Alopecia Beauty Tips

Stamp Me Fabulous

2012-01-24T17:53:00.000Z

It has been a while since I have been THIS excited about a product that could help us girls with our Alopecia!

Firstly, I was excited because a lady with Alopecia I very much admire called lady Georgia Van Cuylenburg contacted me about this product when I reached out about great products on Twitter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6bT8FIbPI8

Secondly, I was excited because I could instantly see how this product could help so many women who have lost their eyebrows and are not hugely confident about drawing them back in with pencil themselves.

Before I launch into why else I think this product is so fabulous I will tell you a little more about it.

The product is called Stamp Me Fabulous. It is a kit that comes with an eyebrow shaped stamp and some long wear ink and a few other tools too easily create natural, beautiful looking brows.

Although I have always been happy to draw in my brows, every now and then I would have an off day where I could not get my brows to look right! This product would take away all of that as it applies beautiful looking brows every time!

I think this product would be perfect for...

Anyone thinking about having their brows tattooed... I found going from no brows to full on tattooed brows quite a shock! I think if i had been using this product for a while beforehand the transition would have been far easier.

Children. Children should not have permanent make up till they are 16 at the very youngest. If you have a brow tattooed in when you are too young they could become the wrong shape for you in the future. These are a fantastic substitute until you are older.

Anyone who wants permanent make up but can not afford it... Permanent make up although fantastic, is costly and worth saving up for. But this is the next best thing!

If you have only just lost your brows and you think that they could grow back as they so often do. This is something you can use to make life easier...

Watch this how to video!

Go to the website http://www.stampmefabulous.com/home.shtml for more information.

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Training to be a Permanent Make Up Artist at Nouveau Contour with Karen Betts.

2011-05-06T16:06:00.002+01:00

I have been having Permanent Make Up applied for the past 6 years and have loved the confidence this make up has given me to get on with my everyday life. I thought about training to become a Permanent Make Up Artist a few years ago and had been saving up for the very expensive equipment and training. I was so keen to have this skill as I really wanted to be able to continue helping other women with Alopecia, which I had been doing with my website Alopecia Beauty Tips , but I really felt I could do so much more... to me being able to apply Permanent Make Up was the perfect way to do it.

About 4 months ago I applied for a competition to win a state of the art Permanent Make Up machine, all the equipment and training by the industry leader in Permanent Make Up Karen Betts. To my absolute astonishment I won this prize!

Please Visit My Facebook page to see loads of pictures!

Since then I have been mad crazy busy with my studying and training. This has been by far the best opportunity I have ever been given to do what I am truly passionate and devoted to. Helping women, some like me with Alopecia or other conditions... Whatever it is I am going to be able to give back confidence to so many women, I just can’t imagine how fulfilling my new life is going to become.

First of all we were sent out a training manual with lots of worksheets and activities to do before coming into class. There was over 40 hours of work to do so I set to work as soon as I got my hands on it! Then I went to South Yorkshire for my first few days of training which were... Artistry Day and Blood Borne Viruses Day with Anesthetics Understanding. You can read about these classes in my previous blogs...

http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2011/04/permanent-make-up-cosmetic-artistry-day.html

http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2011/04/permanent-make-up-blood-borne-viruses.html

After this we were then given even more studying to do in preparation for the 5 days of intensive training the following week. The training days are so intensive but after each one I would go home with so much motivation to find out more and really understand my new specialist subject.

The next step was the five days of intensive training. For two days we were given lots of tattooing exercises. We started off on Grapefruits, progressed on to practise mats, then on to dummy heads called Betty!

On the last 3 days of the course we were tattooing real women... First I treated two ladies and gave them new eyebrows with a lovely shape with all the individual hairs. Please note that all the colours fade to beneath the skin once the treatment heals!

The next day I treated another two ladies with eye enhancement which really enhanced their eyelashes. I learnt the importance of stretching the eyelid to get a great crisp line and to make it as comfortable to the client as possible.

Then on the final day I worked on two ladies who wanted their lips filling with colour. I gave them a great lip shape with a neat line and then blended that line into a lovely lip blush.

I was exhausted after all the training, homework and treatments but came away feeling hugely confident about my future as a permanent Make Up Artist. I have been told I have a fantastic steady hand and real attention to detail.

Now I am fully trained to perform Permanent Make Up but I want to continue my training and keep going back for more... I am totally addicted!

I am already booked to do a specialist brow course this weekend and I am attending lots more workshops in the coming months.

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Permanent Make Up Blood Borne Viruses and Understanding Anaesthetics Training Day

2011-04-21T15:54:00.003+01:00

Permanent Make Up Blood Borne Viruses and Understanding Anesthetics

Nouveau Contour Permanent Make Up Training with Karen Betts.

I stayed over in South Yorkshire after my Artistry Day as traveling back to Manchester was just that bit too far for me... So this time I had a lovely peaceful night with no Hubby or Doggie demanding my attention. I just went to the hotel and immersed myself in all the notes handed out and all the extra ones that I made and had a great sleep!

I arrived early again and fresh faced for the day ahead. As I had already done my pre-reading of the days training I though it might be a bit boring as there was no creative parts to it and all just information based which I was fully read up on already. But I was wrong!! I was totally fascinated by this topic too!

My family and friends will tell you that I am quite a clean and tidy person and as much as I like to deny it I do kind of enjoy a bit of cleaning... just knowing that things are just so makes me feel relaxed! This might explain why I was fascinated by a few of the cleanliness topics covered and how sterile your treatment room needs to be kept when doing Permanent Make Up!

The blood born viruses part of the training session was all about how manage exposure to infectious diseases and what you can do to stop cross contamination.

We were expertly taught by the lovely Cathy Brown who really knew everything you could ever want to know on this topic. She was really passionate about it and you could really tell as her passion came across in her teaching and was really infectious! At the end we were all pestering her with a million questions!

In great depth we discussed the lengths you need to go to to make sure your treatment room is sterile before and during treatment. There are many things you should and shouldn't have in your treatment room to prevent cross contamination. There should be no porous materials in the room eg carpets, wood flooring/surfaces, plants, towels etc... Every surface need to be wipeable so that it can be sterilised.

We learnt all about the clients aftercare and how it is as important as the treatment itself.

We were told that for each premises we work in we will need to be checked out by our local heath inspectors from that particular council. The local heath inspectors check up on how you work and how you dispose of clinical waste, how you keep your work area sterile, even how you wash your hands and what you use to clean everything with too!

We were told all about what issues have happened in the past with Permanent Make Up... the history of how old permanent make up machines were found to cross contaminate and how the Nouveau Contour machine is specially designed so that this does not happen.

We went over how it is good to ask a GP of the client if you have any concerns as this shows your professional and competent in your medical environment even if it does take longer for the client to get their treatment.

We also went into great detail on what you should do if cross contamination does happen, emergency procedures etc. I have decided to do a 1st aid course so that I am knowledgeable in what to do if my clients ever need my help.

The next part of the course was all about how to manage your clients expectations of any discomfort they may feel from the Permanent Make Up.

We were also taught how to get maximum effect from the anesthetics and how to help your client feel as comfortable as possible.
It is often the state of mind and a client can get themselves worked up which makes the pain worse.

This area was fully discussed and I feel very confident that my clients will feel relaxed and have a realisic expectation of what the treatment will feel like.

As with the artistry course yesterday there was a lot more information provided but I don’t want this blog to be too long!! Think it is long enough already! But as you can see the training is ultra through and no questions are left unanswered and every possible issue is discussed.

I will be blogging about the whole course so if you're interested keep checking back over the next few weeks to find out more on my training.

Specialist Alopecia Permanent Make Up Training

2011-04-20T14:10:00.001+01:00

When training with Nouveau Contour I will be taking a specialist training course that is all about how Alopecia affects people physically and emotionally and I will gain the skills I need to create the most realistic brows and eyelashes.

These will be different techniques to those used on clients without hair loss to the brows and lashes.

Obviously, from having Alopecia myself I will understand this area already but I am keen to learn all the specialist techniques to give my Alopecia Clients the best possible treatment and fantastic looking brows and definition around the eyes.

Many other Permanent Make Up Artists do not have this specialised training so if you have Alopecia and are thinking about having permanent make up I would check to find out if they have worked on clients with Alopecia before and if they have specialist training.

Permanent Make Up Cosmetic Artistry Day Training

2011-04-20T14:07:00.001+01:00

Nouveau Contour Permanent Make Up Training with Karen Betts.

Cosmetic Artistry Day for Permanent Cosmetic Artists

I arrived really early for the course, as I hate being late... It was really good to be early as I got to slowly meet all the lovely people in my group as they arrived. Apparently being a Permanent Make Up Artist can be a lonely job and it is really important to keep relationships with others you meet so you can talk about the many issues you will undoubtedly face in the future.

Everyone was quite nervous and it was nice to see that I was not the only one who felt that way. We all quickly got chatting to find out all about each other.

There were women from many different career backgrounds, mainly women from beauty backgrounds who owned or worked in a beauty salon. There were also a few like me who had no prior beauty training but were really excited and passionate about permanent make up. One of our trainers who is now considered one of the top Permanent Make Up Artists originally rode horses before starting the course! It really does not matter what your background is as the training is so through.

Not everyone on this training day was a beginner. Some were there just to touch up on their skills and some had done the course in an unusual order and were just finishing up. It was great to talk to people who had already done other parts of the course as they spoke so highly you could not help but to be excited about the days ahead.

For our training session we had a lady called Jodie Knight and Sue Farley.

They were so fun and made the day really engaging. I really understood everything that was said and I liked that they had their own way of presenting the info and it was not just straight from the handouts. So now I have the handouts and all the notes I got from the class. No info was conflicting or anything they just used fun ways to help demonstrate.

The training day was to learn the skills and develop the confidence you need to become an expert in brow and lip designing and a respected cosmetic artist. There was so much information to take in. Example of topics covered were...

Face shapes and how to create the ideal face shape using certain brow/eyes/lips shapes and what brow/eyes/lips shape suites certain face shapes.

We were advised on how to treat clients and how to help them understand that we are the experts and know what will make them look more youthful, how we know what will create the illusion of bigger eyes etc...

We were shown classic examples of the type of brows women will often walk into your salon with and how you rectify this to create the perfect brow.

We were taught all about different guidelines to follow when drawing the ideal eyebrow/lip liner. This was done with certain measurements.

Once you have the correct measurements and you have also tailored them to the individual we were then taught how to draw the template on the clients face using special make up pencils.

We started off drawing on laminated photographs of clients and then progressed to working on each other.

These topics were covered in great detail and there were also many more areas covered, but if I listed everything the Blog would be way too long… But all in all the day was absolutely fascinating! We have all been given the tools to practice drawing brows on everyone and everything at home.. anyone who comes round to my house is getting brows drawn on them… I have even warned my Husband that I will be practicing on him! :o)

This is all in preparation for the next practical training days in a few weeks time.

Tomorrow is the Blood Borne Viruses and Under standing Anesthetics Training Day. We will master the necessary anesthetic skills and learn about managing exposure to infectious diseases all from a certified Nouveau Contour Educator.

I will be blogging about the whole course so if your are interested keep checking back over the next few weeks to find out more about my training.

Eventually i will be doing a specialist training course that is all about how Alopecia affects people physically and emotionally, and I will gain the skills I need to create the most realistic brows and eyelashes.

These will be different techniques to those used on clients without hairloss to the brows and lashes.

Many other Permanent Make Up Artists do not have this specialised training so if you have Alopecia and are thinking about having Permanent Make Up I would check to find out if they have worked on clients with Alopecia before and if they have specialist training.

My Semi Permanent Make Up Training Diary - Day One

2011-04-16T10:00:00.000+01:00

As you know from my previous Blog I have been a very lucky competition winner of Semi Permanent Make Up Training and Equipment from Karen Betts at Nouveau Contour! I Start my Training on Monday in South Yorkshire...

I am really excited as I have been looking forward to starting the course for months now and I have been wanting to do the training for well over a year now.

I was sent my pre training manual a few weeks ago so I have been doing lots of reading and practising the drawing technique of tiny eyebrow hairs. It is really quite tricky but the more practise you get the more you can train your hand to effortlessly create the hairs. I need to study other peoples eyebrows and re-design eyebrows I see in Newspapers and Magazines... I have always noticed women's eyebrows but now I am on high alert... I am getting obsessed with looking!

