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

Wigs as an accessory...

The very first thing I did when looking for a wig was default to requesting a human hair wig, almost an exact colour, length and texture to my natural hair. It was about replacing / replicating my natural hair in a bid to ensure that nobody noticed or knew I had medical hairloss unless I wanted them to. At that moment my priority was discretion at all costs.

Unfortunately, my journey to finding the perfect wig wasn't a simple one! There was bad advice, poor fittings, unnatural hairstyles, not to mention the cost! I waded through too much information, and then alighted on a wig consultant who actually understood wigs! It was a revelation...

Since then, I have learned that actually wigs are great, either as a medical replacement for your hair, or merely as a FANTASTIC accessory that slots neatly into everyday life. For me, my original driver of discretion is a thing of the past and my wig is no longer a security blanket that gives me the confidence to be who I am.

You might have noticed that I am fascinated by hairloss - by its' causes and by its' effects. I love finding out how and why it affects different people and what they struggle with the most. Through these discussions, I have identified a number of common factors, which provide a good insight (and can sometimes be worrying) into the misconceptions of wigs...

1. Wigs are expensive; and therefore do not provide a viable option, particularly with such poor NHS provision. Yes some are expensive, but there are also some fab, long-lasting, lightweight, comfortable and affordable wigs on the market which don't cost much more than a good-quality winter coat or pair of shoes from Dune. Wigs do not have to be expensive in order to offer a good solution to your hairloss.
2. Wigs aren't the 'true' you; the hairloss community is very divided on the use of wigs. Some people are campaigning for their provision on the NHS, with an almost vehement assertion that we need to cover up, and others are almost the opposite, encouraging people to 'go bald' and be their true selves. Actually, neither is necessary and I myself have opted to use them as an accessory; a fashionable statement that enhances an outfit, a warm snuggly head cover when the wind is a bit nippy, and an option for my hairloss if I am feeling in the mood. It is about being comfortable in yourself, and the actions of others should not influence how you choose to deal with your own condition. RELATED POST: Why you shouldn't feel pressured to wear a wig...
3. Human hair is the way forward; uh yeah, if you love styling hair and are happy to invest the time and effort, I own two human hair wigs and neither has been worn more than a handful of times. Unfortunately, for me they are high-maintenance and due to my lack of skills, often look more like a wig than some of my 'off the shelf' synthetic faves. Don't underestimate the versatility and quality of a synthetic wig - even five years ago they were heavy, unnatural, scratchy and ugly, but now they give natural hair a run for their money, are durable, low-maintenance and affordable. Get involved!

There is no right or wrong when it comes to wigs and each person will have their own approach; for some, only human hair will do, while others prefer to go au natural and have the confidence to do so! Great! Both sound good to me! I pick and choose according to my mood and no longer focus on the 'wig' as a covering, but more as an accessory - some outfits just look better with long curly hair, while others match a bald look and some just need a short crop or bob! Exceptional! I love this flexibility!

What got me thinking about this was a night out on a Hen Do last night! Into my bag, I packed my favourite beany (in case it got nippy), a short bob, and a long, curly number, along with a choice of outfits. In the end, we didn't even get a chance to change, but I LOVE having that flexibility in my back pocket!

Here is my range of looks...

Rocking the bald...

My staple bob - a synthetic wig...

Long curls - another synthetic...

What wigs do you opt for and when do you wear them?

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

'Coping' with hairloss...

A question that I regularly get asked (and in fact got asked yesterday) is the 'secret' to 'coping' with hairloss. Are there any specific techniques to try; what can they do / copy; do I have any advice?

I have to be honest and say I am regularly stumped by this question; am I really qualified to answer? Can I really do anything to help? I don't know whether I can or not, but I do know that I have a policy of being honest and an ambition to answer a question as thoroughly and truthfully as possible, even if that is just to say 'I don't know'.

Being asked this question again yesterday got me thinking. How can you cope with losing your hair?

I think 'coping' methods will depend a lot on both you as an individual and on the stage of your hairloss journey. For example, take me; at the beginning of my alopecia, I did 'cope' - pick pretty much any cliche and it probably fits me, taking each day as it came! Roll forward to now, more than four years later and I no longer 'cope'; instead I 'thrive' and embrace my alopecia and what it brings for me.

Thinking this through, I have come up with a list of tips and tricks to help you come to terms with losing your hair and whilst this is not an 'official' assessment by a trained expert, I am drawing on personal experience. I have tried to ensure that it covers as many different angles as possible and suggest you pick the aspects that work for you, rather than using this as a step-by-step list. Also remember, that you cannot 'fail' - there will be setbacks along the way (I had my fair share), but the important thing is to keep looking and moving forward...

1. Start with what works for you...
I know this sounds like I am trying to teach Granny to suck eggs, but I'm not. When I went to the Ideal Home Show and met Katy Piper, she expressed an assertion that positive affirmation was key to her recovery. After that session, I came home and tried a few of my own - whilst I love the sentiment, they just aren't for me and I feel nothing, but I also know they work for many people. On my own journey, what I needed was motivation to get out the house - this is where my dogs came in handy and I spent every morning getting up and getting out and driving myself to look after them. For you, it might be yoga or meditation to relax, kick-boxing to let out your frustration, a night of too many cocktails with friends or something completely wacky. Whatever it is, build in regular things that encourage, inspire and motivate you, ensuring you can keep going, in spite of the hairloss.

2. Stick to your routine...
Initially my hairloss eroded my routine; I stopped going to the gym, to yoga (I was rubbish at it anyway), I worried about nights out with friends and I started doing less and less. I was entirely worried about and focussed on my hairloss - would people see, would they judge me, would I be laughed at? It was a self-fulfilling cycle and I got worse and worse. A combined intervention by my mum and best friend put paid to that and instead of allowing me to wallow in fear and self-pity, they propped me up and pushed me forward, getting me back out doing what I normally did and a few new things besides. The fear was definitely worse than the reality and once I was back out and about, I soon realised my world didn't collapse and maybe just maybe I was ready to have fun again!

3. Find a solution not a problem...
Hairloss is not a 'problem' that needs to spoil your life. In much the same vein as sticking to your routine, you also need to start looking for solutions that make you happy. For me, a synthetic wig was low-maintenance, flexible, affordable and realistic and I started to have fun with it, changing styles and lengths. For some, it will be a human hair wig that looks as realistic as possible. Hats, Scarves, Wigs, Camouflage Make Up and even bald and proud are all options and you just need to find the right one for you! Once you have, ensure this means you can maintain your normal behaviour (as per point two), because it's easy to talk yourself out of stuff because 'people might see'.

4. Keep yourself positive...
Unless you are new to PrettyBald, I hope you haven't missed our #100HairFreeDays Challenge. This was my own method to keeping things positive and it helped me keep plodding forward. On Twitter the other day, someone said to me "I go two steps forward and one step back", but why not look at it the other way - instead of this being a negative, highlighting that you aren't progressing fast enough, turn it into a positive and own the fact that you are STILL one step further forward than when you started, and another, and another.We can all create a self-pity pit and wallow in it to our hearts content, but don't let that define you!

5. Accept there will be down days...
I know this sounds contrary to point number four, but you also have to accept you aren't perfect and you can't hope to be; sometimes those people too determined to 'be on the right track' risk denying the reality of a situation and merely delay their emotions for a future day - that's not helping anyone. Remember the self-pity pit? Build it, get in it and cry your heart out, but remember there is a time-limit and you have to wade out, wash yourself off and embrace the next move forward.

6. Be honest...
At every stage, attempt to be honest. You don't have to apologise for losing your hair, it isn't your fault! Tell your friends and family how you feel and let them help you. You are NOT a burden and nor are you a martyr, so get chatting! Of course you don't want to drag them into your self-pity pit too, but you must also accept the fact that some days will be crap and there's nothing you can do to avoid that...

7. Don't grasp at straws...
Do your research on the causes of your condition and look for ways of tackling these problems, but also remember to be realistic. I know there is little or nothing to help with alopecia and once I came to terms with the fact there was no miracle cure or magic pill, life became easier. Hope can be brilliant, but make sure you are not just hoping for something that is unlikely to happen, because all that lies ahead is crashing disappointment!

8. Move beyond yourself...
Whenever anyone is going through something, they understandably start to put themselves first. Sometimes this is exactly what you need to do, particularly in the early stages, but be careful this doesn't become a negative habit. Instead, put yourself into someone else's shoes and use your hairloss as a stimulant to put yourself out there and help others. Nothing is a better tonic for self-pity than helping others, so volunteer for charity, set-up a social group, do something that isn't about you, but is totally about someone else! It will start to put your hairloss in perspective!

As you might have guessed, this post is a move away from some of my more normal styles and I found it really uncomfortable to write! I am not a 'gushy' person and whilst I am full of advice, I also hate the feeling that I may be patronising or devaluing someone and their own personal concerns. I hope this post IS helpful, but appreciate it may also not be, so in the meantime, I'll leave you with some of my favourite sayings as highlighted by fellow hairloss sufferers...

"No hair, don't care"

"I define my alopecia, it will not define me"

"I determined that it could take my hair, but it wouldn't take my mind too"

Love it!

It would be great if you can Tweet, Email, Facebook or comment below with your own personal coping mechanisms - it's great to share! Looking forward to your tips!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Be careful what you wish for...

If there is one thing that Home Alone taught me, it is 'be careful what you wish for' - whilst your wish may be something that's top of your list, the ramifications and side-effects of your wish may not be.

Yesterday, I posted about my battle with forcibly removing hair, when my body struggles so much to grow it; today, my 'wish' has come true and once again, I've had no choice in the method or area of hair removal. This morning I got up and glared blearily into the mirror, hoping to apply at least a semi-straight line of eyeliner to my lids. As I did, I noted that the individual eyebrow hairs that I was having such a love-hate relationship with had thinned; a few less than yesterday and then by the end of today completely gone.

To be fair, I am not too upset at the loss of these dozen hairs - I was debating their removal anyway - but it does clarify the thought that we should be grateful for what we have. While I was wasting time and brain-energy debating whether I should feel guilty about tweezing hairs, my body had other ideas anyway! How philosophical!

What it has prompted is introspection about how I would feel if the pattern was reversed and it was growing, not shedding at this speed, but I still maintain, I wouldn't want that at the moment!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Should it stay or should it go...

One of the things about hairloss is just how attached you can become to the remaining hairs - like they are akin to the 90's Tamagotchi's, being tenderly loved and cared for in a bid they will grow big and strong! As you might have read about my own journey, it was relatively slow and certainly a lot slower than many people I meet. Along the way, my hair thinned and I was left with a patch at the crown and two 'fringe' pieces that gave me an unfortunate look of having 'curtains'. Never before has hair been so lovingly tended, carefully shampoo'd and conditioned; teased and tamed ever so gently!

No, I was not having a love affair with my locks; I was merely desperate for my hair loss to stop and reverse and for my own hair to be back how it 'should' be - glossy, long and carefree. At the time, those remaining tendrils looked scruffy and ugly, but they were mine and they were a lifeline back to where I wanted to be.

As you may have read, the love affair did end and I handed my mum a pair of scissors with a vehement assertion to 'cut it off'. I was determined; determined that alopecia wouldn't take my confidence as well as my hair! Rolling forward four years and I'm pleased to say it hasn't. I am still me (and in fact many would argue a better version of me) and I am hairfree and carefree!

What has happened though is I've fallen out of love with having hair and therefore with regrowth. So far, my hair is showing little or no signs of regrowing, but I'm happy with that! Instead, I have gained a peachy fuzz on my head (which I don't expect to become ACTUAL growth) and a few eyebrow hairs too.

This is where it gets tricky..,

I appreciate that most people will see regrowth as a very positive sign; something to be proud of and hopeful of and something which indicates things might be changing for the better. As already highlighted, I don't believe that my regrowth is a positive sign - it's too sporadic and lacking any real gumption to convince me it is actually coming back. Instead, alas, I am left with occasional hairs that do nothing other than irritate me!

Increasingly lately, I have been battling with a desire to remove my current hair growth; to shave my scalp, pluck my eyebrows and wax my toes! Why am I struggling? It's a difficult one; but I am split between a feeling of inconvenience plus a desire to remove the hair, and one where I feel somehow disrespectful, like my body is giving me something back and I'm not grateful, even though I should be! Sounds nuts I know and I am sure many of you are baffled at my reaction, but I can't help myself. On the one hand, the single hair at the end of my eyebrow, which is accompanied by a cluster that would form a nice monobrow, are annoying me. They are isolated, misplaced, obvious because of my dark colouring and frankly irritating. Several times I have grabbed the tweezers, only to fall at the last hurdle as I think of all those who would give anything for signs of regrowth and who would probably be WAAAYYYY more grateful than I am now! It is that which is stopping me, and yet I'm still at a loss of what to do!

I think over the coming days I will probably gain the courage to pluck them - after all, I can't change what is happening and whilst I would willingly hand over those hairs to someone who needs them more, I can't do that either! In the meantime though, I don't mean to sound ungrateful about my current hair regrowth, but it's just not what I was looking for and frankly, I'm a little bored of the uncertainty.

Anyone else struggle with how they 'should' feel and don't? Or struggle with the idea of regrowth now they are more accepting? Or am I just a fruit loop and standing out on a limb on my own?

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Getting married this year? Fancy helping with #HairlossAwareness?

Before I start this post, I must first apologise for the lack of posts in the last couple of days! Work has been manic and whilst I was hoping to write and post a couple of blogs before the weekend, I ran out of time, then gallivanted off to enjoy a wedding in Kent! That is a blog post for another time (yes I find inspiration everywhere), but in the meantime, I have an opportunity for you...

You may or may not know this, but as well as producing a few shows themselves, major TV channels also commission and buy the rights to show programmes from independent TV Production Companies. It's why you see 'produced by' at the end of many TV programmes and it also helps the TV channels keep a rein on their budgets and plan ahead!

Anyway, a few days ago via Twitter (yep, still loving it), I received a mention from Remedy Productions; they tweeted me a picture and asked me to retweet it. See it here...

@PrettyBald Pls RT xx We're looking for beautiful #brides with #Alopecia. Email casting@remedyproductions.tv for info pic.twitter.com/0QlglC10ea

— Remedy Productions (@RemedyTV4) June 2, 2015

I'm sure many people will be hesitant at the idea of sharing their special day and intimate moments with the world! I know I would be / am! However, I want you to put that aside for a minute and think about what it could help achieve.

Alopecia, Trichotillomania, Female Pattern Baldness and every other type of hairloss affect thousands of women (and men) every single year! As well as the physical effects and changes, there's the mental ones and the emotional challenges people face everyday. One of the reasons people struggle so much is a lack of widely-available support and / or research. These 'problems' are aesthetic not life-threatening and therefore are not considered a priority for research or proper support. It is exactly why charities like Alopecia UK and The Little Princess Trust exist, but even they are underfunded and struggle to do everything that they need to.

At best this lack of awareness leaves people without access to the support and help that they need; at worst it can leave people alone and isolated with negative reactions and potentially an impacted self-esteem. One of the ways we can change that is to drive for more awareness. Awareness goes hand in hand with education and education over time will help to improve reactions, encourage additional research, raise additional funds and generally improve the lives of those who suffer with it. It's what I strive for and aspire to do and what I use many opportunities for.

Granted, you may not want to appear on TV, but if you think you are up to it, why not get in touch with them? Jen from Alopecia UK did and it made a huge difference all around the world. If you're not up for TV but think you might be ready to talk about your hairloss, there's lots of other things you can do too! How about:

• Emailing us your #hairloss story so we can share it on this blog?
• Even better, become a regular contributor keeping people updated on your progress
• Email your local newspaper / news website /radio station and ask to share your story. They love hearing real stories
• Share your story on your social media and reveal your true self to friends
• Think about fundraising for a charity, sharing regular updates about your progress
• Whatever else you can think of...

One thing I will add is that you need to do something like this when you are ready; there is no pressure to let it be known that you have a hairloss condition and you may not be ready or want to share that with anyone. That is fine and is something you have to decide for yourself - sharing helped me, but it won't help everyone and that will come down to your personal characteristics and comfort zones! 

If you are getting married this year and you feel you could be involved, do it! If not, don't worry - there will be other opportunities and we will endeavour to share them with you!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#HairTodayGoneTomorrow - The unpredictability and inconsistency of alopecia...

You may have noticed at the end of April, me referring to myself as Peachy, in reference to the thick, downy fuzz or fur-like hair currently growing on my face and scalp. The 'good' news is that it's still growing and is marginally longer and downier than it was before, giving me a 'she-wolf-like' coat when I get close up to the mirror.

Now as I have said many times before, and which you can read about here, I'm not particularly keen on the idea of getting my hair back; in fact, my preference would be an unchanging visage, that is predictable and stable. Over the last six months, apart from the fuzz (which is so light no one would notice anyway), I have had truly minor amounts of regrowth, but all in all I have been as I always was. Over the last six weeks however, something has changed...

I have acquired a full set of lashes on each eye, which have been as thick, if not as long as my pre-alopecia lashes. I haven't celebrated with a new tube of mascara, but the longer they stayed, the more likely it felt that they would. After the lashes came the eyebrows and I now have the grand total of five eyebrow hairs.

Two days ago, I woke up and noticed a sixth eyebrow hair is growing in, right at the end of my left eyebrow. Six whole hairs, which to many would be a delight, but to me I'm pretty indifferent to. I'm not sure what it means, or how long they will last, so I leave them be and tend to ignore them. Anyway, there I am with my full sets of lashes and my six eyebrow hairs, not to mention my peach fuzz and I wonder, what does this mean for my immune system? Is it calming down, or is it just the natural unpredictability of alopecia?

I soon had my answer, as yesterday I awoke, bleary eyed and stumbled into the bathroom. I'd left my glasses at my parents by accident so I am poking my finger in my eye putting in contact lenses. That's when I spot it - two days ago, a full set of lashes and now, over half of the top lashes on my left eye are gone. Just like that.

Hmmmm...

I can't say I am particularly bothered - I'm used to this cycle now - but I am definitely intrigued. Intrigued by the speed of the shedding (this is the fastest I've ever lost my lashes) and intrigued by the fact my left eyebrow grows and my left eyelashes shed.

All it serves to remind me is that there is such a lack of understanding of this condition and such an unpredictability and inconsistency to it, which for many I know makes it harder to handle. For me, it is that which we have to learn to accept and conquer and not actually just the hairloss itself, and I must say I regularly see friends post about their desire for their hair to 'make it's mind up'.

I guess all we will know for now and the near future is that it is what it is and we cannot seek to control or manipulate it. Instead, we must learn to at least tolerate, if not love this condition, otherwise quite frankly we risk going nuts!

Victoria x  

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

We are WARRIOR...

A couple of days ago, I shared a post on Pretty Bald Facebook linking to this article by Sarah Seward. In it, she describes her own experiences of hair loss and alopecia and the challenges she had coming to terms with it.

Like many of the personal stories that we have shared, there are many points raised by Sarah that I, and many like me will easily relate to. Expectations from society, negative reactions, and ultimately coming to terms with it are all included! As usually happens when I read something else on hairloss or alopecia, this blog has inspired a few more from me (which I'll write at some point over the next few weeks) but my first will focus on Sarah's analogy that we are WARRIORS...

In her write-up, Sarah makes the point...

"My hair continues to fall out in circular patches all over my head and starts to grow back on its own terms until it is ready to bid adieu again. My body is at a continuous war with itself. I repeatedly get sick, my lymph nodes in my armpits swell to the size of golf balls, I experience pain throughout my body and when my body inevitably surrenders, my hair soon departs. Alopecia is not only physical; it is a brutal, unrelenting mind game. I like to refer to those of us with Alopecia as warriors. We crawl out of our beds every morning to face the attacks our bodies will put us through and every single day we suffer the ignorance of our peers’ thoughtless and hurtful comments."

I have to say, when I read this, I LOVED this analogy; but I loved it and relate to it in a different way to how Sarah seems to. Where she talks about the battle with our bodies and the courage and warrior-behaviour it requires us mentally and physically, I have another relationship; one that Sarah does allude to too. We are warriors because we are survivors; we are warriors because we challenge expectations and prevail. Sounds a bit cliché and possibly even a little twee I know, however for me, our battle extends beyond the everyday personal and individual challenges of our bodies to the wider ones too - the lack of awareness of alopecia, the lack of understanding, the lack of solid research, the feelings of isolation and loneliness - I could go on! It is this that makes us warriors, and you only have to look at the inspiring stories of other alopecians to see what an army we make!

What I should add is that I don't see us as the only warriors - every person battling with something difficult is their own warrior and I won't diminish that. What we must ensure is that we remember we are worthy warriors too!

More will follow on Sarah's post - thanks go to her; it was a good one!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Part 12

Moving on in our #100HairFreeDays and here's your next seven positive hair loss side effects!

• No more stepping on a hairbrush, which is almost as painful as stepping on a plug!
• No more split ends
• No emergency shave moments just because you've decided to wear a dress
• Plus no more shaving rash or cuts as you rush to shave quickly
• Never having to worry about your hair being in a good condition
• Never having to do an emergency fringe wash and style
• No mini moustache of stray whiskers

If you have a suggestion that you want to share, email us or Tweet us while there is still time

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Real Life #Hairloss Experience - Meet Sally

So yesterday, I posted an update on Christoph Soeder's photography project "Faces Unfading" and as well as taking part myself, I also got the loveliest email from a lady called Sally, who also participated in the project!

Sally is leader of the Alopecia UK Bath, Bristol and Wiltshire support group. She started off by saying "I bought this years calendar and was stunned by the bravery of the women who took part.  It encouraged me to have my photo taken without my wig or scarf for the first time as part of Christoph Soeder's degree project". So she did it! As well as being chuffed that our calendar project inspired Sally to become a #BaldHeadedBeauty, I'm even more chuffed that she's asked to share her story through the Pretty Bald blog. Here goes...

My journey from hair to bald

As a child growing up I had a love hate relationship with my hair. I loved that it was long and thick, I loved my mum brushing it until it shone or plaiting it overnight, so it fell in soft curls when undone in the morning; but I hated that it was so heavy it wouldn't stay curly or stay in a ponytail or bun. I hated that my nicknames were carrot or ginger because of its colour.

In my teens the colour softened to a rich coppery gold; it became my crowning glory. 

In my 20s I abused it the way that all young women do, perms, colours, 80s weird haircuts.

In my 30s I loved it again, styled in bouncy bob cuts that shone with natural highlights in the summer. 

In my 40s I started to lose it – just a small patch about the size of a 10p coin which grew back; then another, then a bigger patch. The doctor and hairdresser said not to worry, worrying makes it worse. For 15 years I spent a fortune on creams, shampoos and pills to make it grow – but nothing worked for long and when it did grow back it was pure white. So hair dye became my best friend. Life became a constant struggle to hide the bald bits. I felt at war with my hair.

In my 50s my body hair started to go and I knew I was starting the slide into total hair loss. I felt my body had betrayed me, I felt like a freak. When I lost my pubic hair, I no longer felt like a woman. I was an alien, something not quite human.   My self-confidence was shattered, but outside, to others I seemed strong and in control.  I put a brave face on things, bought my first wig and fought back. Everyone said how strong I was, but inside I cried every day.  

Now my wig is my armour, my route to normality.  Taking it off is now the challenge. I take small steps. First at home, then in front of my closest friends, next in the privacy of a beauty salon, wearing a head scarf to do yoga, a swimming cap at the beach, the first photo wearing a scarf, the first photo bare headed. 

Only one step left now – out in public.  I know I will do it one day when I am ready. I plan to be with friends and other hairless women who will understand exactly what I feel.

What a touchingly honest story and one I know most of us can relate to! At the moment, we don't have a #BaldHeadedBeauty picture to share of Sally, but we're hoping that once Christoph's project has been exhibited, we'll be allowed to share one! In the meantime, here's Sally looking gorgeous in her wig... 

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Explaining to children about hair loss...

Whether you lose your hair to alopecia, or through chemotherapy, it is inevitable that at some point at least one child will ask you about your lack of hair. In my experience, and through discussions with everyone else, it's never a malicious question, merely a curious one, but that doesn't necessarily make it easier to handle...

One of the reasons that children will ask about your hair loss is that it is visible; often the other symptoms of cancer or autoimmune conditions aren't visible, so it's natural children will attach to the lack of hair. Another is that it is 'different'; not that that's a bad thing, but that it's a change from their own appearance and experiences. What this results in is kids expressing their innate curiousity in a bid to understand the differences and their causes, working to categorise the world around them and whilst it might feel like they are singling out your lack of hair, they do the same with spots on the face, rashes, lisps etc.

A while ago, I read a blog post detailing a mother's first hand experience of other people's reactions to her child's disability; not negative as you might expect, but in fact how parents influence their own child's reactions by subconscious positive reinforcement. It's worth a read, but what this post highlights is that even if we don't mean to, our own reaction to situations and our actions in relation to them, heavily influence how a child will in turn react, now and in the future. By positively reinforcing actions, such as praising a child for playing with a disabled child, we are in fact highlighting the differences, not reinforcing the natural behaviour. In the same way, our reactions to a child's question about hair loss has the ability to form their entire opinion of the topic, and that is something we need to be very aware of.

The first thing you have to judge is the rough age of the child, as well as their capacity for an explanation. For some, a brief discussion will be all that is required and for others, a more detailed, knowledgeable explanation will be suitable. It will also be important to think about the question they asked and how they phrased it, as this can help form your answer. For example, some will ask why you have no hair, and some, like this gorgeous little boy did, will phrase it differently and that will help you gauge your response.

