Alopecia UK was one of nine charities invited to exhibit at the recent British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDNG) 2024 conference in Harrogate. Our CEO Sue and Communications Manager Amy had the pleasure of meeting some brilliant practitioners, who were curious, knowledgeable and engaged in conversations about alopecia.  Here are some of the takeaways from the 2024 event: 

Sharing Stories, Support, and Advocacy

It was heartening that many of the healthcare professionals we spoke with were already familiar with the challenges that come with living with alopecia, including the emotional and psychological toll it can take. We discussed wig provisions and highlighted  Charter for Best Practice for NHS Wig Provision — something that can help you talk to your NHS teams about better access to quality wigs in your region.   Sue and Amy also shared details about our website, online resources and support groups, and approximately 10% of the attendees asked us to send printed Alopecia UK resources for them to use and share in their clinics. We hope this will mean that more people find support earlier in their alopecia journey, regardless of the type of alopecia that they have. 10% isn’t enough, but it’s a great start!

The Impact of New Treatments

There was more footfall at our stand than in previous years, probably because this was the first conference since ritlecitinib was approved for use within the NHS. It was promising to hear that the nurses who have experience in biological drugs for other dermatological conditions are starting to see or prepare their clinics for patients JAK inhibitors. The nurses we spoke to were aware that ritlecitinib won’t work for everyone and that some people who start the treatment may have to come off it due to side effects, so there was quite a lot of conversation about the emotional impact of that on both the patients and the nurses themselves.  And, whilst we left Harrogate feeling that more dermatology departments are moving in the right direction, it is clear that many are not, and that our advocacy work to improve patient care in the UK remains important.

Continued Learning and Support

It’s for this reason that we recommended the "Focus on alopecia - a BDNG supplement". Alopecia UK is proud of the role we played in this publication.  Aimed at healthcare professionals, it covers topics such as the anatomy of hair, various hair disorders.  The supplement includes a patient’s perspective from our Trustee Lynn Wilks, and the editorial from Sue covers why nursing remains a vital source of support for people with alopecia.

Sue and Amy were thrilled to represent Alopecia UK at the conference, and to bring the conversation back to you too.