Faces of Naked Confidence: Jen Horne (20, Edinburgh, Scotland)

I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata, the autoimmune disease that attacks your hair follicles when I was 3 years old. Bald patches were forming around my head now and again but would always grow back so it wasn’t really an issue up until later in my life.

When I turned 9 more patches appeared until I had virtually no hair left, and I chose to wear wigs to boost my confidence and "fit in" at school. I would hide the fact that I wore a wig and when people asked I would often tell them, "No," as I couldn’t bear to hear how they'd perceive me if they knew I was bald.

In addition to losing my hair on my head, one of the most difficult parts of having Alopecia was losing my brows and lashes. They add to the look of the face, and without them I feel like I look like an alien, so every morning I draw on my brows and apply false lashes. I have been doing this for 5 years since my Alopecia developed into Alopecia Universalis, which means now I no longer grow hair altogether. Last year I made the decision to have microblading done at a local salon and this boosted my confidence massively. Microblading essentially allows you to have a semi-permanent pigment on your brows that makes it look as if you genuinely have eyebrows.

Over the course of lockdown, I have met some incredible women who are also going through the same thing as I am, and they have helped me so much to come out of my shell and accept my condition-- and to LOVE the way I look. The most important thing in this journey is realizing that you're not alone, and there are always people around you to help you grow.

Make sure to follow Jen on Instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/jenniferhorne_xo/