lesson in here for us all - let's challenge ourselves to look at things differently every once in a while and see if there's a way we can make everything more positive! After all, I expected everyone to stare, laugh and point at me the first time I went out without a wig, but it simply didn't happen! In fact, the worst I got was a sympathetic look, and there was nothing at all that could be classed as upsetting; in this case, it was totally my level of expectation and my own expectations and perceptions almost made me stick to hiding beneath a wig!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

The daffodils are out, and it is the first of March, which can only mean one thing...

So it's too late for a pinch and a punch; I got a bit overexcited this morning and ended up posting this story of Anthony Carrigan instead! Still it was worth it!

It would be wrong however to let today pass by without a little reminder that it's the first of March and that can only mean one thing! Goodbye bathtub picture and hello stylish hats!

To give you a bit of history of the inspiration behind this picture, I'll have to introduce my friend! Fern Bereen is quite possibly one of the most casually creative people you will ever meet! Training in costume and set design at University, Fern is a milliner (making hats) by trade and also has the ability to whip up and style almost anything; it's safe to say if I attempted the same, the decor would look like I dropped it from a great height, whereas Fern gives it a stylish purpose! Anyway, in a moment of panic about how we'd actually get the shots to look nice, AND make sure no boobs, nipples or other bits were on show, I rang Fern! She chatted to me in calm tones and promised to support me on the shoot! Out of the cupboards at her workshop came wedding crockery, afternoon tea sets, dresses, and hats, and she willing transported everything on to set in all manner of trunks and suitcases!

It was then that the girls discovered Fern's inspired hat collection, made from anything she can get her hands on including old broken jewellery, raffia table mats and even dried flowers! They couldn't stop putting them on and so a new picture was born - one which took advantage of the gorgeous colour and structures of the hats and showcased them against the cream background of the traditional Cotswold stone! They looked gorgeous!

The reason that this picture was selected for March? Unless you are one of my Cheltenham buddies, something which you may not know is that Cheltenham is often referred to as the 'home of horseracing'. Every March, there is one of the most coveted prizes of the sport up for grabs - the Gold Cup - and whilst more 'country' than Ascot, the event still features big hats and a best dressed competition! I personally go to these races often and in fact have worn one of Fern's creations, so it seemed only fitting to pop this one into March, a month known locally to me for its big hat occasion!

Fern makes affordable hats for any occasion, from the traditionally stylish to the statement flambouyant. To find out more, you can visit her website, or like her on Facebook, either of which will be appreciated! You can also buy one of the very styles we wear, if any of them take your fancy!

Happy page changing!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Real Life Hairloss Experience: Meet Angela

Last year, me and some of the girls from the Pretty Bald Calendar appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about the calendar and to raise awareness and educate. Not long after our interview, I received the loveliest email from Angela, who got in touch to tell us her story and also say thanks for helping her realise she's not alone! I was really touched and nearly cried! Anyway, back to the story, I asked Angela if we could share her story when the time was right (we didn't have anywhere to share it at the time) and she said yes! So here goes...

In October, Angela was not long into her alopecia journey, having been diagnosed with Alopecia Areata just eight weeks before. She had a naturally thick head of hair and watched as it initially started thinning at the crown, leaving the middle of her head bald within two weeks and forcing her to shave it off! The Doctors told her it was down to stress, which Angela attributed to her job.

Angela says " I love my bald head now, and I really didn't think it would look this good. I had cried every day for six weeks thinking I was going to look awful but yes you're correct, BALD IS BEAUTIFUL. I love it so much and love when people stop and stare. Here's a picture, and I'm so so glad I'm not alone."

When asked if she would be happy for her story to be shared Angela said "I would love for you to use my picture and my story; I want people to know it's not all bad and that doors can open in other areas. I'm now getting modelling jobs since and loving it. I have noticed doctors always put it down to stress, when I feel that it's other things that contribute, I was also told by my dermatologist that my hair cells are dying which is why now I have to have injections in my head every two months, but I'm happy the way I look anyway whether my hair grows or not."

Thanks so much for getting in touch and sharing your story Angela! Remember, if you have a story of hairloss that you would like to share, or are interested in joining the Pretty Bald bloggers network, please do email us!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald