I first started experiencing small patches of hair loss in 2019. I used hairstyles and pretty clips to cover the patch, sometimes even pencilling in around the edge to ensure that it was covered. Everybody just thought that my clips were cute, but I was paranoid and concerned that things may not improve. In time, the patch regrew. However, for the next few years around March it would fall again, usually centred around the same area.

In 2023, this episode was much worse. I lost maybe 40/50% of my hair. My crowning glory was now perilously thin, and I know that I wasn't fooling anybody with my attempts to cover it. I have few photos from this time because I couldn't deal with seeing my strands that always felt greasy. I literally blocked my bathroom drain with all my poor hair. I had moved counties with very few friends nearby, and felt incredibly alone. 

Aside from work, few people I knew saw me in person, and whilst I was aware of alopecia, I thought that I was practically the only one. I plucked up the courage to visit the GP, and was surprised at how seriously I was taken. Whilst I was feeling pretty desperate inside, I thought that my hair loss would be dismissed as cosmetic and offered no treatment. I got referred to Dermatology, but was already aware that this would be a LONG wait (it ended up being about 16 months). I was very relieved when my hair grew again, and sincerely hoped that it would be the end.

However, just as I had begun to relax, March (2024) hit again, and literally the day after I finally had a hair cut to even things up, I saw my same old patch rearing its ugly head again. I was in a new relationship, and had absolutely no idea how to tell him, and was convinced that he would leave me. This made the stress even worse. A month or so later, it was shedding with a vengeance. I made a passing comment about a hair caught in my mouth, and my boyfriend said about seeing a lot of hair in the bathroom. I broke down and had to tell him that I was losing my hair, making clear that with my history that I thought it was bad. He simply held me, and once I was calm, explained how he wasn't going anywhere.

This charity means so much me. Where else would we have the annual Alton Towers trip - an occasion to go on rollercoasters without the fear of losing our wig, and perhaps the first time that other people in the park may have seen someone with alopecia. For some attendees, it may be the very first time that they have met someone else with their condition - someone who truly understands it.

I was proud to be one of Alopecia UK's Charity Champions this year, taking part in a tandem skydive to raise awareness and funds for the charity. My fundraising page received £845 in donations and I am delighted to have done my bit to support the charity that has helped me, and continues to help so many others. I encourage others to get involved in supporting Alopecia UK - whether that be jumping out of a plane like me, or something a bit less extreme!