Hi! I'm Gwen, I'm 15 and I've had alopecia areata since 2019. My hairloss is stress related but I try not to let it get me down! I often embrace my patches, spread awareness on my Instagram (@alopecia.gwen) and talk about alopecia; I'm a huge advocate for more patchy-haired representation as I feel like we're often overlooked in the alopecia community and when alopecia is represented in the media. Being on the youth voice board has given me so many opportunities already and I'm hoping for many more exciting things to come!

Hi, I’m Skye! I’m 16 and I’ve had alopecia for 5 years now. My alopecia started as a patch at the back of my head in 2017, progressing around the sides until it took all of my hair in 2018. I always wore wigs to school, believing it would be best if I covered up my alopecia. I only told my close friends and lived in fear of people finding out I was bald. That was until last September (2021) when I decided I didn’t want to wear a wig anymore. I made a small presentation to my class about my alopecia and I haven’t worn a wig since! Going to school without a wig is something I’m so proud of. I’m excited to be part of the Youth Voice Board for a second year and can’t wait to inspire more young people to be themselves! 

Hi! I’m Sylvia and I’m 19 years old. I’ve had alopecia areata for nearly 4 years now and I’ve been a part of the Alopecia UK youth voice board for a year. I experience hair loss mostly in the summer and winter every year. It’s been an amazing experience being a part of the youth voice board,  it helped me to be more comfortable with my alopecia and I’m so proud to be a part of it! I realised how much it helps talking to people who understand what you’re going through, as it can be tough if you feel like you’re alone with your struggles.

Hi! My name is Zainab and I am 16 years old. This is my second year in the Alopecia Youth Voice Board. I have had alopecia areata since 2018 (I was 11). Over the years, I have really struggled to accept it and adjust to a life with alopecia. Now that I am older, I still struggle and some days are harder than others, but knowing the Youth Voice Board is by my side makes me feel much better. Being in the YVB has made me more confident and I hope we help make many more young people and adults confident with themselves and their alopecia.

Hey, I’m Ella and I’m 15! My mum was the first person to discover my alopecia in March of 2020. She was drying my hair and noticed a small patch, about the size of a 5 pence piece. Throughout the first lockdown, multiple patches began to appear, and soon they started to merge. In August 2020, I decided to have a hair system fitted, where hair extensions were secured with copper nano-beads and attached to my remaining hair. Unfortunately, by November 2020, there wasn’t enough of my natural hair left to attach it to, and the hair system began to fall out. I purchased my first wig soon after. At the time of getting this wig, I had total hair loss on my head, with a few ‘sprouts’ of regrowth. I decided to get injections in my scalp at the hospital to boost the regrowth. This treatment worked very well for me, and there is regrowth everywhere that I got the injections. From the front, I appear to have a full head of hair. But I still have a patch at the back of my head that hasn’t been injected. For this reason, I still wear a wig in public. For the moment, I am comfortable wearing wigs to school and out of the house, as well as being happy and excited about my regrowth.

Hey, my name is Sarah and am 16 years old I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 12. I had a lot going on I was in year 8 second year of secondary and was finding it hard to fit in. When I found out what was going on I felt so many emotions it was hard the first couple of months. Looking back on my Journey I wouldn’t change anything that had happened to me.my hair has taught me to be strong understand that no one is perfect and to love myself. I’ve realised that there are people out there who care. Good things come to those who wait right? This year has been more than amazing from meeting someone who accepts me for who I am and overcoming barriers like not being able to leave the house without a hat. Now I am more then happy to do that. If you do end up reading this just know that your not alone and it’s ok to feel mad or upset but what’s not ok is to give up always try put yourself out there and don’t forget always be kind.

Hi, I'm Madison and I have had alopecia universalis since I was 7 ( I am now 17), so for 10 years I've been bald :) I used to have thick ginger hair 👩‍🦰. As I lost my hair at such a young age I was able to become more comfortable in my appearance and love my bald head. It was more the people around me like my close family who felt upset during the time because I was too young to care. Personally, I don't like to wear wigs all the time because they are itchy and I like to embrace my baldness but I do put one on from time to time just to experiment. As well as alopecia I suffer from eczema too, and that has been quite a struggle because it impacts my mental health. However, I am learning to accept myself for who I am and not judge myself as we should embrace our differences! 

Hi, I’m Jonathan. I have a brother called Henry and we live in Kent. I first started experiencing alopecia in 0ctober 2019 when I developed alopecia areata and it then developed into totalis. I like painting Warhammer, shooting air rifles and I also joined sea cadets around the same time my hair started falling out. I love to go to Alopecia UK events such as the Kingswood activity weekend and the annual Alton Towers Day. I have also been on the CBBC on the show ‘The Dengineers,’ which I have to say was pretty cool to say the least.