Some people may not agree with me, worrying that the idea of alopecia is too difficult to understand, but for me, the truth should be the focus of any answer. In every scenario where I have been asked, I have always explained that the condition is called alopecia and that my hair fell out because my body didn't like my hair any more. Every answer has some variation of this explanation, with more detail for those who want it, and a simple sentence for those who don't or who are really young. I do this for two reasons; the first is that a simple, honest explanation helps to inform and educate, making the most of every opportunity for awareness, and second, it ensures that I don't create more questions than I answer. Other things I include are things like "you know your body fights bad bugs to help you avoid being ill; well my body got confused and thinks my hair is a bad bug, so it got rid of it." Everything I say is based on the truth and whilst it might be an oversimplified version of an autoimmune condition, basing it on the truth helps me feel comfortable and respectful of the child as well. I've met many people who also give variations on this explanation, including relating alopecia to food allergies and an allergy to their hair, and you too will need to find something that helps you to explain it.

Something which often gets said to me is that people get feelings of fear and dread when they get asked this question, particularly if exposure of their bald head was accidental, but remember if you handle it positively and openly, you might just reinforce their positive feelings. At the end of the day, they probably don't realise it's even an awkward thing for you, and try to use that knowledge to fuel your own positive feelings.

Anyone else have any tips for explaining alopecia to children?

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Why you shouldn't feel pressured to wear a wig...

You might have spotted this post about the negative connotations of the word 'wig', but aside from their name, what about the decision to wear one?

When losing my hair, I went through every stage of grieving; from anger to denial, grief to acceptance, switching back and forth between the different emotions for the full nine months it took to fall out. Without question, I wanted a wig - something to give me the opportunity to come to terms with it in my own time, without having to handle the emotions, questions or opinions of others. What's more, I wanted it to match as closely as possible to my natural hair, so that those who didn't know would barely notice the difference - potentially thinking I'd simply had my hair done. At the time, I don't think it was a concious decision, more a necessary one.

As a novice, I didn't know a single thing about wigs - the options, the prices, the waiting times, but I did know I wanted one, and that I wanted one as fast as possible. I opted for a mixture of at-home research and seeking out an expert and whilst at the time I didn't have the confidence to buy online, it's something I wish I'd done. Still, that aside, for me, a wig was definitely the way forward and that decision came from me, not from any external pressures.

Speaking to other people with alopecia, something that never ceases to surprise and amaze me is the differences in each individual journey and the different ways people handle the situation. Something that these differences confirm for me, is that there is no single 'right way' to handle your hair loss, but that being true to yourself is the single most important thing. During our trip to Alton Towers, I became engaged in a conversation about the decision behind opting to wear a wig. Whilst I, and many others struggle without the safety net and security of a wig (which isn't a bad thing), this person highlighted her own aversion to wearing them, right from the word go. This aversion, came simply from the fact that she couldn't handle or process the idea of wearing anything on her head, when her own hair was falling out - how could she handle the psychology of replacing her hair when her own was falling out?

In case you haven't noticed, I am fascinated by alopecia and hair loss and also by the impacts both emotional and physical of what our bodies go through. I'm fascinated by the latest research, the ways we can manage the condition and so on... This conversation was absolutely no exception. Having only ever considered it from my own perspective and experience, going 'au natural' was a stage in the journey to acceptance - a positive step to helping me come to terms with my own hairloss. Naively, I thought each person was the same, particularly having met so many others for whom going out bald was a stage, that I never stopped to consider it the other way around. When I did though, whilst not part of my own process, I totally understand the choice not to opt for a wig in the first place and the way that can help you process!

Once again, what this entirely confirms to me is that each individual person will and should handle this in their own way, and importantly should stay true to themselves on the journey! Wig or not, do what you want to do and don't ever let yourself feel pressured into believing that a wig is your only or mandatory option!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Part 11

I promise, even if you are now starting to get bored of us listing the positive side effects of hair loss, we're very nearly done! The end of week 11 means we've come up with 77 reasons why it's not so bad! Just 23 more reasons to go until we hit our #100HairFreeDays goal! Phew!

• No worrying about stupid hair trends like pixellated hair, or grey hair?!
• On the same note, no more embarrassing pictures of bad hair... Remember having curtains?!
• No money to spend on eyebrow waxes - ouch!
• According to my boyfriend - no little piles of hair grips on the side of the sink
• No waiting for your hair to grow after a disaster haircut, wondering if it will ever be good enough to leave the house again!
• No bed head or post 'nap time' messy hair!
• No moment in the shower when you realise there just isn't enough shampoo in the bottle! 

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

Phew what a week!!

Sorry for the distinct lack of blogging over the last few days! It has been a looooong week, with staff illnesses at work, attempting to do more than one job at the same time, and my little brother being a tad down in the dumps! I'm not sure why, but it seems (or at least feels) everything happens at once! Anyone else ever get that feeling? Phew!

