Women who develop the hair loss disease alopecia often experience feelings of isolation and depression, often because their perception of themselves and their relationship with the world has changed. Along with a drop in self-esteem and confidence, these feelings can also stem from the misconception that no one else understands what they are going through; that they are alone with their female hair loss condition.

As an alopecia sufferer, you must know that you are absolutely not alone. Approximately 1.7 per cent of this country’s population has alopecia or has experienced it in the past, with both men and women being equally affected. The condition has also affected around 4.7 million people in the United States, along with millions more in the rest of the world.

These people will doubtless be experiencing the same kinds of feelings as you. By reaching out to others with alopecia via the Internet or local support groups, you can share these feelings and start to process what is happening to you. Just talking to someone else with the condition can help to alleviate worry and depression and banish negative thoughts. Together, you can support each other through to the day when your hair may grow back again.

In the same way that the cause of hair loss varies from person to person, the management of the condition is a personal decision. It’s all up to you – everything from how the condition will be treated, who you tell about it and whether or not you want to cover your hair loss.

Some people choose to disguise patchy hair loss or total baldness with bandannas, headscarves, hats and human hair wigs. This last option, in particular, is effective at restoring some sense of ‘normalcy’ to your day-to-day life.

However, others feel that by hiding or disguising your hair loss, you are in some way ashamed of it or apologising for it. These people prefer to be bald and proud when they face the world, letting their inner beauty shine through.

There is no right or wrong way to deal with female hair loss, so you shouldn’t feel in any way judged for covering or not covering your head. You are the one going through this often debilitating and overwhelming experience, so you should be the one to make all the decisions. You need to find your own style and your own method of coping, choosing something that makes you feel both comfortable and self-confident.

The most obvious symptom of any hair loss condition is, of course, the loss of hair. However, there are many different types of female hair loss condition, so you may need to look out for other symptoms in order to accurately pinpoint which one you have.

The most important thing to do if you suspect that you have a hair loss condition is to visit your GP and get a formal diagnosis. To make sure your diagnosis is as accurate as possible – some hair loss conditions present similar symptoms – you may need to look out for the following symptoms and tell your doctor.

Alopecia symptoms

Look out for:

• Round, coin-shaped bald patches on the scalp or any other part of the body
• A tingling or slightly painful sensation in the areas where hair has fallen out
• Hairs that have thinned towards the scalp, often called ‘exclamation point’ hairs
• Hair that pulls out easily near bald patches
• Pitting in your nails

Report any of these symptoms to your doctor, who may then refer you to a hair loss specialist or a clinic specialising in hair replacement or treatment.

Hair loss is a condition that affects your appearance, which in turn affects how you feel about yourself and your relationship with the world. Hair loss in women is often the hardest to bear, as society’s perceptions of beauty and youth are often linked to the healthy, lustrous-looking hair that we see on TV shampoo advertisements.

Whilst the damaging effect of hair loss on self-esteem is to be expected in many cases, those with a hair loss condition cannot allow themselves to be overwhelmed with negative thoughts and feelings. The most common kinds of negative thoughts had by women with hair loss include:

• “I’m not attractive anymore because I don’t have hair”
• “I will never be in a relationship because of my hair loss condition”
• “People are laughing and staring at me”

These thoughts are unlikely to be accurate, but by repeating them to yourself you will start to believe them and subsequently feel worse about yourself. You need to force yourself to try some positive thinking, challenging and dismissing each negative thought and replacing it with one that will help to boost your self-confidence.

If you need reassurance that your fears are unfounded, take a look at famous alopecia sufferer Gail Porter and her inspirational outlook on life. Her recent naked photo shoot confirms that she is definitely still attractive, she has a loving boyfriend and daughter and she has had nothing but support from fans and well-wishers.

How you cope with your hair loss condition is a very personal decision, all depending on what makes you feel the most comfortable and self-confident. Some people choose to cover their head, whilst others shave off their remaining hair and head out in public with a completely bald head.

If you are worried about your hair loss being noticeable and attracting unwelcome attention, you can wear a human hair wig or see a specialist about Medi Connections hair extensions or another hair replacement method.

On the other hand, if you have decided to embrace your hair loss without attempting to disguise it, you will need to know how to deal with the attention you may receive. There seems to be a stigma surrounding female hair loss, so you might encounter people staring and whispering.

Rather than being hurt or offended by these hurtful and insensitive actions, you can take positive steps to diffuse the situation. Try:

• Explaining your condition briefly when you meet new people, bringing the subject up first to alleviate any awkwardness
• Politely asking people not to stare
• Being assertive rather than aggressive, defensive or confrontational

Unlike other types of hair loss condition, particularly ones that are hereditary, traction alopecia can affect anyone. It is caused by excessive strain or tension being inflicted on the scalp over a long period of time.

Traction alopecia is a gradual hair loss condition, where the hair starts to thin, recede or fall out in response to a continual pulling force applied to the hair. Therefore, it mainly affects people who opt to wear their hair in styles which put excessive tension on the scalp. This means that you could be at risk if you regularly wear:

• Tight ponytails or pigtails
• Braids
• Hair extensions
• Weaves

Hair weaves

Hair weaves present the biggest risk of the wearer developing traction alopecia, especially as the style is becoming more and more popular. The tight braiding and close-fitting hairpieces involved in getting and maintaining a weave can cause the hair to thin and even fall out. Ironically, weaves are often worn to cover existing hair loss.

A number of models and actors regularly wear hair weaves, as well as sporting all kinds of different hair styles, as part of their jobs, which makes the chance that they may suffer from traction alopecia all the more likely.