Faces of Naked Confidence: Mel Quinn (25, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)

When my hair first started falling out, it was the beginning of 2017 when I was 21. It was scary for me then as I always had long hair and soon as I noticed my first bald spot I was like, "Please can that just be it?"

I already have a skin condition called Prurigo Nodularus due to my auto immune condition, thus I cover up most of my body, not even my arms out. That's okay. I've lived with that since I was 5. But my hair had always been important up until that point, so losing hair for the first time was scary. One year it just wouldn't stop falling out, so I bravely shaved it because my head was looking a bit like Gollum from Lord of the Rings--I can’t lie! I felt ugly back then having a bald head, even though my friends and family said I looked fine. The problem was my own perception. I was not confident in myself.

In later years, my hair grew back and I adapted to a shorter style. However, earlier this year I noticed it was falling out again, slower than before. Rather than watch it fall out, I just wanted it gone. I am in a better place with self confidence this year, and I filmed myself shaving my head for a video on YouTube which received an immaculate response!

I have a shaved head now, and this time I feel good with it.

I've been confident posting pictures of it, I've learned how to do make up and accessories around a bald head, and people have been saying great things. Also great people such as Nico, the founder of the Naked Confidence Campaign, get in touch and ask you to be involved in these things and meet new people from across the globe when you take control of your hair. Nico is an awesome guy not only helping me feel better about not having hair, but other people such as younger individuals who are still in middle or high school, which is already a hard time to get through (which I certainly know it was for me). Having hair isn't what makes us beautiful (that's no diss to the hairy folk!), it's who you are as a person, as cheesy as it sounds it's true.

And now, please enjoy the video that got much positive attention on YouTube of me shaving off my hair and taking control:

Make sure to follow Mel on Instagram to keep up with her amazing stories and more:

http://www.instagram.com/melquinnmusic/