I have already starting researching treatment rooms in and around Manchester, London, Leeds, Birmingham and Scotland as eventually I would like to be working all over the UK. I have also started to line up my Case Studies and had lots of interest. I have even bought my treatment bed already and my Salon Whites uniform... I like to be organised :o)

The first day will be the Artistry Course so I will tell you all about that in the next few blogs....

The last time I visited Karen at Nouveau Contour I was so impressed with the set up of everything and that was just a quick tour and being introduced to a few people. After my first training day I can imagine that I will again be ultra impressed. Karen is such a genuinely lovely person and I am so excited that I have been this lucky! This is such a fantastic opportunity to work with Karen and for her to be my own personal Mentor that I will be hanging on her every word.

Stay tuned and I will let you know how the first few days go in my next Blog.

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Hairoom Leeds - Andrea Holden

2011-04-14T18:20:00.002+01:00

Just been to visit Andrea Holden in Leeds at Hairoom http://www.hairoom.co.uk/ to re-look at my Heat Resistant Synthetic Wig that I got from her back in November. You will have seen my review on the wig in my previous posts and will know how much I really loved it. My conclusion was...

"I am looking forward to going back to a real hair wig after my 6 month trial but I will miss the time I saved washing/styling the heat resistant synthetic wig. I will still continue to use this wig on a regular basis but I will swap between Heat resistant synthetic and real hair. Real hair is sooo time consuming to wash, dry and style. Whereas the Heat Resistant Synthetic is super quick and easy. It is difficult to choose between the two so it is lucky I have both!"

Today when I went to see Andrea she was delighted at how fantastic it still looked six months on... She cut some of the length off for me as I am having a baby in July I really think this wig is going to be my saving grace with it being so low maintenance! There will be no time for messing about with Real Hair! I really think it looks much better in a shorter style for this kind of wig. It may be heat resistant but it still is a fibre hair wig and it would get caught in my collar and get a bit messy.

I love the new shorter style and below you can see some photos.

As this is a made to measure wig the price of it is considerably higher than a off the peg wig. But the snug fit of a made to measure is fantastic. I think that now my hair has been cut to a more manageable length the wig will last the same length of time as a real hair wig which is up 2 years if looked after!

A real hair made to measure wig is around £1500 dependent on length.

The price of a made to measure heat resistant synthetic wig is £800 no matter what length.

I think this is great value considering how long it lasts and how low maintenance it is.

Whatever your budget Andrea will be able to find something to suit you. If an off the peg wig does not quite fit you correctly she can customise this for your herself and she can cut and style the wig to suit your face shape.

Blink+Go Strip False Eye Lashes

2011-04-12T13:19:00.002+01:00

I went to see Karen Betts at Nouveau Contour in Yorkshire last week and they gave me some of their Nouveau Contour strip lashes to try.

As many of you know I used to wear lashes every day a few years ago but have got a bit lazy about it recently :o( I tried the glue that lasts for a few days but just could not get use to sleeping in them and washing my face etc... Maybe I need to just get use to it. May give it another shot in the coming weeks.

Anyway! Going back to the Blink + Go lashes. The difference with these lashes to normal strip lashes is that you can buy them from a salon and you have the choice of the beautician applying them for you. They will also trim them to fit you properly too. I was just given the packs to take away and try but I am a dab hand at doing them myself. However, I do think anyone who is new to applying strip lashes could really benefit from being shown how to apply them. You can also buy them online with free P&P at £8.95.

As you will see from my previous tips on applying eyelashes.. http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2010/11/false-eyelashes.html you need a few little tools as a helping hand. The glue that is provided in the box is fine to use if you just want the lashes to last the evening but if like me you want them to last a full day and need to feel 100% confident that they are not going to come off then I do recommend the ultimate hold glue. The only place I can find this glue is from www.headcovers.com which is in the US. The postage is quite high on this but I have to say the glue is worth it. If I find it available in the UK anywhere I will let you know!

So on Saturday afternoon I got ready for my day/evening out. Using the same tips / method from my previous blog http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2010/11/false-eyelashes.html I neatly applied the flirt lashes! I thought looking at the pack that they might be a bit too much but they looked really natural and sat really nicely too. If a lash its too heavy it droops over my eye so I like to find something fairly subtle but not too subtle or its not worth bothering! :o)

After my full day / evening out with the lashes I am happy to report that they worked really well. I took them off very neatly and look as good as new to wear again and again. The lashes even got the ultimate crying test! (Pregnancy Hormones!)

Semi Permanent Make Up Case Studies (MAY)

2011-04-12T12:33:00.003+01:00

If you live in the UK and would like to have a Semi Permanent Make Up treatment (eyebrows / eyeliner / lip liner) Then please read on!

As many of you know who follow my Twitter / Facebook Page / Blog I am about to be trained in the art of Semi Permanent Make Up.

Permanent makeup is just subtle cosmetic tattooing which lasts for around 2 years. Because it doesn't come off, it means you can happily forget all about eyebrow pencils, eyeliners and lipsticks.

My training will be with Karen Betts' Nouveau Contour academy which is the most advanced and the most thorough programme for elite permanent makeup artists and medical tattooists in the UK.
Please see the videos on my training so you can see just how advanced and through the training is.

Once I have done my 40 hours of theory and 7 intensive days practical training I am asked to go away and do many many case studies to build on my portfolio. After that i will observed under exam conditions to gain my qualification.

I have had many volunteers to become one of my case studies as this process will be priced at a very reduced rate. The cost will be just to cover the cost of the materials used in the procedures and room hire.

I will be doing my training in April so I would like you to contact me if you are interested in having this treatment done in the Month of May 2011.

You can contact me through my facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Alopecia-Beauty-Tips/173080742701936

You can contact me though my twitter page

http://twitter.com/#!/AlopeciaBeauty

Or you can contact me by e-mail

aimee@alopeciabeautytips.com

Review On Synthetic Heat Resistant Wig

2011-03-30T20:38:00.000+01:00

So six months ago I got my hands on a Synthetic Heat Resistant wig. It is called many different things by many retailers... but the description is the same. Last two Blog posts on this were called... http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2010/11/diary-of-my-new-wig_27.html and the one before that was... http://alopeciabeautytips.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-wig.html

So you might want to read up on them before you read this to get all the details!

Right where was I? Oh yes so six months later after having this wig and by popular demand I thought I would give you my review on it.

This is the Heat Resistant Synthetic
Wig the day I picked it up.

Now where to start?
Definitely start with the positives as in my opinion this wig has been really fantastic!

Looks and feels like real hair
Colour does not fade
So quick and easy to look after as you wash leave to dry and it looks great.
You can use a hot brush on it to get rid of any frizz to the ends of the hair.
It does not get greasy!?
It is really light weight
I would wash it once a week but you could probably go longer than this! It just does not seem to get dirty!?
If it gets wet in the rain it just dries and looks fab.

Now it would not be a real review with some negatives would it!?

I found that it tangled easily and did not feel as silky smooth as really good quality human hair.
I was told that you could curl it and do all sorts but it really just lay flat as a pancake and I could not get much volume in it. This was fine for me as that is how I wear it anyway
After 6 months I am now having to use a hot brush on it every day to get the fizzes out so i would not say that this hair lasts as long as I thought. Real hair lasts 2 years.

So in conclusion you can see the positives out weigh the negatives... I am looking forward to going back to a real hair wig after my 6 month trial but I will miss the time I saved washing/styling the heat resistant synthetic wig.

If you have any questions please fire away!

Lets start at the very beginning!

2011-03-16T14:40:00.001Z

Hi just in case you have not seen my blog or website before i wanted to introduce myself!

My name is Aimee and I have had Alopecia Universalis for the past 15 years. Over the past 3 years I have been offering help and advise to women who have lost their hair from alopecia by running my own website and Blog on how to look and feel great if you too have lost your hair to Alopecia.

The reason I am so passionate about helping other women is because when I was a young girl growing up I felt like I was the only one with Alopecia. The information available was purely medical, very depressing to read and left me with little hope. So I decided to create a positive place for other young girls/women with alopecia to realise they are not alone.

My website is packed full of useful tips on how to look good and feel great. Today the help and support that is out there is so much better than it was 15 years ago but often women do not know where to go to find it... I just like to keep an eye on what is going on so I can let you know about great places to get wigs, make up and useful products and just keep you generally informed.

My way of doing this is trying everything and giving you my point of view on it... I want to encourage you to go out and try everything too! Have fun with it and you will then find what works best for you. There is no one right or wrong solution as we all have our many many differences. So don’t be shy and try!!! :o)

I am huge fan of Semi Permanent Make Up as I truly believe this paired with a fantastic wig can really transform the way you look and give you back your confidence. My confidence has improved dramatically in the last 3 years from helping other women with Alopecia... I feel this has helped me come to terms with my own condition and has made me really proud of who I am. I still want to wear the best wigs and have the best Semi Permanent Make Up but I am not hiding behind these things. I just like to look fabulous and be proud of who I am.

I am currently training to become a Semi Permanent Make Up artist with the famous Karen Betts. I would like to continue supporting women who have lost their hair by focusing my work on recreating eyebrows and eyeliner to bring back features that are lost when your eyebrows/eyelashes really thin out or like me completely fall out.

It will be fantastic to get out and meet other women with Alopecia and to be able to offer such a life changing treatment.

I have been having the treatment done for years and I am always shocked by the price of it. Semi Permanent Make Up and the cost of a good wig can really set you back. I would like to help women by offering a really great price for my Semi Permanent Make Up.

Over the next couple of months I would like to tell you more about my training with Karen Betts so you will feel confident that you are in good hands if you choose to have treatment.

Please find below my website details and a short film on the training that I will have with Karen Betts and when i chatted to Lorraine Kelly on the sofa!

Semi Permanent Make Up Training

2011-03-14T19:03:00.001Z

The company that I am doing my Semi Permanent Make Up training with have just released the below video... It really fills me with confidence that I am going to become a fantastically skilled Semi Permanent Make Up artist! Most importantly my clients will also be filled with confidence knowing the training that I have had.

If you are interested in Semi Permanent Make Up please see the below video and if you are interested in me doing your Semi Permanent Make Up in the future then please have a look and also get in touch!! aimee@alopeaciabeautytips.com

Exciting Semi Permanent Make Up News

2011-03-08T17:50:00.000Z

I just wanted to let you all know my very exciting news!

Last week I applied for a competition to win the training and equipment so that i can perform the treatment Semi Permanent Make Up..... and I won!!! I never win anything!

I will now be able to achieve my dream of providing Semi Permanent Make Up to women who have lost their eyebrows and eyelashes to Alopecia.

The best part is that as I have won the training and the the equipment, this will mean that I will be able to offer this treatment at a fantastic affordable price to you. I know more than anyone how wigs and Semi Permanent Make Up can be extremely pricey!

Semi Permanent Make Up is a subtle cosmetic tattooing which lasts for around 2 years. Because it doesn't come off, it means you can happily forget all about eyebrow pencils, eyeliners, blushers and lipsticks. The cosmetic implantation technique works by depositing tiny individual implants of pigment into the dermal layer of the skin.

Some clients will come to me because they want to look their best 24/7 without having to wear makeup. Others will come to me because they’ve lost their hair (and with it all their self-esteem) through alopecia or cancer.

I will be trained by Karen Betts' at the Nouveau Contour academy and it is the most advanced training programme for elite permanent makeup artists and medical tattooists in the UK.

Over the next couple of months it would be great if you contact me with your interest? I am based in the North West of England but will be willing to travel all over the country.

Please get in touch for this fantastic opportunity.

Semi Permanent Make Up changed my life and it could change yours too!

Alopecia Hair Growth While Pregnant

2011-01-24T20:26:00.000Z

Over the past few years I have heard many woman with Alopecia have found their hair grows back while pregnant...

"The apparent link between hormonal fluctuations and Alopecia Areata has been recognized for some time (Sabouraud 1896, Sabouraud 1913). Most notable are the cases of Alopecia onset during late stage pregnancy. Women who already have Alopecia Areata can find that they have complete but temporary hair regrowth around the time of childbirth (Walker 1950). Puberty and menopause have also been suggested as a time of potential Alopecia Areata onset or remission". (http://www.belgraviacentre.com/alopecia/)

I always joked that I should give it a try :o) But now after being married for just over a year and a half my Husband and I are pleased to announce we expecting our 1st baby! I have not noticed any change to my hair yet but it is still early days so I will be keeping a close eye and I will let you know as my pregnancy progresses.

