Men and hair loss

Are they all as obsessed as Kevin Costner?

Most men realise the day will come when they will start to lose their hair and, most likely, go bald. Nevertheless, the inevitable is not necessarily something they can deal with and there is much speculation about how some celebrities disguise their thinning hair. Kevin Costner appears to be the latest star to be fixated on his hair loss. Reportedly, the 59-year-old is obsessively checking footage of his latest film,Draft Day, for any signs of bald spots.

Simone Thomas, who runs Hair Loss Bournemouth, understands something of his dilemma as she previously worked in TV, film and magazine modelling and lost her hair twice before the age of 30.

"There may not appear to be a direct parallel between a woman going bald and an international celebrity starting to lose his hair but, having become a specialist in bespoke hair systems as a direct result of my own experience, I find that men have no problems talking to me about their concerns," says Simone, now 32. "When someone is in the public eye it is important that they retain their self confidence, and losing one's looks - however it is happening - is not conducive to being self-assured."

One of Simone's clients who knows exactly how it feels to worry about being self-conscious in front of an audience is Dorset-based singer, Lee Lambeck. One half of the duo You & Me Both , 35 year-old Lee lost his hair to alopecia and sought help from Hair Loss Bournemouth.

Having talked Lee through his concerns, Simone and her staff devised a customised wig for him. It looks totally natural, can be washed like a normal head of hair and will last two to three years. Lee is thrilled with the result. "I've been asking friends and family: So what do you think of my wig? And they all say: ‘What, you have a wig?.....Where.....?' That's the result I wanted! BIG Thanks to Simone Thomas and Lisa at Hair Loss Bournemouth," he says.

 At times, however, Lee is able to be "Bald and Proud," as he puts it. "I think Lee has a very balanced attitude towards his hair loss," comments Simone. "It takes a lot of courage to be on stage with no hair but if some of his fans get to understand what it means to have alopecia, then Lee is helping with the spread of knowledge about this condition."

Recently, Simone commissioned research into hair loss in women. It revealed that over 1 in 10 women in Britain have suffered from hair loss and more than 1 in 5 worry constantly about losing their locks. "The statistics also highlight the fact that nearly a quarter of all British women worry about thinning hair and over a third of those aged 16 to 24 are concerned about losing their crowning glories," Simone explains.

"When I lost my own hair - to cancer and also alopecia - I became aware that thinning hair, hair loss and balding are big issues for huge numbers of people. Hair loss can seriously undermine one's ability to enjoy a social life, pursue a career path or maintain a relationship. Having opened Hair Loss Bournemouth I am able to help people to get their lives back together. I can't think of a more rewarding way to run a business," she says.

Simone integrated Hair Loss Bournemouth with her salon in Westbourne called MWAH Bournemouth - Makeup, Wigs & Hair. Together, they provide professional makeup services, hair extensions and hair loss systems to clients all over the UK and Europe. Simone sources the best-available products and techniques and as a result, her clientele includes celebrities, TV companies, photographers and agents.

A new website -www.hairlossbournemouth.co.uk - details all the services and advice available from Simone and her team.

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Further information fromwww.hairlossbournemouth.co.ukor email:mwahbournemouth@gmail.comor tel: 01202 760 003.

Press information and images from: Jane Adkins, Tel 01935 813114 or email:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

March 2014 (MWAH 09)