A Borders teenager is looking forward to her school ball this winter after her dream of growing her hair back completely was funded by a crowdfunding donor.
Jenny Thomson, 16, from the village of Morebattle, near Kelso, started losing her hair when she was nine years old and has suffered from alopecia ever since.
She had tried various treatments with no lasting effects and didn’t think she could afford a technique called mesh integration, which costs £2,600.
Now, after setting up a GoFundMe appeal, nearly 300 donors have pledged more than double that amount to help her.
She is now making reservations for next week.
“I can’t believe what happened and how wonderful the people are,” she told BBC Scotland News.
“In seven years, I’ll be able to grow my hair again and go to the ball with my hair styled just like my friends.”
Jenny initially hoped to raise £800, but within days people from across the Kelso community and further afield had pledged over £6,000.
She explained how the treatment works. “It’s like a mesh material that fits over my head, and I take my natural hair and weave it into small pieces, add extensions to it, and stack it up to create a full head of hair.
“So by the end of next week, my hair will be fully grown and I’ll be back to my normal self.”
Although the mesh is a temporary solution and will have to be done again in two years, for teenage girls facing important life events such as school, ballroom proms, and dances, the support can make Jenny’s dreams come true. I made it happen.
“I’m very nervous to see this work, but I’m also very excited because it feels like the end of a long seven-year period, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the work will be like,” she said. Added.
“There’s a ball in November, and my hair is finally starting to grow back, and the thought of that makes me go crazy.”
Jenny said learning how to deal with hair loss was difficult when she was young, but as she grew older it started to become difficult again.
“When I see other teenage girls getting their hair done and dressing up, I think hair is a big part of their look, and yeah, it was tough.
She also revealed that she didn’t tell her mother and father because she wasn’t sure how they would respond to her crowdfunding appeal.
But her mother Morag said: “I’m so proud of her. She’s endured so much and it’s just a really, really strong determination on her part to do this on her own.” spoke.
“We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us. It’s hard to accept.”
What is alopecia?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss.
In severe cases, hair falls out all over the body, affecting eyelashes, nose hair, and skin hair.
Severe symptoms can make you more susceptible to infections and reduce your ability to regulate your body temperature.
Living with alopecia can be extremely difficult, causing anxiety and stress.
People can experience difficulties at school or work, which can lead to social isolation, experts say.
