Hairdresser with alopecia proudy shows off her bald head

A hairdresser who began losing her hair when she fell pregnant has been dubbed an inspiration after sharing her battle with alopecia on social media.

Victoria Morgan, 41, from Burntwood, always took pride in her long black locks, and started practicing hairdressing from the age of 13 – a job she loved. 

However, everything began to change when she fell pregnant with her daughter Valentina-Rose, now two, in July of 2018.

Victoria attended a scan six months into her pregnancy and absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her hair whilst sitting in the waiting room. Having grown up with such long hair, Victoria was used to some hair loss, but she noticed the clumps were larger than usual. 

For a while, Victoria continued as normal, but soon began to notice more extreme hair loss in the shower and suspected she may be suffering from alopecia. 

By the end of her pregnancy in March 2019, Victoria struggled to hide her growing bald patches. However, just when she thought she’d hit rock bottom, the hair began to grow back.

For the next four months, Victoria’s locks were back to normal, but the shedding soon started once more and by May 2020, Victoria made the decision to shave her hair completely. 

She was diagnosed with alopecia areata which means her eyelashes and body hair fell out too.

The sudden change in appearance came as a shock. Victoria had lost her sense of identity and feeling like her life was over, she went to see her GP who put her on anti-depressants.

The tablets were very much a turning point and as time went on, Victoria gained the strength and confidence to accept and eventually celebrate her new look. 

Encouraged by her husband, Cameron, 39, Victoria began sharing her story on social media where she hopes to erase stigma around female baldness.

‘I’ve always had thick black hair and ironically, all I ever wanted to be was a hairdresser. I did this job between the ages of thirteen and thirty-six,’ Victoria said.

‘I was about six months pregnant when it all began. I was sat waiting to have a scan and I remember running my fingers through my hair and thinking that there was more hair than normal coming out.

‘I started to notice it when I was washing my hair too. I knew this wasn’t normal because in previous pregnancies, my hair loss had lessened.

‘Alopecia patches continued to develop throughout my pregnancy. By Christmas of 2019, I could barely hide it anymore but then it started to grow back in the new year.

‘I was left with around eight small bald patches, but I was so much happier.

‘By April of 2020, it was shedding again. I thought I was paranoid at first, but I wasn’t. Within a month, so much had fallen out that I decided to shave my head. It was a heart-breaking decision.

‘Most of my body hair came out too. That was something I didn’t mind as much – it has its benefits – but I struggled with losing my eyelashes. I’m not the best with strip lashes.

‘I didn’t cope well at all. It felt like a hole I couldn’t get out of. I hit rock bottom and cried myself to sleep.

‘One night, I lay there and felt like my life was over because I wasn’t me anymore. The next day, I booked to see my GP and I was put on anti-depressants.’

Soon after this, Victoria’s perspective on her new look began to change.

‘The tablets were my turning point,’ Victoria said.

‘They got me out of the hole and gave me the strength to try and accept what had happened. I had to create a new identity to feel comfortable in my own skin.

‘My husband encouraged me to start an Instagram page called @v.i.c.t.or.i.a.m.o.r.g.a.n. It was the right thing to do and it felt like therapy for me. I didn’t have to hide anymore.

‘I’ve had other people suffering with alopecia contact me and tell me I’m an inspiration and I give them strength which is very humbling.

‘I don’t care much for wearing wigs. I tried it for about a week, but I felt more self-conscious. Some people laugh when they see me bald but it only accounts for around one per cent of the people I encounter.

‘Your hair doesn’t define you or make you less of a woman. You need to find a way to take control of the situation and not let it control you anymore.’