Age 14 I started to lose my hair, I saw all sorts of specialists, none could say or do anything to make my hair come back, after a few different treatments I decided to bite the bullet and get a wig! It’s actually the best thing I could have done, my confidence grew and I felt more like a regular teenager instead of standing out.
When I was 15 I met Paul, I’d had a couple of “boyfriends” if that’s what you can call them. None of which truly understood my hair loss and the way it affected me deep down. From day one of meeting Paul he never once made jokes or drew attention to my hat unlike some other people.
Eventually we started dating, by this point I had started to wear wigs. It took a while before I could take my wig off in front of him because I didn’t feel like a woman without it, I just felt ugly. I shouldn’t have worried though as he really didn’t seem to be bothered. Years went by and he saw me in all different hairstyles, wigs and top pieces.
After about 8 years of wearing a wig I had enough hair for a top piece to be weaved and bonded into my own hair! This was great as it only came off every 6-8 weeks which made me feel even more normal. The best bit was, every time I went to have it removed the hair underneath was growing!!!
After another year or so of wearing my custom made hairpiece, my stylist persuaded me to go home without the hairpiece on. The train ride home was the scariest and the happiest moment I could remember, my full head hadn’t seen the light in public for 10 years!
In 2012, Paul proposed! I was so excited! But at the same time I couldn’t help but worry about my hair! Was it going to be OK for the big day? Will it have fallen out again? What wig would be suitable? All the things a bride to be shouldn’t have to worry about.
I needn’t have worried, even though I had developed more patches in my hair, Emma Romans the owner of Betty Brown Wigs was on hand to help me through my worries. I had a couple of trials to work out which hairstyle would work best for me. I had nothing against wigs and hairpieces after all they had served me so well for so long, but for me I felt like I needed to have this day with my own hair.
The big day finally arrived on Saturday 20th June 2015, I was nervous about my hair but knew I was in good hands. I settled on a braided headband through the top of my hair just so that my own hair could be used to cover thinner areas, looking back on the pictures you really can’t tell that it’s not all completely my hair, and with it only being a headband I didn’t mind the extra piece.
Emma did a fantastic job, I had so many compliments and well wishes from everyone. I know that I am really lucky to have come this far as I know for some people this is a lifelong condition. I don’t know what the future holds for my hair, it could all go again but I’m determined to make the most of it while I can, and will never take my hair for granted again!