I recently talked to Prima Baby Magazine about my Alopecia.... Of course I do have a little worry at the back of my head that my baby will inherit my Alopecia, but there is nothing I can do so I try not to think about it. I have since heard that a friend who has extreme Alopecia similar to me had her baby last month and the baby had a head full of hair!

The wig that I am wearing in this picture is from www.hairoom.co.uk Andrea Holden is based in Leeds. She is the most wonderful woman and so talented. Please read all about her on this link. http://www.hairoom.co.uk/wigs/hair-loss-news-in-the-press

Diary of my new wig...

2010-11-27T18:47:00.001Z

I am helping the hair loss experts at www.hairoom.co.uk to develop a new kind of wig. I have mentioned this before in my Blogs, but I finally got my hands on it yesterday! I am going to keep you up to date with how I get on.... Getting used to a new wig takes a while so I did not want to write one blog saying it's the best wig in the world just yet... With all wigs I am sure it will have its positives, negatives and new lessons to be learnt... So here goes!

Day One
Drove to Leeds to pick up my new hair... My old wig was ready for the bin, it had holes in the base and the hair was so dry it just looked disgusting! So to say I was excited was an understatement.

Andrea Holden from Hairoom is such a wonderful women and I always enjoy visiting her. She really listens to you and she is so passionate about her job that she has been doing for many many years. I have learnt so many sneaky little tips from her over the past few months. She is a world of knowledge!

Andrea uses a razor to cut the wig to the style I like... scissors are a big no in her book when cutting a wig as you get a much better result with a razor. She gave me some lovely layers and was super careful when cutting my fringe.

As I have said before the hair is synthetic but it is heat resistant and looks just like real hair. It is much easier to look after than real hair as it is much lighter in weight and has a lovely bounce to it. After washing it remembers the style that you put it in originally and hair is beautifully smooth.

What i have found is that It needs a little help to get it back into the style you want after washing but no where near as much as when I had real hair. You can use low heat hair appliances to do this. I have not worn many synthetic wigs in the past so I am learning how to look after it... looks so like real hair I keep forgetting it is not real hair!?

I have bought hair straighteners that have a low temperature of 80 degrees to help style it. http://www.boots.com/en/Toni-Guy-Mascolo-Digital-Straightener_1000236/
Another good tool she told me is a air brush styler to give it some body or some soft curls...
http://www.boots.com/en/Remington-Amaze-Airstyler-AS1201_1120483/

The base is totally breathable.. it has a small bit of silicone in certain areas around the base that clings to your head but I feel that I still need a little wig tape to keep me feeling confident. It also has a lace front and looks fantastic... It looks like hair growing from my scalp!

Photo does not do this justice!!

As the hair is not real hair I need to look after it with wig shampoo and wig conditioner. I also need to spray it with fabric oil every day to help with any friction that may happen. Best thing is that if friction does occur you can use straighteners on a low heat to smooth it out again!

So far I am in love with this wig but it is early days! I will keep you up to date with how my new wig and I get on so stay tuned!

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Exfoliation... I never knew!?

2010-11-27T16:43:00.003Z

In all the years I have had Alopecia, I never realised just how important exfoliation was until I spoke to a very knowledgeable lady in the hairloss industry called Andrea Holden.

Me Looking Shocked!! :o)

You need to keep your head exfoliated daily with a gentle facial scrub to remove any dead skin cells. If any hair does want to grow exfoliating means the hairs will not have to get through anything and will have more change of growth. Also, while you are massaging the facial wash into your head you get blood circulating to the surface of the skin which boosts your hair follicles!

Another good reason to exfoliate your head is that it makes wig tape work better as your head will be squeaky clean and wig tape will cling to this. If you wear a wig that is designed to cling to your head this will also make it cling so much more.

My head has always had a slight greasy feel about it after a few hours after washing, which makes my wig slip! So after I heard this I just wanted to run home and give my scalp a good deep exfoliation treatment!

A great exfoliation product is from Lush called Mask of Magnaminty. This used once a week will have your head in tip top condition! This is great for all skin types as it is really gentle...

This was recommended to me by Andrea Holden. She is an expert in the hair replacement industry at the Hairoom salon. (www.hairoom.co.uk)

An interesting article I have found says below...

"A properly done scalp massage can increase blood circulation to the hair follicles, increase relaxation, decrease stress, condition the scalp, and boost the strength of the hair roots. The kneading pressure applied by massage warms the skin and opens up blood vessels to increase flow and boost circulation. Increased circulation means that the cells of the hair follicle will receive more of the nutrients necessary to optimal hair growth function. The rubbing motion promotes relaxation and feels good, thus increasing the production of "feel good" chemicals that work to lower levels of stress hormone in the body. Lower stress levels allow your organs to function more efficiently, thus boosting your hair follicle's ability to grow hair." (www.hairlossexpert.com)

To read more click this link http://www.hairlossexpert.co.uk/Can-scalp-massage-stimulate-hair-growth.html

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the Little Princess Trust Charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Dermatologist Appointment

2010-11-11T13:01:00.001Z

Today I went for an appointment with the dermatologist, first appointment that I have had in over 5 years...

15 years ago when I first developed Alopecia I went to the doctors and tried every cream they suggested to help my hair re-grow, but after nothing worked I decided to concentrate on looking the best I could with wigs and make up. I gave up with the doctors as I felt they could do nothing for me.

With 1 in every 100 people developing Alopecia at some stage in their life, I wanted to go through the experience again so that I know what others are experiencing when going to their GP or Dermatologist.   That way I can still understand the upset, frustrations and awkward situations we all have to go through.

I had my 1st appointment with my GP mid September. We talked about my Alopecia and she thought it was best that I was referred to a Dermatologist. 2 months later I got my appointment.... Today!

It was a stressful start... I got there nice and early and could I find a parking space!? No. Illegally parked I ran into my appointment. Take a tip from me and turn up mega early for an appointment and have plenty of change on for your pay and display. Seems a bit silly to mention this but it added stress to an already difficult situation.

I got called into my appointment and sat and discussed my Alopecia with the dermatologist about how I had no hair all over my body... No eyelashes, eyebrows, arms legs... Yes all over my body do we really need to go on!? I always find that part rather humiliating.

Next part was for me to discuss what I wanted him to do for me. I explained that I was not really interested in any treatments as I had tried everything unless there was some new cure? He said there was nothing new but he thought that in the next 5 years time there might be something new to try. I wont hold my breath!

I told him my visit today was because I wanted to know what I was entitled to in the wig department? I also wanted to know if I could have a repeat wig prescription so that I would not have to keep coming back to the hospital every year.   After 15 years of having Alopecia i did not see it growing back anytime soon.

As my Alopecia is very severe, Alopecia Universalis, he told me he could offer me 2 wigs a year and that the Orthotics department would arrange this for me. This is the department that arrange for you to get your wig and will provide you with information on where to go and what you are entitled to etc.

I explained to him that as I had long term hair loss I needed real hair as this lasts much longer. I also explained that as my head was very small off the peg wigs did not fit me and that in the past i had paid to have made to measure wigs.    He added this to my prescription but said he was not sure if I could have this but would put it on the prescription anyway to help.

As for the repeat prescription he explained that this was not possible... This is a policy across the board. If doctors gave a repeat prescriptions to everyone then some "not so nice people" would take advantage of this and sell the on drugs for example if they did not need them anymore. This has happened in the past, so for this reason patients need to come back every year to collect the prescription.

What he did do for me was book me an appointment for the following year so that I did not need to go through the whole ordeal of going to see my GP first to get referred again.

Then I was sent to the Orthotic department to find out where I was to get my 2 wigs from and how much the prescription charge would be. I was told that I needed to contact one of 3 wig companies and provided a list and the prescription charge would be £60 for one wig so £120 for both... the man only mentioned synthetic hair and not real hair. I was worried that now meant I was not entitled to real hair....

I was pleased to see that one of the wig companies on the list was one that I knew. I took all the details from the Orthotics Department and rang the wig company straight away. She told me that the guy I saw was new and did not know the the system fully. If I rang back and spoke to the woman on the department and told her that I had always worn real hair she would be able to offer better advice.

I contacted her and as it said real hair on my prescription I could now go the the wig supplier and order 2 real hair wigs. Only thing was that now the prescription charge had gone up to £230 per wig... £460. But that is a lot less than the £4000 that it would have cost if I bought them myself!

Unfortunately what I have been offered is not the same across the country and it can be a postcode lottery as to what others might be entitled to.

Please click on the below websites that have up to date information that you can follow. I hope that by telling you my experience this will help you whether you are about to go for an appointment yourself and are now more informed or like me you have not bothered with the NHS for some years... It may be worth a shot!

http://www.hairflairdesigns.co.uk/nhswigs.html

http://www.cancerhaircare.com/department/visit_your_local_nhs_wig_supplier/

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Top 5 Tips on Applying False Eyelashes

2010-11-05T15:49:00.005Z

I used to wear false eyelashes everyday, but once I got my Semi Permanent Make Up (eyebrows and eyeliner) I was a lot more confident and felt I did not need to wear them anymore. After a break from wearing them I could not get back into the habit of fiddling about with them again every morning. So when I found out that some people attached their eyelashes with a strong glue that lasts an entire week I just had to give it a try!

From my years of practice before I started I made sure I had all the tools I needed... Here are my top 5 tips on what you need!

1. Dressing table and seat with a good mirror and light – You need to be relaxed and comfortable and remember to practice a few times 1st before you plan to go anywhere in them!

2. Strong Glue – this is the secret to eyelash application. Some of the glues out there that come with your lashes are terrible! Make life easier for yourself and get some super sticky glue. I got mine from www.headcovers.com and it is called ultimate hold. It can last up to a week!!

4. Small little scissors to trim lashes down – if you want your lashes to look natural you will probably need to trim them down so they are not too long. Small scissors mean that you can be more delicate while trimming. Try and cut at an angle to stop you getting a blunt edge and leave some of the lashes longer than others.

3. Eyelash applicator Tool - This tool is brilliant... It really helps with the positioning of the lash so you get it in the right place 1st time with out getting glue on your fingers. I also got this from www.headcovers.com

5. Last but not least the lashes! For a natural look get lashes with a natural growth pattern and no big gaps between the little hairs. Here are the two that I have recently bought. When they arrive they are quite long and I just trim them slightly at the sides and the length of the hairs.

If you wear the false lashes for a week you do need to be a little careful with them when sleeping and washing your face. Don’t burrow your head into the pillow if you can help it and try not to get your eyes too wet. I wash my face and leave my eyes and just use a cotton bud dipped in make up remover to clean away any make up.

Have fun practicing :o)

Henna Pen

2010-11-02T12:07:00.000Z

When I was in London last week at the Parliamentary Briefing I met a hair stylist who also works with wigs. He said that lots of people with hair loss were using the “Henna Pen” and that it was the next best thing! I thought I just had to give it a try and let you know what I thought. It arrived yesterday from (http://www.hennacosmetics.com/index.htm). But i have just found it on Amazon for cheaper! (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Henna-Eyes-Temporary-Eyeliner-Make/dp/B000GAWBOW)

I have tried the Henna Pen twice now as I went home and wiped my make up off last night and tried it and then tried it out again this morning.

On the back of my hand this product seemed like it was going to be brilliant as it really does not smudge. However, it is not as waterproof as it claims. Also, it should be applied before eye shadow or any make up, I would normally apply eyeliner last and it should not be applied on the inside of the eye which I also like to do.

I don’t really think this product works so well for my eyes as I like to work my eyeliner into the waterline and do a bit of blending but the Henna Pen can not do that as it just disappears with the moisture from your eye and once it it dry you can not blend it.

If you wear false lashes and don’t need to draw into the water line then I think this product could work well as it is very delicate and would not disturb the lash too much....

What I do think it will work well for is eyebrows. The little wispy brush on the end will make great little hair like strokes. It is quite clever as it has a medium size felt tip end on one side and a wispy thin tip on the other end. I have semi permanent make up on my eyebrows but when this starts to fade which it does this would be a perfect little pick me up for them until my next top up was due.

I ordered the coco brown colour which is a great colour for my brows but I would have ordered the liquorish black if I were to use it as it as eyeliner. To make the colour darker the product can be layered with a few coats which intensifies the colour.

