One of the biggest challenges that people with alopecia face is convincing the NHS that losing their hair is worthy of investigation. The problem is not necessarily a lack of funding but often a lack of training in a very specific autoimmune disease which seems to be low down on the scale of importance because it is not life-threatening.

This leads to long waiting times for a consultation with a dermatologist when perhaps it would be easier for a GP to prescribe a wig, something that can restore confidence while coming to terms with a changed appearance. Then there is the problem of the ‘postcode lottery’ where not every NHS Trust has an allocation to provide a wig prescription.

Alopecia UK is such an important charity to have advocating for people with alopecia, particularly with the wig allocation problem. I was lucky with wig provision but I didn't talk about my own experience outside the house for seven long, very stressful years, hiding the fact that I was wearing a wig.

My world changed when I started adding it to my conversations, slowly, on my terms. Somehow though, I decided not to hide it from my first child but I'll never forget standing with him in my arms thinking 'Shall I show him, shan't I?'  By the time I’d had my third son my confidence was growing, enough to challenge a couple of young lads who were calling me ‘wiggy’ in the street. I was able to look them in the eye and say ‘You don’t know me well enough to call me wiggy and if you did, you wouldn’t’.

When I found Alopecia UK I realised that I didn’t have to battle alone any more, I could benefit from knowledgeable people who could answer my questions either from the articles on the website or personally through the online Facebook page and from people - men and women - in the private Facebook group who could offer advice and also enable me to share the challenges I had come across in previous years. Having access to all this information through the website and a group of alopecia buddies to be part of, made having alopecia a completely different experience.

With a visible difference you can feel quite vulnerable, even if you try to cover up. I caught a TV talk show 30 years ago, about 10 years into my alopecia journey and a woman who was being asked about her alopecia suddenly revealed her bald head by removing her wig, a head that was covered in beautiful tattoos. 

I was mesmerised, full of tears and realised that was what I wanted to look like. Since then I have gathered a collection of artwork on my head - each piece of work gave me back more of myself so that as I looked into the mirror I could learn to love who I was.

Emma is a Charity Champion once again this year. She is walking a local river 'from sea to source'. You can donate to her fundraising page (and support Alopecia UK's Alopecia Awareness Month appeal) here.