Gail Porter has been praised by alopecia campaigners after she posed for a photoshoot wearing a wig for the first time this week. The Scottish TV presenter, who has been bald since losing her hair in 2005, said she loves being bald but the wig gives her the chance to do different things.
Sue Schilling, chief executive of Alopecia UK, who has the condition herself, said it is key to give people the freedom to explore options. 'There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia, the whole point is to have a choice,' she said, adding that hair loss is far from just a cosmetic issue and can be traumatic.
Lillie Goldie, 19, a dancer from east London, lost all the hair on top of her head just before her 18th birthday. She considered dropping out of performing arts college but later got a mesh integration hairpiece. A video of her getting it went viral, and she now shares her experience on TikTok to help others.
Laura Mathias, 32, a campaigner from Suffolk, said Gail Porter is a role model. Laura lost her hair at 13 and wore wigs for 17 years, but during the pandemic she embraced her baldness. 'I was putting other people's social comfort above my own physical discomfort,' she said, stressing that wearing wigs is a personal choice.