Whilst it means that you lovely followers have missed my lilting (written) tones for a few days, (sorry) the break from posting has revitalised my brain and given me an opportunity to come up with some more blogging ideas! There are lots on their way and I can't wait to share them with you!

In the meantime, this post will have to do! Whilst it has little to do with hairloss, I promise there are better ones on the way, and looking back on the last five days, it's given me another #100HairFreeDays reason - with that much stress this week - thank goodness I can't go grey!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

#100HairFreeDays Week Nine - over halfway there!

We're more than halfway through the #100HairFreeDays challenge and here's the next seven reasons why having no hair can be a bonus!

• Men going #bald help keep the razor companies in business! Thanks @JimB
• If you're confident with it, it can be a real ice-breaker!
• No sweaty rats tails when you're running at the gym
• No greasy roots - ever
• If you opt for a synthetic wig, no hair styling required, period!
• Walk out of a spa straight into a restaurant - this is worth a read...
• Brilliant for an open top car - no Bridget Jones moment!

I cannot believe we have done more than 60 reasons why no hair can be a positive! Awesome!

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

Yep, it's still not stress...!

Continuing on from my post on Saturday about Alya Mooro considering her feelings of failure, I've been thinking about a few other things that were written in the article, and it has inspired a series of a few posts - sorry if that's tedious!

Something which Alya advises in the article is that her hairloss was related to stress - stress she 'didn't even realise she had' and which made her friends and family feel guilty for inadvertently contributing to! Sorry, but it seems that when Doctors and 'experts' investigate our hairloss, they default to 'stress' simply because there is no other obvious trigger and no other nice, neat box! Seriously, I have done a heck of a lot research into this and spoken at length to a number of researchers and there is little if any indicators that hairloss is related to stress. In fact, much of the current research is identifying that it is anything but stress in the traditional sense of the word, as case studies show incredibly varied experiences, with little or no presence of cortisol or stress hormones.

What bugs me is that putting hairloss in the 'stress' box, simply diminishes the effect of it, and in many cases triggers the feeling of failure or leaves people feeling like they somehow could have prevented it. What's more, taking up yoga, meditation or some other 'stress reliever' that works for you personally won't make you sprout a plethora of new hairs on your head! What's more, if you think of it the other way, as I've said before, if stress was a factor, every person living through poverty, hunger, natural disasters and other intensely stressful situations would surely have no hair left?!

This is definitely something that GPs, Dermatologists and other practitioners need to be educated on. My own dermatologist was incredibly knowledgeable and said that the link to stress was unproven, any more than other triggers. The only thing which has been proven is that sometimes, intensely stressful situations can be a single trigger e.g. car accidents or similar, but that this seems to be a side-effect of the event, rather than the stress. Hairloss can have many other triggers too, including diet, general health and wellbeing and a genetic predisposition, but these are no more understood than stress!

You can read more about my own 'stress' experiences here...

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

Hairloss... Why you're not failing...

Today, I read a really interesting interview in The Telegraph, chronicling the hairloss journey of Alya Mooro at the age of 23. One thing that straight away captured my attention was her assertion that she felt like a 'failure' for suffering from hairloss.

For me, this was never something that I experienced - many other emotions graced my brain, from inconsolable sobbing feeling like I'd never get through it, to a strange denial detachment that felt like burying my head in the sand. Never once though did I feel like a failure - in fact I frequently felt that others were failing me by being ill-equipped to properly advise or support. That said however, something I have definitely learned along this journey - you cannot predict how someone will feel on a day-to-day basis, how they will handle the situation and whether they will focus on finding a cure, or become a #BaldHeadedBeauty who embraces their hairloss. Feeling like a failure wasn't in my remit, but that doesn't mean it's wrong - simply sad.

Whatever the emotion you're feeling, and however it affects you, something you're not is a failure! Yes, it may feel like it, but in reality, it's not like hairloss or alopecia is simply preventable - if it was they'd have found a cure by now and would be advocating a healthier diet, or less chemicals or something else, simply to prevent the 'problem'. Failure by definition is 'not achieving the end goal' and it's not like we have a goal of 'having a full head of hair' or even consider it until the hairloss starts to happen. It doesn't diminish the feelings though and it doesn't mean you'll feel them any less!

I always find reading stories like this so interesting - it reminds me of how far I've come, as well as showcasing the diversity of hairloss experiences, which is just so important to give a sense of perspective!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald