'Hair loss slowly chipped away at my confidence'

A man who quietly hid his own hair loss for years is on a mission to encourage others experiencing the same to talk about it.

Russ Nicholson, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said when he began losing his hair in his 20s, it "slowly chipped away" at his confidence.

He has now launched Hats Off, Gloucestershire, a campaign encouraging men and women to share their experiences of hair loss.

Meanwhile, Robyn Law, organiser of yearly retreats in Glastonbury for bald women, said they have been a big hit, allowing women to "feel comfortable" and make friends who understand their experiences.

Nicholson said he was about 24 when his hair began to thin. He decided to shave it aged 27 after receiving some "banter at work".

"I hated it," he said. "It [my hair] was a real part of my identity and it slowly chipped away at my confidence.

"That was almost 20 years ago and the options that are available now were not available then."

Nicholson now works as a scalp micropigmentation specialist. Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure that uses tiny micro-needles to deposit pigment into the scalp, mimicking natural hair follicles to create an illusion of a fuller head of hair.

He said while losing your hair does not automatically mean people "become sad and depressed", a loss of confidence may prevent them from pursuing job promotions, meeting partners, and even going to the swimming pool.

Nicholson said early signs of hair loss can become apparent before 21, and the stress and therefore cortisol release that follows can accelerate it.

He is calling for workplaces and community groups to get behind his campaign, Hats Off Gloucestershire, and encourage those living with hair loss to check in on one another.

"Whoever you are, this conversation is for you; everyone's welcome, and no one has to figure it out on their own," he said.

NHS advice is that it is normal to lose hair and "no treatment is 100% effective".

However, if hair loss is causing someone distress, GPs could help with counselling.

Robyn Law said she "went running home from school, crying" when she lost a patch of hair from her head for the first time aged 15.

Now 36 and having tried various therapies and treatments, Law said she realised being comfortable in her own skin was "the only cure".

After seeing other empowered women living with alopecia on her social media feed during lockdown, Law began fostering her own community of bald women and now organises The Baldy Retreat in Glastonbury, Somerset.

Law, who is from North London, said: "I wanted there to just be a space where women can go and feel comfortable with other bald women who just understand.

"You don't necessarily have to talk about alopecia, but you just go there and you instantly know that you've got something in common."

Law said the best feedback possible was seeing how much women who had gone to the first retreat had changed by the time the second year rolled around.

"It's all about wellness, it's all about having fun and there's not necessarily an agenda to push a charity or push something else," she said.

"It's purely women coming together to just be with each other and make new friends and make new memories."

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