I was mowing the lawn when I noticed my finger was really itchy. I’d been bitten by some kind of insect. Later my hand swelled and I could feel tingling up and down my arm. My GP prescribed antibiotics. It was a serious reaction but we didn’t know what caused it.

A couple of weeks later, in June 2006, my hair started falling out. There were clumps in the plughole, scattered over my pillow and clogging up the vacuum – it fell out everywhere.

I told myself it would correct itself, hiding my hair loss from friends and family by using clip-in hair extensions.

My husband, Keith, tried to reassure me but my confidence suffered so much I even felt suicidal at times. Working as a hairdresser made me feel even more self-aware – nobody wants a balding stylist, do they? I remember getting ready for an engagement party, where my ‘before’ picture was taken, feeling so unattractive.

If you look closely you can see the clip-ins in my fringe and when people asked if I’d had my hair cut I was devastated. Eventually, I decided it was time to take action so I contacted trichologist Sally-Ann Tarver. I had lost 65 per cent of my long brunette hair and was feeling really depressed. Sally-Ann prescribed iron tablets and vitamin B and Lycopene supplements.

Kate Samuels, 43, Gloucestershire

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The Cotswold Trichology Centre,
4B Port St. Evesham,
Worcestershire
WR11 1AN

Telephone
01386 421703