For £12 plus postage and packing (£14.50) I think I am going to stick to the Bobbi Brown Gel eyeliner at £15 as this lasts me for well over a year and I bet this henna pen would not last more than a few months before drying out. But I do think it is a useful tool for my eyebrows. I would like to try the black pen too but not sure if I want to spend another £14.50.

My New Hair Parlimentary Briefing

2010-10-28T15:11:00.009+01:00

Yesterday I attended a parliamentary briefing with the charity My New Hair to raise awareness of hair loss issues for cancer and alopecia patients.

I met with many local MP’s, other My New Hair patients, hair professionals and nurses. I found out more about the issues faced by other people who lose their hair through medical reasons or from cancer treatment.

The event took place at the House of Commons on October 27th and called for improvements in NHS wig services for men, women and children affected by medical hair loss. Services vary in quality and patient experience differs widely across the country.

Many of the MP’s Said...

“I am saddened that many patients who suffer hair loss as a result of cancer treatment or other medical condition are still not receiving the support that they need from the NHS. Hair loss causes significant distress to patients; the NHS must work harder to ensure that wig services are organised in the interest of the patient and include good quality wigs as well as appropriate emotional and practical support. By training hair professionals to understand the needs of patients and to help them to find a style that works for them, My New Hair is making a big difference to patients’ lives. “

My New Hair was founded by acclaimed hairdresser Trevor Sorbie M.B.E inspired by his own experience helping a family member during cancer treatment. Trevor now dedicates all of his salon time to offering advice and a wig customisation service to clients suffering medical hair loss.

Says Trevor “This is the beginning of what will be a challenging but exciting journey with the NHS – we have helped set the precedent and encourage the rest of the country to follow our lead. My New Hair has given me a whole new dimension to job satisfaction, using my skills to give something back to society and do something truly meaningful. It isn’t about hair, its psychological medicine for women who are suffering hair loss through illness.”

The charity provides services directly to people suffering medical hair loss and trains an independent national network of hairdressers to cut and style wigs making them more personal and natural looking.

I was really honored to be part of something that has effected me for the past 15 years and to feel like I have now played a part in helping to improve this NHS service.

I personally have not used the NHS for years. My previous experience was having to wait for months to get a dermatologist appointment, then once I got the appointment I would just be given a voucher to get 2 synthetic wigs that I had to pay a £60 prescription charge for.

As I suffer from long term hairloss I like to wear a wig that has a very thin base that is more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and I also I like to use real hair in my wig as this is more realistic and longer lasting.

In the past i have felt the NHS could not offer me any help with my long term hairloss. Hopefully this is the start of great things to come!

Top 5 eyeliner tips

2010-10-17T20:08:00.000+01:00

I have been using gel eyeliner for a long time now and although I have tried many other kinds... pencil, liquid etc. Gel eyeliner is the best if you have no eyelashes and are trying to define your eye in a natural way. Using this eyeliner also means that you can work into the water-line of your eye easily, which can really help to define your eyes that bit more.

My top 5 tips for gel eye-liners

1 Find a gel eyeliner that glides over the skin of your eyelid easily. The eye is delicate and you don't want to pull or press too hard on the skin. You can try a tester on the back of your hand just to see how it goes on. Try doing a light wiggly line and imagine that it is your eye. Avoid ones that are too dry.

2 Use the right kind of brush with a good length handle on it. Otherwise you are not going to create the best effect and it will make life difficult if you use some of the piddly brushes that just come free with your product.

3 Look after your brush that you use to put the eyeliner on. As you are using it every day and putting it right inside your eye it needs to be clean. I keep wet wipes with my beauty kit and clean brushes with these and once a week or so i use soap and water to thoroughly clean them.

4 When you're using your gel eyeliner make sure you always put the lid back on tightly. You don't want it drying out. If the eye liner is getting to the end of the pot and had dried out a bit and does not glide as easily then get the end of your make up brush and just stir the remains.

5 And finally my best of all the tips! I was rubbish when I first started wearing this kind of eyeliner. I had such a wobbly hand! My best tip is to just do what you can by putting the eyeliner on and then for your mistakes just get a cotton bud, dip it into some eye-make up remover and just delicately edit away any mistakes. Easy!

Two of my favourite Gel Eyeliners are... Elf Cream Eyeliner and Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner.

Elf is a new brand that you can buy online and is only about £4. I think it is really good but I have to say I still love the Bobbi Brown version which is about £15. As long as you look after the eyeliner it lasts ages! It glides on really nicely and I find that it has a nice matt finish where as the Elf one has a shinyness to it. I also like the dark brown Bobbi Brown colour that I go for. Whereas the Elf has black and then the next colour down for me is too light. I also found that the Bobbi Brown eyeliner stays on for longer and the pigment of colour is much stronger.

Above you can see me before with only my Semi Permanent Eye Make Up on. This is great on its own but I like to add eyeliner to this as it really intensifies the look.

Here you can see how I have added eyeliner to the corners and the waterline of my eye by starting at the inner corner of my eye gradually getting thicker to the outer corner of my eye.

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Semi Permanent Make Up (SPMU)

2010-09-28T20:36:00.003+01:00

Last week I went to have my Semi Permanent Make Up topped up. I have done this every year for the past 5 years to keep it looking fresh. Here are all the Before, During and after pictures...

Before....

You can see how light the old SPMU has become
which is why i am having it topped up.

I love my Semi Permanent Make Up as it has completely changed my life. My Alopecia got a lot worse about 5 years ago and I lost both my eyebrows and all my eyelashes. I hated the blank expressionless look on my face and felt like i had to put make up on as soon as i got up to make me feel like me... It use to take me so long to get ready in the morning... Drawing on my eyebrows, eyeliner and applying false lashes... as well as dealing with a wig too! It felt like such a mission to get up and out the house!

Sometimes I really did not feel like putting any make up on after days and days of layering eyeliner onto my eyes but for me to feel and look like me I would have to do it.

Semi Permanent Make Up gives me so much freedom... knowing that my eyebrows are there no matter what gives me so much confidence and the eyeliner is so great that i don't need to wear false eyelashes anymore. I save my false lashes for a night out or special occasion. All i need to do now is put a little bit of eyeliner along the waterline of my eye as you can not tattoo this and i am all done!

During..

You can see the individual hairs here and my eyeliner...

My eyelids are a little swollen from the eyeliner
being applied but it is not that painful.. No really it's not!!

I am such a believer in Semi Permanent Make Up that I am going to train to become a Semi Permanent Make Up Artist!

I would like to specialise in creating natural eyebrows and eyeliner for people with Alopecia. I will be able to create the tiny little hairs that makes Semi Permanent Make Up look so realistic when applied in this great way.

It will also give me to opportunity to meet more people with Alopecia and offer my support...

If you would like to have Semi Permanent Make Up applied please let me know as I will be able to recommend someone in your area. It is really important that you get the right person to apply your make up to get the best results.

After...

My Wig

2010-09-25T19:10:00.000+01:00

I often get asked about wigs... what wig I wear?? where I got it from?? and what is the best wig out there??

This is such a personal choice, as with anything you choose to wear! They all have their positive and negatives so it depends on your lifestyle and what you want out of your wig to enable you to pick the right one for you. All I can do is tell you what I wear and why and this might help you recognise what you need from your own wig...

Wig Base

After wearing every type of wig going I have decided the best thing for me is a custom made mesh base that has tabs to attach my wig tape at the front, sides by the ears and the neck. I have tried the vacuum and the kind of wigs that have a thin transparent plastic that clings to the head and I found that they made my head hot even though I am not the most active person! I like my head to be able to breath. I choose to have it custom made as my head is very small so off the peg does not fit. However the comfort you get from custom made means that I can totally forget that I am wearing a wig which makes me feel so confident.

There is also the option of having your hair permanently glued to your head but as I have been wearing wigs for 15 years I have found that being able to remove your hair and switch between wigs it a real perk! So I choose not to do this.

Hair

When I first started to wear wigs it was European real hair or synthetic hair. Positives and negatives for both... Real hair was best for longer styles as it looked more realistic and flowed better. It also had a long life in some cases 2 years... Negative was that it is more expensive and took more looking after. Synthetic hair was good for short styles as it kept its style after washing, it was much cheaper but had a very short life span as it would start to frizz, they are not as realistic and if near anything hot it could melt!

Now there is a type of hair available that has the best of both hair types... It is called many different things by different wig salons but what it does is the same. Like real hair you can wash, blow dry and heat style. Unlike real hair it is durable, colour constant and easy to care for, its stronger, lighter and more heat resistant than real hair. The unique quality of this hair is that once you have created the hair-style you want it will stay that way no matter how many times you wash it. This is what my next wig is going to be made with!!

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Dry Shampoo - The Results!

2010-09-21T11:38:00.000+01:00

Dry Shampoo is one of my favourite beauty products that i cannot live without...

Now to find out which is the best...

Batiste Dry Shampoo... 6/10

I really liked the smell of this as it was light and fresh and comes in lots of different sents. When you spray a lot comes out so be careful! I have dark hair so it was not great for that reason as if you use too much you can see the white powder in your hair. But i you don't use too much and you have lighter hair it is great and at only £2 it is a bargain!

I also used the brunette version of this dry shampoo and i was really disappointed.. the talc colour was a bit darker but still left my hair with a powdery finnish. Also the smell was really strong and spicy and i smelt like Christmas!

Charles Worthington Dry Shampoo... 9/10

I love this dry shampoo.. the smell of it is to die for! It smells so fresh like you have just washed your hair with delicious shampoo. It too has a slight white powdery Finnish but as it comes out of the can in a finer mist so it works a lot better. Bit more expensive at £5 a can but i think it is worth it for the the smell. My man loves it! Just make sure you give the can a good shake before you use it.

TRESemme Dry Shampoo and Waterless Foam Shampoo... 10/10 *** Winner ***

I thought the dry shampoo was really good and also just had a fine mist of powder like the Charles Worthington brand (again make sure you shake!). The smell was much more subtle which is good if you don't want it to mix with your perfume. At £4.29 a can it is also great value.

I also tried the waterless foam which is good if you had the time to also re-style your hair. Its the equivalent of wetting your hair and re-styling it... I think this is more suited to someone who might have their hair bonded to their head as you can get right in the roots with this.

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Dry Shampoo

2010-09-17T14:45:00.000+01:00

I would like to tell you about the 1st product trial that I am going to do...

Dry shampoo!

Now I know it's a life saver for most but even more so when you wear a real hair wig!

It is very time consuming to wash and style your real hair wig and quite often your hair is clean but it is just the front that has got a little greasy from touching it with your fingers. Also it can need freshening up if you have cooked some fragrant dinner or been with people who smoke. Yuck!

Before I knew about dry shampoo I once tired febreze I was that desperate! he he

I will be trialling ....

Batiste Dry Shampoo... I have just heard that there is one for dark hair too so I will try that too!

Charles Worthington Dry Shampoo... I have used this before and it smells amazing but lets see how it compares to the others!

TREsemme Fresh Start – This is a brand new product and there are 3 kinds to choose from depending on your hair type.

Once I have given all of these a good test I will report my findings!

Make sure you come back and see how I get on!

Please visit my website http://www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

False Eye Lash Look

2010-09-16T18:08:00.000+01:00

Here is a free clip of my Alopecia Beauty Tips DVD. This is me applying my false eyelashes...

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Eye Make Up Tips

2010-09-16T18:06:00.000+01:00

Just added a new You Tube clip of my Alopecia Beauty Tips DVD.

You can watch it here...

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust charity and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Catch Up

2010-09-10T11:55:00.029+01:00

Just thought I would give you a little update on the Top 5 things I am working on at the moment for Alopecia Beauty Tips...

Working on getting some more you tube clips up of my make up tips... Along with the tried and tested products that i mentioned in my last blog. Please look at once of my videos by clicking here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAL7GkBrduE

I am waiting on the new wig that I am going to help develop... The bad thing about getting a made to measure wig is the wait! But eventually this wig will be available in a few different sizes so no need to wait! You will be able to walk in and buy it! Factories always say 6 weeks but it is always more than that. Silly thing is that I know this but I still get impatient. Just really excited about :o)

I got in touch with the Charity Look Good... Feel Better this week and they are so lovely. http://lgfb.co.uk They offer make up lessons to women who are suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy. They have some great ideas and I was totally inspired.

Next week I am going to visit a Semi Permanent Make Up (SPMU) artist... Gail Proudman http://www.spmubygail.co.uk I am interested in becoming a SPMU artist myself so I am going to pepper her with questions... SPMU as I have said many time before has really transformed my life and I am really keen to get out there and share it with all those who could benefit from it.

I have been doing some work with the Little Princess Trust Charity and Optima Hair who provide free real hair wigs to children who have medical hair loss... http://www.littleprincesses.org.uk http://www.optimahair.co.uk I would really like to create a special DVD just for children so that every time the charity provides a wig to a little girl they also get a DVD from me on how to look after their fancy new real hair wig, a few little natural make up tips to define the eyes and some tips for when they are a little older too on how to handle lots of different situations.

Top 5 Alopecia Beauty Tools

2010-09-07T12:14:00.016+01:00

After having Alopecia for the past 15 years I have learned to rely on the below tools to create my look everyday...

1 Eyeliner

2 False Eyelashes

3 Lash Glue and applicator

4 Eyebrow Pencil

5 Dry Shampoo

I have my favorites that I will recommend to you, but I am also going to do a tried and tested review on loads of products. This way you can make your own decision on whats right for you!

In my next blog i will tell you all about differently eyeliners and give you a demonstration on how i use mine.... so stay tuned!

Wigs Have Their Advantages - Top Ten Advantages to Wearing a Wig...

2010-09-01T14:15:00.011+01:00

I have taken it on myself to cycle to work over the past few months, but it has taken some time to sort out my morning routine!

I have been using one of my old wigs to cycle in and then when I get into work I sneak up the stairs hoping not to be spotted by any of my work colleges for a quick shower and change into my fresh clean wig... Brilliant!

This got me thinking what other advantages are there to wearing a wig?

1. They make you feel really confident;

2. have a few on the go so your hair always looks it’s best;

3. try different styles without worrying if the style will suit you;

4. take your hair off and style it on a mannequins head and get the back perfectly straight or curled;

5. have loads of different styles.. Long for the weekend and short for being practical at work;

6. You don’t really ever have a bad hair day;

7. If you use synthetic wigs they remember your style after washing so they dry perfect looking;

8. You don’t need to have monthly trims.. Once it is cut it’s cut think of the money you save!

9. It does not really get greasy... You only really need to wash your wig once a week;

10. You can save your best hair for special occasions and have an old wig for going to the gym or doing house chores.

If you can think of any others that I have missed let me know! I was thinking about getting a wig that is glued on all the time and then I thought hang on a minute!! Miss out on all those advantages?? No thanks!

Please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com where you can see how my story has been in the Daily Mail, GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Marie Claire and how i have worked with the little princess trust chartiy and Trevor Sorbies Charity 'My New Hair'

Semi Permanent Make Up (SPMU)

2010-08-18T10:59:00.000+01:00

When I was on GMTV with Lorraine Kelly she was admiring my natural looking eyebrows and eyeliner..

Click on this link and watch the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phsUBb-ivU

I use to spend ages getting ready every morning.... I had to draw in my eyebrows and put thick eyeliner on to add the much needed definition to my eyes... Most of time time I got them looking right the 1st time and I would be off out the door with all the practice I had from doing it every day, but it would be always when I was in a hurry that one eye would look perfect and the other would look so wrong! Also the amount of times I have poked myself in the eye with my liner brush because I was rushing was just one time too many to count... Something had to be done!

Semi Permanent Make Up (SPMU) has become a must have treatment, not just for people with Alopecia, it can also be used to camouflage scars and also everyday women like to have make up when they wake up to defining brows eyes and lips.

My experience of Semi Permanent Make Up is that it was fast, painless and provided fantastic results that has really transformed my life!

As eyebrows are suppose to have a natural hairy look about them specialist SPMU artists use lots of little strokes to create the look of lots of little hairs instead of a block of colour, which gives them such a realistic effect.

Definition around my eyes is something that was totally lost when my eyelashes feel out... I was scared about having the eyeliner done but an SPMU artist uses anaesthetic cream which really numbs the eye lid and helps with any discomfort. My lids swelled up a little afterwards but... oh my god it is totally worth it! I love my eyeliner its amazing.

The procedure can be expensive... Eyebrows are about £300 and the eyeliner is about £250 but I think that the way it transforms your life and the freedom it gives you makes it totally worth while. For me to wake up knowing that my eyebrows and eyeliner are there not only gives me more confidence but it also makes me feel like me as soon as I look in the mirror. Never again will I have that blank expressionless face.

Please get in touch for any further info

Aimee@alopeciabeautytips.com

www.alopeciabeautytips.com

Search for the perfect wig

2010-07-26T13:21:00.000+01:00

Over the years i have worn over 20 different kinds of wigs. I am constantly searching for the next best thing. I truly believe that i am about to find it!

I am about to work very closely with two wonderful people in the wig industry. Andrea Holden and Fred Berry who runs a very successful hair replacement salons in London. Together we are going to create the most amazing product. They are using the most beautiful hair that no one else in the UK has ever used.

Over the years i have had issues with hair quality, the comfort of the base and now I am finally going to have a say! Who better to ask than someone like me!? ....but i would like to include you in my search for perfection... You can read my full story here... www.alopeciabeautytips.com

This time last year i appeared on GMTV with Lorraine Kelly and took my wig off for the world to see! I was in an article in Marie-Claire and have worked with the Trevor Sorbie charity 'My New Hair'. I have also been working with the Little Princess Trust and Optima hair specialist who provide free real hair wigs to children. So as you can see my mission to get
involved with helping other women/children out there is very clear! If you visit my website you will be able to read all about what i have been doing. You can also read my other blog posts.

I want to find out what you feel are the most annoying things about wearing a wig. Are there any little annoying problems you have that you think i should consider when trialing this wig? Please get in touch and let me know :o)

I am going to keep you up to date on the progress and of course where you can get it once it is available. That is all i can say about it at the moment but get very excited because i am!

Please visit me at my website

www.alopeciabeautytips.com

You can also e-mail me

aimee@alopeciabeautytips.com

Holidays are coming... Tips on how to look great and keep your head cool in the sun!

2010-03-26T15:19:00.000Z

It is getting to that time of year where i am sure many of you are starting to plan your annual summer holiday! I am going on holiday this time next week and I am so excited. There is going to be lots of sun, sea and sand... Sounds amazing doesn't it!? Well it use to be my worst nightmare when trying to look after my wigs but now I can cope on the beech and don’t have to worry about tangles and sun damage. I have only just got 2 new wigs so there is no way I want to risk ruining them.

What I like to do is buy an inexpensive synthetic wig for the beech or a funky 1950 bathing cap or use a beautiful scarf to wear with a straw cowboy hat and big sunglasses. I also carry some Magi Cool in my hand bag for when my head is getting hot. You can pick this up in most chemist/drug stores. It is a spray that keeps you cool. This is my look for the day time and it is easy with no risk of ruining my expensive hair that is back at the hotel room looking gorgeous waiting for me to wear that evening!

One of the problems on holiday is that it disrupts your routine on getting you and your wig ready... I bet you have probably got your routine down to a fine art at home, but being in a new place/hotel room can make putting on your hair and make-up a bit daunting.

Here Are My Top 7 Holiday Tips To Help You...

Get a travel wig stand so your hair can be propped up somewhere neatly if you need to dry it... Warm temps is a great opportunity to just let your hair dry naturally too!
It might help to have ready cut strips of toupee tape so that you can be quick at applying it.
I find that suncream can run into my eyes as i don't have eyebrows or lashes. If you get a good high factor sun block for sensitive skin. This keeps you protected from the sun most of the day.
For the hair that you do take on the beech I like to mix some conditioner and water together in a spray bottle and keep my hair conditioned thought out the day if I am in the sea. This is much cheaper than buying leave in conditioners.
Get yourself a magnifying mirror so that when applying your eyeliner you can see really clearly. Some times the hotel mirrors are just awful.
Keep make-up to a minimum. I have semi permanent make up which is a real time saver on holiday. Forget any concealers/foundations... let your skin have a holiday too :o)
Stay out of the sun and just get a professional spray tan before you go! It means you look great while on holiday. This is the best idea I have had when it come to holidays. Its lovely having a tan on holiday when you are wearing your summer clothes but if like me you live in a relatively cold climate you are covered up in clothes when you get back so a tan is a waste of time anyway.

Hope this helps you out if you are going to be in the Sun!

Happy Holidays everyone :o)

Please check out my web site
www.alopeciabeautytips.com
and look at my videos on You Tube
www.youtube.com/user/alopeciabeautytips

Optima Hair Specialists – Pete Murtha

2010-02-22T18:31:00.000Z

A few months ago I went to Optima Hair Specialists in Birmingham to have my head measured for 2 new wigs. That day I came away brimming with confidence that Pete Murtha and his team were going to make me the best wig I have ever worn.

This weekend I went to Birmingham just 3 months later to be fitted with my new wigs and I was not disappointed. Not in the slightest... In actual fact I was ecstatic!!

I have been wearing made to measure real hair wigs for over a decade and I have had some awful experiences. I know the difference between a good wig and a bad wig and Pete Murtha makes the best wigs in the world... I know cause I have worn nearly everything!

Over the years I have had problems with my wigs but I have just put up with them and been frustrated as I did not think there was an alternative. Problems such as hair becoming tangled and matted, the comfort of the base, the style and how it was cut, the thickness of the hair, the time a real hair wig took to order some times over 6 months! And above all the cost of the wigs I have been wearing over the years have cost me a fortune!! I have had so many problems that I have i have thought is it worth all this stress and trauma?? Will i ever get the Wig i really want?

I arrived on Saturday morning greeted by Pete and his team with such a warm reception. They are all great fun and just make the whole experience relaxed and enjoyable. I was taken up stairs and the stylist and I had a good chat about what hair style I wanted and we looked through some magazines to make sure we both understood each other... Then Pete showed me the hair and how silky smooth it was when I ran it through my fingers. I was excited already and it was not even on my head yet! Once I had the wig on the base felt so comfortable as it is so light and thin. After a minute or so that I forgot it was a wig... It truly felt almost like I had my own hair back again. It was quite emotional!

The stylist was a lovely young girl... Quite often older ladies have cut my wigs who don’t really know about the more fashionable hair styles, but this girl was really excited when I told her I wanted it young choppy with lots of short layers! She was in her element at being given the opportunity to give me a really fantastic fun hairstyle.

For more information please visit my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com

For more information about Optima hair specialists visit www.optimahair.co.uk

Pete also works closely with the little princess trust to provide wigs for free to children with medical hair loss.

www.littleprincesses.org.uk

My New Hair

2010-01-14T11:53:00.000Z

Just wanted to let you know about a new wig that I have bought that is amazing! Its expensive but you all need to know your options... I like my hair really long so it is more expensive for that reason. It is from the company New Hair Technology and they are based in New York. They have a beautiful silky soft real hair and this fantastic base that the hair is sewn into. It is a soft silicone cap that fits so snugly on your head you don’t need to wear tape! It is so snug you might wonder how you get it on! Well what happens is you heat the silicone with your hair dryer and it softens slightly so you can get it onto your head into the correct position.. Before you get your wig they take a cast of your head so the fit is perfect.

My hair arrived beautifully styled but their was no fringe cut (or bangs as the Americans like to call them) as that is up to you to get done by a hair dresser that is local to you so it is customised to your face shape.

I have an appointment to take my wig to the Trevor Sorbie Hair Salon in Manchester on Saturday to get the fringe cut in. Quite excited as I think I am going to feel so confident in my new wig. I looks really natural and does not like so many wigs have too much hair. I will take a photo of it on Saturday and put it up next week so you can see.

I am also waiting to get my wigs back from Optima Hair who work with the little princess trust. Will let you know more about them when once I get them.

All wigs are going to have their pluses and minuses but you need to try a few different kinds and use the one that is right for you. I am just going to let you know the best of what is out there.

Please check out my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com

A Great Way to Make Your Off the Peg Wig More Comfortable

2010-01-02T18:58:00.000Z

I was getting ready to go out for new years eve and i wanted to wear my lovely new real hair wig. The hair was lovely, long and silky soft, would have cost a fortune if it was made to measure but as it was off the peg it was a lot more affordable.

I usually wear a made to measue wig as the fit is so comfortable, it is made specially to fit my head... Once i put my wig on i forget that i am wearing it and dont really think about it. The problem is that made to measure wigs are more expensive so i thought i would try an off the peg style and see how i got on.

So i was getting ready for my night out for new year... i had my out fit on my make up done and added the finnishing touch of my new off the peg real hair wig.... It did not feel right. It felt like it would just slide off and the netting was itchy on my scalp. That is the main problem with an off the peg wig. The base can be itchy and bulky on your scalp if you have no hair.

Then i had an idea... If you have hair and wear a wig you use a wig cap to tidy away your hair but i have found that if you wear a wig cap even if you have no hair this makes wearing an off the peg wig so much more comforable. I also feel that it made the wig look better too as it fills it out a little bit.

So i wore the wig cap on my head with the wig over the top and i think it works really well. It was so much more comfortable and makes the wig feel really secure without having to wear wig tape. I hate wig tape so i thought this was a really good tip to share with you all.

Please visit my website http://www.alopeciabeautytips.com/

Daily Mail Article – Young sisters who lost their hair cast off their wigs and go to school bald for the first time

2009-12-09T15:16:00.000Z

Just wanted to draw your attention to an article in the Daily Mail today that is in the Health section.

In brief the story is about two young girls who are sisters who both have Alopecia. They have both had Alopecia since they were about five years old and this week they have both decided to go to school without their wigs. I am so proud of these little girls and admire their courage. What is even better is that Alopecia has once again hit the headlines making Alopecia even more known about. Now more and more people out there are going to know what Alopecia is. Considering 1 percent of the population will go through Alopecia at some stage in their life more people really do need to know about it.

If you copy the below link and paste in your website finder.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1234122/Young-sisters-lost-hair-cast-wigs-school-bald-time.html

Please Visit my web site -

http://www.alopeciabeautytips.com

New Year, New Wig!

2009-12-08T15:46:00.000Z

I have been wearing wigs since I was 16 years old and I have had so many kinds. I am 27 now so that is 10 years of wig wearing! I can’t quite believe it.

I am in the annoying stage of waiting for a new wig at the moment... My current hair is really not great and I don’t feel at my most confident... I am waiting for my new hair but there has been a typhoon in the Philippines so it has put a huge delay on my order. Sometimes I wonder if they are just fobbing me off with an excuse but I have looked into it and I do believe them this time. I don’t think it will get here until the new year now which I am upset about as for all my Christmas and new year celebrations I will be wearing my old wig.

I normally buy my wigs from Hudsons in Manchester. They are a sister company to Trendco who do provide great wigs. This time round I am buying a wig from an American company called Nu Hair Technology as I fancied a change and thought that the Americans might be able to do it better. So far I am not so sure as it has been a difficult and long process... Their wigs take 4-6 months to order which feels like forever! With them in New York and me in the UK communicating with them has not been easy. Since placing the order I have been talking with Optima hair specialist and Peter Murtha (who is the expert on all things wigs) and he has told me that his wigs take around 6 weeks to be made and he makes the most advance wigs on the market. He looked at my wig and told me it was pre historic! But still I am going to give Nu Hair Technology a chance and will let you know what it is like. If the result is amazing in don't mind waiting for it! I also buy off the peg synthetic wigs too for holidays and weekends when i am beeing lazy... The trouble with me is that I have a small head so in general I need to have them specially made as off the peg wigs are huge on me!

Once I get my wig it will arrive and I will need to take it somewhere to have it cut. I look like a mermaid to start off with as there is always so much hair! I always find it really nerve wracking having it cut. I wait such a long time to have it made and if the style is cut wrong it’s a disaster! My fringe is always something that I have to go back to the salon and have tweaked. Thankfully now Trevor Sorbie’s Charity “My New Hair” has a list of trusted salons I can take my wig to! Want to have a fun hair cut and cut loads out of it but I always hold back from anything too crazy as it is too much of a risk if I don’t end up liking it.

Once my hair is cut/styled and ready for wear there is one last hurdle to get past. New real hair wigs are always really puffy to start off with and they take a month I would say to calm down. The only way you can get them to calm down is by wearing them in and washing them.

So the thought of getting a new wig for me is exciting but at the same time something that can really stress me out. Especially if the wig that I am wearing is deteriorating really fast and I feel like I have hair loss all over again but in my wig! The lesson that i need to learn is to always keep at least 2 wigs in good condition so that if one is off being repaired then i have the other one to rely on. Still working on it!

Just wanted to share with you my wiggy issues as I am sure I am not the only person who goes through this stage.

Please check out my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com

My New Hair Charity Launch - Trevor Sorbie

2009-12-01T16:14:00.000Z

My New Hair Charity Launch

Last week was the Launch of the fantastic Charity My New Hair! I was invited to the Launch in London to represent Alopecia. I met some fantastic people....

LuLu O’Hagan, a stylist who also has Alopecia. We met up in London and went for some dinner and it was so lovely to meet someone else with Alopecia and talk about wigs and the problems we faced. We both had great tips that we could share with one another... I told her all about how to care for her wig as she was quite new to wearing one and she inspired me with how she did not hide behind her wig all the time and just put on a lovely woolie hat sometimes. As she is a stylist she also had some ideas on how I could apply my make up differently too.

Michele Chapman, who is the founder of Alopecia Awareness and helps anyone suffering from the effects of Alopecia. She was such an inspirational person and made me even more determined to get out there and help other women and young girls with alopecia. She has invited me to come and sit in some of her clinics that she works with and to the Browns wig company that she works with and designs wigs for!

Simon Tarplee, the founder of the charity Little Princess Trust. Simon Tarplee provides the best quality made to measure real hair wigs to children suffering from medical hair loss for free! This is such a wonderful charity and I was so excited about meeting Simon as I will be helping make a special DVD for the young girls and boys that the charity helps. Rather than just giving children a wonderful wig to take home with them the child will be given a wig and a DVD that tells them all about how to look after the wig with plenty of tips and lots of support.

The Launch was a fantastic success and Trevor Sorbie and Hilary Blackburn made us all feel very special! He made us all feel like celebrities for the evening and I came away feeling fabulous!

Please visit my website http://www.alopeciabeautytips.com

Little Princess Trust

2009-11-24T14:10:00.000Z

Little Princess Trust

I went to visit the Little Princess Trust charity at the weekend. www.littleprincesstrust.org.uk

They supply and fully fund the best wigs available from all over the world, especially designed for children. They also provide a personal fitting and styling service to ensure the wig is a great fit. Most children cope remarkably well when their hair falls out. For some children however, this can be very upsetting. This is particularly true of young girls, hence the name, Little Princesses.

Over the years I have found that finding specialist, high quality wigs is very difficult and only after a long search did I find something I was happy with. Now I have found the Little Princess Trust I wish it was a charity that was around when I was a little girl and lost my hair to Alopecia at aged 12.

After having alopecia for 15 years and buying into many different wigs the little princess trust have the best wigs I have ever seen. They work at the forefront of the wig making industry and are by far the most caring honest people I have ever dealt with.

If you are an adult like me don’t worry these fantastic wigs are available to you too! You will have to pay for them but they are fantastic value and much cheaper than many of the real hair custom made wig out there. I use to pay £2000 for each real hair wig that I bought but Optima Hair make far superior wigs than the ones i bought and for the price of one of my old wigs I could have 3 or 4 wigs from Optima Hair! The website address is www.optimahair.co.uk and they are based in Birmingham. If you don’t live near Birmingham it is worth the trip believe me! They are the best wig company I have ever used.

My New Hair Trevor Sorbie

2009-10-19T13:33:00.000+01:00

I was helping with the newly founded charity organisation My New Hair over the weekend. Trevor Sorbie (very famous hairdresser) is training stylists all over the country to cut and style wigs for women with medical hairloss.

It was a brilliant day and meeting Stephanie, a 12 year old Alopecia sufferer, stirred up a lot of emotions for me. She reminded me of me when I was young and why I have put so much time and effort into making my www.alopeciabeautytips.com website. Her mum told me I changed her life yesterday as I was such a fantastic role model for her, which felt really rewarding and has only confirmed my desire to really help other young girls with medical hair loss.

There is going to be an article in a new magazine called Recognise all about the day with My New Hair. Will let you know when it is out.

For more information please vistit www.mynewhair.org
And please visit me at www.alopeciabeautytips.com

Fab New Beauty Tips

2009-10-17T11:36:00.000+01:00

With the beauty tips i tell you about you are in complete control over how you look and they will always work for you. Hairloss is never easy, but it doesn’t have to destroy your life. I tend to try and always look on the positive side of things, ie…I never have to wax or shave! Some of my friends spend £100's removing facial hair...

My 1st tip - Get rid of any preconceived ideas that you have of wigs as they really are fantastic these days! Seriously... i have wigs that range from £60 to £2000 and they all have their benefits. Now you can buy a wig and have your wig cut by a stylist to suit your face shape and it looks so natural and gorgeous. If you are new to wearing a wig i would just start by wearing one for a few hours at a time and build up to wearing it all day... Eventually you get use to it being there and you do not notice it.

My 2nd tip - Experiment with make up. If like me you have lost your eyebrows and eyelashes don't worry... You can draw in your eyebrows and use lovely eyeliners to create fantastic effects! I dont bother with false eyelashes anymore as they are too time consuming. When i was younger and had more time i wore them everyday. Or you could have Semi Permanent Make-up... This is really fantastic and can save so much time in the morning. My semi permanent make up starts to fade after a year so i like to have it topped up to keep it fresh looking.

My 3rd tip is how to keep your wig tangle free. My hair tangles most at the nape of the neck... i make sure that when i order a human hair wig that i get european hair as this is the best quality, When i am wearing a synthetic wig i keep it away from heat (watch out for patio heaters in the summer!) I do not sleep in my hair but if you need to i suggest sleeping in a old wig that you don't really use anymore. When i wash my real hair wigs i use luke warm water, try to leave my hair to dry naturally, then just run my hair straightners over quickly to get rid of any frizz.

You can find all my Beauty Tips at www.alopeciabeautytips.com

My New Hair Trevor Sorbie

2009-10-16T09:59:00.000+01:00

This weekend I am going to London to help the organisation ‘My New Hair’ make a DVD that brings awareness to this pioneering new charity, headed up by Trevor Sorbie.
I will let you know all about how I got on next week!

'My New Hair' helps women with hair loss and provides support, helping them to get a professional wig personalised just for them.

They can:

• Offer advice on choosing a wig.
• Help you choose the right wig for you.
• Find your most local My New Hair salon.
• Provide you with a wig personalisation service.
• Offer you support and aftercare.

Their promise is to make the service accessible to people across the UK and long term, across the world. Many stylists share in this belief and want to help overcome the preconceptions around wearing a wig. It is there ultimate goal to make this a part of the best standard of care available to people with medical hair loss. They are working nationally to achieve this aim with healthcare organisations and other charitable initiatives.

Their aim over the next 3 years is to connect with over 400 salons across the country.

Please look at my website too...

http://www.alopeciabeautytips.com

I have featured in the daily mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1210383/I-started-going-bald-12-I-want-world-women-hair-loss-ashamed-of.html

I have also featured in on GMTV with Lorraine Kelly! What me on this you tube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phsUBb-ivU

GMTV Interview with Lorraine Kelly and my 2nd Top Tip on Semi Permanent Make-Up

2009-10-08T14:45:00.000+01:00

The second question that I get asked most in your e-mails is “where did I get my Semi Permanent Make-Up done” Well......!

I was recently asked about Semi Permanent Make-Up by Lorraine Kelly when I was on GMTV. You can see the you tube video of this if you click on the link below... Lorraine was admiring my natural looking brows so I told her all about them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phsUBb-ivU

Also make sure you check out my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com

I use to spend ages getting ready every morning.... I had to draw in my eyebrows and put thick eyeliner on to add the much needed definition to my eyes... Most of time time I got them looking right the 1st time and I would be off out the door with all the practice I had, but it would be always when I was in a hurry that one eye would look perfect and the other would look so wrong! Also the amount of times I have poked myself in the eye with my liner brush cause I was rushing was too many to count and I would worry about touching my face throughout the day in case I smudged my make up. Something had to be done!

My 1st shot at semi permanent make up was with my wig company Hudsons in Manchester. The lady who provided the service also worked with the wigs too so basically she did not do it that often so was a bit unpractised. She was very neat but it look ages while she tattooed each individual hair into my skin... Yes OUCH! 2nd time I found a salon where she was a bit more use to doing it but I had to travel quite far to go and see her. At the time I was using the company Razzar and thought that they were the only people who did semi permanent make up who I could trust. When you have tattoos done on your face you don’t want to take the risk. I went there for a few years and in that time Semi Permanent make up really took off... The good news is now you can get it done in loads of place!. ‘Micro Pigmentation’ is fast becoming the must have treatment for the Millenium, not just for people with Alopecia, it can also be used to camouflage scars and also everyday women like to have make up when they wake up to defining brows eyes and lips.

As the service was now far more popular I thought there must be somewhere closer to have this done.... So I did a bit of research and found a lady called Gail Proudman. Turns out that she travels around the country teaching people how to do semi permanent make-up so that they can perform this beauty treatment in their own salons. Gail was doing semi permanent make-up day so I thought she must be good! My experience of her was that she was so lovely, fast, painless (helped by the anaesthetic!) and provided fantastic results.

Www.spmubygail.co.uk

As eyebrows are suppose to have a natural hairy look about them Gail would just quickly tattoo lots of little hairs that gave them such a realistic effect.
As my trust in Gail was sky high I decided to go for it with the tattoo eyeliner. This really was the bain of my life putting on eyeliner every morning still and I really felt I looked awful with out that definition around my eyes. I had poked my self in the eye one too many times so I went for it! I was really scared and I thought that it was going to be the most painful thing ever but it was not too bad! She had a great technique of pulling my eye really tight while I held my eyes closed. She also uses anaesthetics here too which really numb the eye lid and help with any discomfort. I wont lie to you... I really did look like I had been crying for hours afterwards... My lids really swelled up but oh my god it is totally worth it! I love my eyeliner its amazing. I think that if my hair grew back I would still have it done as it just look fantastic and you don’t need to waste you time in the morning with make up. I tend to add a little bit more eyeliner to my eyes for a more dramatic effect and after a few 6 months I use a bit of eye pencil too as it starts to fade a little. I think a top up once every 9months to a year is probably what you need.

The procedure can be expensive... Eyebrow are about £300 and the eyeliner is about £250. Gail will give you a discount thought if you go keep going back to her though which is really helpful.

Hopefully this will really help some of you out!

Alopecia Beauty Tips Top Ten

2009-10-01T21:16:00.001+01:00

Ever since my article came out in the Daily Mail/Marie Clare last month and my apearance on GMTV with Lorraine Kelly i have had such a fantastic response from hundreds of women. I just wanted let you know how amazed i was at the number of women out there with Alopecia. Lorraine Kelly said that 1 millon women in the country are effected by Alopecia at some stage in their lives but i think that this could easily be more! I use to think that very few women had Alopecia but it turns out that i was very wrong.

Many of the women who have contacted me are amazing, they have found their own way of coping with alopecia and they have not let it take over their lives in a negative way at all!
Years ago the thought of going to an Alopecia awareness evening to chat to other women about alopecia was not something i would have wanted to do as i thought it would be lots of women being depressed about having alopecia. As i just wanted to get on with my live it was not somewhere i could imagaine my self going... but turns out i was very wrong again, these evenings were probably full of women who are positive and wanted to help other women who were recently suffering with the effects of alopecia.

I think that eventually we all find our own way of coping, but the people that i would like to help are the women who are new to our alopecia club and don't know where to turn or the 1st thing about wigs. Many of the women who have contacted me say they wish they had my website to turn to when they found out they had alopecia. My site is purly base on what i would have loved as a 15 year old girl as i was when Alopecia really started to play a big part in my life. Of course the website is for everyone but my experience has played a huge part in how i put it together.

I have responded to every single e-mail with as much infomation that i can think of but often i am asked the same questions so i am going to give you my top 5 answers to your most popular questions in all the e-mails that i have been sent....

Where did i get my wig from???

Oh wigs, wigs, wigs, they can be your bestfriend or worst enemy! haha. I've had 13 years experimenting with wigs so I think I've got quite a good eye at knowing what looks like a wig and how to make something unnatural look natural, I prefer that hint of 'bed-hair'.

Isn't it frustrating how much wigs costs? and that the nhs will only provide synthetic wigs. I find that for human hair wigs www.wigsworld.co.uk are very good because they are all handtied so I don't have to worry about hair moving a little to expose my scalp which can happen in left-weft/machine made wigs. HOWEVER because their prices have almost doubled you can get the same synthetic wigs at www.contrastwigs.co.uk for under less than half the price! I also go on ebay but I'm dubious about the quality, but you can find some bargins.

The wigs i use on a daily basis really do cost so much.. My most recent purchase has been just over £2000 and what is worse is that it arrived and I was not happy with it so it has gone back to be re-made. I ordered it this time last year and I still don’t have it. Such a waiting game for a custom made wig but hopefully it will be worth it. I have bought this wig from Nu Hair Technology as they have a slightly different method than the wigs that I usually buy from Trendco. I normally buy the custom made ultra lights. They cost just under £2000 but this would be less if i got shorter hair. Also look out for autum sales... my wig salon Husons in manchester offer a buy one get one free every year! My wigs last a few years but every 6 months I send them in to have maintenance done on them... have more hair added and died as the colour will have lightened from the sunlight. I live in Manchester and because of my postcode I am not entitled to a real hair wig! If I lived 5 miles down the road I would but I like where I live. What to do!? I have a different wig for the gym and holidays too as bad to do all the straightening and washing too often... I try to just wash my hair main hair once a week to extend the life and I never sleep in them. Dry shampoo in a can is great for just improving the fringe and just giving you one more wear out of it.

As I said the 1st wig I had was really awful and put me off synthetic wigs for many years and I thought that the only option for me was to spend large amount of money on my wigs... I have recently found out that this is not the case and in fact some synthetic wigs are really fantastic. Especially for holidays as they just dry in the style that they are made into. It was a life saver on my month long honeymoon where were travelled around the world. My real hair custom made wigs require all the faff of styling and drying them. When I was younger and had more time as a single lady I would be happy to spend the evening beautifying myself but now as a married lady with a husband and a dog to run around after I have less time for myself, so these wigs are very appealing!

Now that Trevor Sorbie is training hairdressers to style wigs you will be able to get that really tailored look from a much cheaper synthetic off the peg wig. Please see my article in Marie Claire ... I went to the Trevor Sorbie salon in London and he cut a cute little bob for me out of an off the peg synthetic wig and it looked fantastic! I am more use to the customised fit of an ultra light type of wig but it was still so much fun trying lots of different styles on. I had a ball! The article is about how Trevor Sorbie offers this service to women who wear wigs. I will keep you up dated as to what Trevor is doing and you can see for yourselfs by looking at www.mynewhair.org

The next wig on my shopping list is the vital wig by Trendco

Vital Hair is the latest addition to our custom made range and is the new generation of hair. Vital stands for Vitality, Innovation, Touch & Feel, Accuracy, and Longevity. It is a revolutionary product which looks feels and behaves just like real hair with all the benefits of artificial hair. Like real hair with Vital Hair you can swim, shower and sauna, wash, blow dry and heat style. Unlike real hair Vital Hair is durable, soft, colour constant and easy to care for, its stronger, lighter and more heat resistant than real hair. The unique quality of Vital Hair is that once you have created the hair-style you want it will stay that way no matter how many times you wash it! As with all our custom made pieces Vital Hair is specially designed just for you.

This sounds too good to be true but will let you know when or if i buy it.

Right that is all i can think of about wigs at the moment... The next blog will be about eyelashes!
Will post this tomorrow though as i need to go to sleep.
Aimee xxx

Wigs Wigs and more Wigs

2009-10-01T17:22:00.000+01:00

I just found this really great article by Trevor Sorbie and thought i would share with you. You can never know too much about wigs i say! :o) I spoke about Trevor Sorbie when i was on GMTV so please do look up what he is doing. www.mynewhair.org. You can find loads of other useful links on my website www.alopeciabeautytips.com.

Need advice on getting the perfect wig? Get Trevor Sorbie's top advice and information here

About wigs

The single most important thing about making a wig look real is to ensure that the wig is customised to suit your face shape- in my experience you don't need to have a real hair wig to make it look real.

It's about getting the right advice and having the wig cut and shaped to suit your face. Also you don't need to pay a fortune. Most wig suppliers can fit and customise a wig from around £70.00. As I write these words technology is advancing and the quality and variety of wigs that are available increases all the time.

If you just walk into a wig shop and try on a wig it will normally not suit you immediately. This is because colour choice, customising of the wig, and correct product usage are essential for the most effective finished result.

There are many different types of wig but here is a brief explanation of what is most commonly available.

Synthetic hair wigs

Synthetic hair wigs are made from a fibre - much like clothing fabric. But believe me once the wig has been customised and styling product added it looks incredibly real, and is, in fact, my favourite choice. Synthetic wigs are easy to take care of and you can wash the wig in warm water - condition it (using a fabric conditioner) and then as it dries it will re form its shape - this makes it very easy to take care of especially if you are feeling unwell.
Real hair wigs

These are made from 100% human hair - generally speaking this hair comes from Asian countries where it is accepted practice for women to sell their hair. This hair is then cleansed, chemically treated, coloured and made into a wig. You need to take good care of a real hair wig and remember that just like real hair; it has to be blow-dried into style after each shampoo. A real hair wig is more expensive then a synthetic hair wig and requires more care.
Made-to-measure

I don't recommend this service as a made-to-measure wig can take up to two months to make and will normally not be ready before your treatment begins. Made-to-measure wigs are normally worn by people who suffer from "alopecia" which is permanent hair loss.
Customise or ready-to-wear

It really comes down to availability and suitability. You can buy some wigs that you can wear immediately but, in my experience, most wigs look more life-like when they have been trimmed to suit your face shape. Many wigs have over 40% too much hair in them and need to be thinned down to look more natural. Also, just as when cutting real hair, a wig should be customised to the individual. For example, layering around the face, or cutting a fringe - it really does make a big difference and with a wig the this is what makes it look real.

Products and care

It is extremely important to take good care of your wig. To wash and clean regularly and to understand what type of products you can and can't use.

For example, a synthetic wig is not real hair so you can't use tongs or straightening irons on these as they may melt the hair! However, you can use hair serum to make the wig shiner and more life-like. Generally speaking each wig will come with a care and advice label to tell you how to maintain the condition.

Trevor Sorbies - Wig head check list

Before looking through this check list I really recommend that you have spoken to your Consultant and know what is available to you from the NHS.

Locate a local salon or wig suppliers that can offer you advice
Think about what type of style you would like - just like a normal visit to the salon, take some pictures from magazines and think about what style you would like - have fun here, it's a chance to change your looks if you wish
If you have already lost your hair then take along a picture of how your natural hair used to look
Decide whether you want a real hair or synthetic wig
Ensure that you have spoken to your Consultant to see if you are eligible for an NHS prescription towards your wig. When contacting your wig supplier ensure that they can process this for you and that they are able to explain how the process works
If you are buying a wig for medical reasons and are not using a NHS prescription then you can claim back the VAT. Ask your wig supplier for a VAT exemption form
Prior to your treatment I recommend that you have your own hair cut into a shorter style so that if you do lose your hair it is not such a shock.
Call around to local salons and wig suppliers - ask if you can talk to someone on the phone or go in and have a consultation
Make sure that you budget for your wig and know all of the expenses involved.

GMTV with Lorraine Kelly - Bad Hair Day!

2009-09-29T15:28:00.000+01:00

If you had told me just over 24 hours ago that this morning i would be sat on the GMTV sofa with Lorraine Kelly i would not have believed you. At about 10 am yesterday morning i got a phone call asking me to come on the show to raise awareness for Alopecia. To say that i was excited would be an understatement! The show would be talking about Bad Hair Day....

Bad Hair Day urges the UK to be brave for one day of the year, September 29th, and go out into the world with Bad Hair in an effort to raise awareness for Alopecia.

Bad Hair Day is the first national day of awareness for the condition Alopecia.

Taking place during Alopecia Awareness Month, September 29th will
see thousands of people in the UK forget their daily routine of styling
their hair in the morning and go out into the world with Bad Hair.

How we as human beings wear our hair is representative of our
individuality, our personality, and ultimately our identity. How would
you feel if that was taken away from you?

By participating in a Bad Hair Day, you are helping to raise awareness
for Alopecia - thinking about those who do not have the option to
style their hair in the morning, those of us who the term 'bad hair day'
means something a lot more personal and emotional.

