Alopecia: Devon influncer wants to "empower" others after her hair fell out at 16 years old

An influencer and wig designer is inspiring women to talk about hair loss - after her own alopecia began at just 16.

Stephanie Barber, 31, says she wants others to be "empowered" after being "embarrassed" as a younger woman. Her hair problems began in her teens and, by her early 20s, her hair was falling out in clumps.

Fearing a terminal condition, Stephanie, from Totnes, Devon, went to see a doctor. There she was told she had non-scarring alopecia, before being told years later it was actually alopecia areata - and since then has made it her mission to remove the stigma.

Stephanie now designs wigs for all sort of people including fellow alopecia sufferers, those transitioning genders and celebrities.

She said: "I want to help women feel empowered - your hair does not define you. You’re still beautiful. When I put up the first post of me with no hair, I was so scared of people's reactions.

"But it was incredible and everyone was so supportive. Some women reached out to me and said because of my posts it helped them with their confidence and acceptance.

"Some were very difficult to read - they would say that seeing my posts had stopped them from killing themselves. I realised it was something much bigger than me, it made me want to post more about hair loss awareness."

Stephanie says she first started to notice her hair was getting thinner in 2008 following her GCSEs, after her father sadly passed away from a terminal illness. In non-scarring alopecia, there is the potential for hair regrowth with treatment.

She began regularly posting on Instagram about the condition and built up a community of other women experiencing hair loss. In her late 20s, Stephanie returned to the doctors for an updated diagnosis via a dermatologist and was finally diagnosed with alopecia areata – an autoimmune condition which attacks the hair follicles.

Stephanie decided to start her own wig brand, Baldy Lox Boutique, in May 2022 – and it quickly took off thanks to her social media following. Now, she creates wigs for people with hair loss, but also for musicians, models, and people who want a fresh look for an event or photo shoot and has worked with the likes of Becky Hill, Big Brother’s AJ, and more.

"When I began to really see a huge difference in my hair was in my early 20s where my hair would come out in clumps,” said Stephanie. “I was pulling it all out - I was so horrified, the floor looked as if my hair had been cut, it was full of hair.

"I was so scared, and I just wanted the world to swallow me up, I was embarrassed - I didn’t know what alopecia was, I thought I had cancer. I was introduced to the world of wigs at 21 and I was so happy, there was a sense of hope and an alternative.

"Now not only am I catering for people with hair loss but also for people who have hair and want a protective style for a shoot, film or costume. I left my full-time job and took the big step, it was scary as hell, but I did it and ever since it’s been the best thing I've ever done."