So, put down the hairbrush, walk away from the wax, and drop those
GHD's for BHD 2009 - do you dare to have bad hair?

I got the train to London that afternoon and was put up in a lovely hotel and even had a driver waiting for me at the train station! So far GMTV were making me feel very special.

Everyone kept asking me if i was nervous but i was more worried about what i was going to wear in front of millions of viewers... I could talk about Alopecia for hours and hours as i feel i have such a lot to say. I have been working on my Alopecia Beauty Tips website for over 6 months and its a subject that i am hugely passionate about and i knew i would not be short of a few things to say! However i was nervous as i felt a great sense of responsibility to do all the millions of people who have alopecia proud of what i said on the show and proud of what i brought to Alopecia Awareness and Bad Hair Day.

Lorraine says to me "you don't usually let people see you without your wig do you?" I said "No, I am not ashamed of Alopecia but i prefer to wear a wig as i don't want Alopecia to define who i am, but as today is Bad Hair Day i want to show the world the real me and help bring positive awareness to help other young women like me". While saying this i took off my wig in front of the cameras! Everyone was very excited and said how beautiful i was with and without my wig. It was a very invigorating moment!

Wig Worries

2009-09-25T12:38:00.000+01:00

Over the years i have been able to cope with lots of wig associated problems... Roller Coster rides, big gusts of wind, driving along in a convertible car... The answer to these problems has been wig tape! I have gone through rolls and rolls of the stuff over the years as i never ever wanted to have an embarrassing moment of chasing after my wig down the street! I read a story about that happening to one women and i vowed right then and there, that second ,that it would never ever happen to me. So far so good!

Other wig related problems that i have come across are oh god the telling people that you wear a wig... Even if i am fine with the situation it is very difficult just saying one day to a friend who you have had a few hair related conversations with that you quickly change the subject on! By the way i wear a wig cause i have alopecia. Not the easiest thing to drop into conversation. Sometimes i wish i just said right from the beginning. The longer you go on the harder it is to tell someone. Its a tricky one. My way was going on a national newspaper... now everyone knows for now and it feels great. But in life i am always going to be faced with when to tell new friends that i make. The issue that i have is that because i wear such a fantastic wig, people would never know so that choice of telling people is up to you. The most worrying person off all to tell is a love interest! You think they are just going to get up and run away from you but i can honestly say that the reaction from guys has always been great. People always think of the worst that could happen in these situations but the most likely situation is that they will just admire you for this hard thing you have had to go through. But also chose to tell people after a few dates first! :o)

The other wig problems i have had over the years is going on a beach holiday or even just a city break holiday! At home i have my getting ready routine down to a fine art but taking that routine to a hotel room can sometimes be a right pain. That matched with a sandy beach and sizzling temperatures can be a bit daunting. You don't want to spend half your holiday in the hotel room getting ready either... enjoy yourself! Have a week or two off from the beauty routine. So you have a few options. You are in a foreign country no-one knows you. You could a. get your head out in the sun and be free of your wig. or b. ( this is my option cause i prefer to wear a wig) Get yourself some holiday hair! Leave your expensive hair real hair wig at home and get yourself an off the peg synthetic wig that when you wash it remembers the style. It dries in minutes! I go for the really short Posh Becks doo, get myself some big stylish sunglasses and that is all you need. I keep a can of cooling spray in my hand bag that i can spray on my head if needed (Magicool is a really good make that you can pick up from Boots). Also to make life even easier i have semi permanent make up for my eyebrows and eyeliner. This is great for saving so much time for holidays and everyday life!

For years i have messed about with taking my real hair wigs on holiday and wasted so much time and been so unhappy with how i looked. Now i just pop on my fab little bob hair style and i am out the door! Now i get ready faster than my Husband :o)

Lulu O'Hagan

2009-09-14T20:17:00.000+01:00

Just wanted to make sure you all checked out if you have not seen already Lulu O'Hagen's article in the Times. Lulu has Alopecia too and her story is fantastic. It is written like lots of diary entry's over the time her hair fell out. It brought back a lot of memories for me. My hair fell out such a long time ago that I sometimes find it hard to tell people about it cause I can’t remember!? Crazy as it sounds now. She is also in Top Sante magazine this month. Good to see another women with Alopecia speaking out!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6632321.ece
She has some great tips on for any woman with Alopecia...

DO

1. Try to keep the panic to a minimum - I would never say don't panic as it is impossible !
2. Book in with your doctors, so that they see the start of it.
3. Have all the relevant blood test checks. B12, Ferritin (stored iron), perimenopausal (if you are that kind of age), Thyroid.
4. Ask for a referral to a dermatologist - they also cover hair loss. They can usually give you an NHS presciption for wigs.
5. Go and see a Trichologist too - if you can afford it.
6. Allow yourself to grieve the loss of your hair even though it may come back.
7. Remember you are still you, on the planet, alive, even without hair.
8. Make sure you try NHS wig suggestions first - they are much better than you would think. They are sold in various shops. Mine was from a shop in Notting Hill, London, where Lily Allen gets hers! They last for around 3 months so give you time to breathe and think about other options.
9. If you choose real hair wigs - for long hair especially don't use Indian hair - they mat dreadfully, go for European/ American/ Chinese hair.
10. Always ask the salon what kind of hair they use!!

DON'T

1. Turn into a panic-stricken headless chicken like I did!
2. Spend a fortune on supplements at the health shop.
3. Go to the first wig-making salon that look like they can help. Deep breaths and research first.
4. Feel guilty that you are so upset without being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer patients have written to me that facing losing their hair was almost worse than facing losing a breast. Each person is entitled to deal with such a shock in their own way.
5. Get too annoyed with people who say "wish I could just take off my hair and wash it", think of all the hairdressing bills you are saving" etc, etc. they are just trying to be positive / helpful!"

Eye Lashes

2009-09-13T20:25:00.000+01:00

Hello out there again. Just want to thank everyone for the continued support and for all the amazingly kind messages! I am so pleased that AOL posted my story on their website for even more of you to see.

I just recieved a fantastic offer from the bald girls do lunch! http://www.baldgirlsdolunch.org/ They are a fabulous bunch of women who have alopecia and encourage other women with alopecia to meet up and talk to each other. I have watched a few interviews with them and they are great fun.

Anyhow on to the offer that they told me about....

If you buy from falseeyelashesstore.com and use code BGDL at checkout they will give 15% off their already amazing prices. We're delighted to have this online store as one of our supporters because we really like their products and that they are an exceptional value. Some companies like to put the words :" for alopecia" in their marketing materials and charge three times the normal price. So we like to look for companies that are more fair and respectful.

I used to wear false eyelashes every day! I got such a good knack that i could put them on in seconds... i found the best eyelash glue that made them stay on all day and tried loads of different eye lashes and found some nice natural ones. The ones i wore were just some that i picked up from the local chemist. They would last me about a week. Blinkies also make some good eyelashes http://www.blinkiesonline.com/ . Some lashes can be a bit too much for eveyday so you just have to try a few different and see what works for you. Eyelashes can help to really transform the way that you look. So its fun to give them a go. see my free video clip

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAL7GkBrduE

After a few years of wearing them everyday i just got fed up to be honest with you :o) and i started to be a bit lazy and not bother unless i was going out. I find that using a nice eyeliner is just as effective and much more comfortable. I get a little pot of eyeliner from http://www.bobbibrown.com and apply the liner neatly to add definition to my eye. Also http://www.cheryn.com/ is also a great website for make up products for women with alopecia. Cheryn does a great little demonstration video and i also go into great detail on my DVD as to how i apply my eye make up. But it's down to you how you would like to apply your own make up. It just takes lots of practice! Good luck and let me know if you need any further infomation.

Aimee xxx

A week after the Daily Mail Article

2009-09-06T18:28:00.000+01:00

So it has been about a week since my article in the Daily Mail came out... It has been rather busy!

My husband was driving me to work that morning and we popped into the shop to see if the article was in the Daily Mail... All I knew was that is was going to be in on a Tuesday. The Tuesday before was a no show so i was half expecting it not to be there until i saw my great big picture looking at me! Wow to say i was nervous going into work was an understatement. I sloped in and sat down thinking OMG everyone knows this big secret that i have been trying to cover up all this time and that feeling was extraordinary... It was actually quite envigorating! Throughout the day i was getting little messages from work collegues saying how amazing i was and brave. I felt much better and really felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

That evening i got home and opened up my e-mail and wow what a response! I had litiraly hundreds of supportive messages and instantly i knew that i had done the right thing. Messages from fellow women with Alopecia who had similar stories to me and people just offering their support, Radio show broadcasters inviting me on to their shows for a chat and even GMTV had been in touch! Earlier that day i felt a little exposed as all my work collegues knew this very intimate detail about me... i had no hair all over my body! But all those feelings had disapeared the minute my inbox went ping ping ping ping ping!!!

First of all i was called up by Talk Radio Europe
www.talkradioeurope.com Spain´s largest English speaking radio network, broadcasting to approx a million listeners. They rang me while i was in work and i ran outsite to talk... I work right next door to Manchester Airport and while i was talking on the radio planes kept flying over heat! What a nightmare.
Then i was talking to BBC Radio Leeds who rang me at about 10pm... this was much more relaxed as i was in my own home and could hear myself think!
Then i went into the BBC Studio in Manchester and was interviewed there by Heather Stott.... You can listen to this here...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0046t48/Heather_Stott_04_09_2009/
I am on about half way through the show after Abba... It was so exciting being in the actual studio and Heather was great fun and so easy to talk to.
Hopefully i will be going on GMTV in the next few weeks and i am keeping everything crossed as i really feel like i am on a role now and i really dont want this awarness that i am creating to die down!

The next exciting part of the week was when the Marie Claire Article i was in came out. This came out on Thursday i think... well thats when i found it in my local Sainsburys! About 2 months before i had applied to an advert for a women with Alopecia to have a wig cut by none other than theeeee Trevor Sorbie! A Marie Claire jounalist and a photographer would be there to document all the on goings in the salon... They phoned me up and actually picked me! It was very exciting and i could not believe i was going to be in Marie Claire raising awareness for Alopecia.

I am guessing that next week I will not have quite such a high profile but the most important thing about the article is that i have got in touch with so many women with Alopecia! It has given me even more drive than i have ever had before to help and chat to you all about Alopecia Beauty Tips. What i would love is if we all get our tips together and put them all on this Blog!? As much as i have quite a few tricks up my sleeve i am sure you all have your own way of coping with Alopecia as much as i have.

Daily Mail

2009-09-01T22:23:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone!

You are probably reading this Blog of mine because you will have just read the article that was written about me in the Daily Mail today. I thought you might like to hear the story of how I ended up there!

I have had Alopecia since i was 12 years old and all the advise that i was ever offered on Alopecia was all doom and gloom! Soooo depressing. Over the years i have come to terms with Alopecia and got rather good at looking good with Alopecia. My Husband who is a huge inspiration to me and who constantly tells me how great i look suggested that i start a website giving other women with Alopecia tips on how i look good with Alopecia. Tips on wigs, make up and just general tips on life with Alopecia.

That was all about 6 months ago and in that time i have put together a great website with my Husbands help and filmed myself, with just little old me talking to the camera and revealing all my tips! It was a big job all by myself with all the editing it needed... lets just say i was not a natural to begin with! :o) But i got there in the end with a DVD that i am very proud of.

After i finished my Website and DVD my then boyfriend asked me to marry him and i started to plan my wedding! I now have a zillion other tips about how to look great for your wedding day that you can use for your wedding or just when you want to really look your absolute best!

My Story ended up in the Daily Mail because my Sister, who works in PR, was talking to a Journalist who was looking for a really inspirational piece and my sister told her all about my story and how i was setting up my website. So here i am!

I really hope that i have brought some great, fresh new awareness to Alopecia!

Please keep a look out for my Blog updates as i am sure that now this article is out i will be creating a lot more awareness.

Things i will be letting you know more about are...

My GMTV appearance
Being interview for Marie Clarie
Meeting Celebrity Hairdresser Trevor Sorbie and how he has given me an amazing hair cut from an inexpensive off the peg wig.
Being interviewed for BBC radio stations

Let me know if there is anything that you would like me to write about... I have had loads of questions about my wigs and i will go through in detail about the best wigs to buy whether you can spend £100 or £1000!

Will update again soon.

Aimee xx