Supporting Alopecia Awareness Month

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Article by Gemma Hutchings | Date Published 4th July 2024

Alopecia Awarness Month

Alopecia Awareness Month is observed every September to raise awareness about alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss in various forms, including alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, and alopecia universalis. The month-long campaign aims to educate the public, offer support to those affected by alopecia.

Finishing Touches are proud to partner with Alopecia UK and are offering a NEW online course to increase awareness of the Psychology of Hair Loss and Scalp Conditions.

100% of the course fees go directly to Alopecia UK to help support this fantastic charity.

Purchase your online course HERE

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Alopecia UK

Alopecia UK is a small national charity working to improve the lives of those affected by alopecia through aims of Support, Awareness and Research. Despite being a small charity they are still the largest alopecia charity in the UK with big ambitions to develop and grow further.

Raising Awarness

Alopecia UK actively raises awareness about alopecia and its psychological effects for both the general public and healthcare professionals. Their efforts include engaging medical professionals through conferences, presentations, and partnerships, like the development of an education module with the Royal College of General Practitioners. This initiative aims to improve GPs' knowledge and empathy towards alopecia patients. Additionally, they advocate for fair access to wigs through the NHS Wig Provision Charter, addressing disparities in availability.

To raise public awareness, Alopecia UK supports media coverage by connecting participants for TV, radio, and print opportunities. Their social media presence, merchandise, and educational resources, such as children's storybooks, further promote understanding. The charity also organises large-scale events like their annual trip to Alton Towers, gathering people to raise awareness in public spaces. Ambassadors help amplify their mission and profile, broadening the conversation around alopecia.

Who is this effecting

In 2024, it is estimated that over 8 million people in the UK suffer from some form of alopecia, with Alopecia Areata being one of the more common autoimmune types. This condition affects around 15 in every 10,000 people in the UK, and its prevalence has continued to grow. Alopecia can affect individuals of any age, gender, or ethnicity, and research highlights that about 40% of women experience noticeable hair loss by age 40.

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How can we help?

Alopecia UK are always looking for people who can support them and offer many ways to get involved and raise money.

Finishing Touches has launched an online course that looks at the Psychology of Hair Loss and Scalp Conditions and as 100% of the course fee is going directly to Alopecia UK, by enrolling on this course you are not only increasing your own awareness but also supporting the charity financially .

Alternatively, their website offers lots of options of how you can get involved - so visit their website to find out more or read on.

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This September (Alopecia Awareness Month) we are rallying our community to say loud and proud ‘We are worth it!’

Why?
Because we believe people with alopecia are worthy of so much more than they receive, and Alopecia UK is a charity worth supporting. People with alopecia have been overlooked for too long and this September we want to shed light on the issues that our community and our small charity are facing.

People with alopecia continue to face huge challenges, including but not limited to:

• Difficulties in getting to specialist referral from GP.

• Unacceptably long waiting times for dermatology appointments

• Some NHS Trusts/ICBs withdrawing dermatology referrals for alopecia patients.

• Some NHS Trusts/ICBs ceasing NHS Wig Provision, despite our work on the Charter for Best Practice for NHS Wig Provision.

• Challenges in accessing mental health support.

• Difficult interactions in schools and workplaces.

• Societal stigma that comes with living with a visible difference.

How you can get involved

1.Become a Charity Champion – Get involved in raising funds and awareness for Alopecia UK. Our Charity Champion pack provides suggestions of how you can get involved in our 'We are worth it' messaging. We are also asking Charity Champions to ‘Go the Distance' for Alopecia UK and consider getting out into their local communities with a walk/run/cycle/swim/move-in-any-way-you-can challenge, over any distance – could be a marathon, could be a mile. Whatever you can do, will be hugely appreciated. Sign up to be a Charity Champion here. Under 18? Sign up to be a Junior Charity Champion here.

2. Become an AUK Ally - Perhaps being actively involved with fundraising for an alopecia charity would not be a comfortable thing for you. We understand. Not everyone is in a place to be public with their hair loss. An AUK Ally is someone who supports us with a monthly, quarterly, or annual gift. All organisations need allies and Alopecia UK is no different. By becoming an AUK Ally, you help to provide us with a vital regular income stream, to ensure Alopecia UK is here for as long as we are needed. Become an AUK Ally today here.

3. Become a Charity Cheerleader – Perhaps you are not able to support Alopecia UK with fundraising or a donation. No need to sign up to anything to be a Charity Cheerleader - you just need to shout about Alopecia UK. You can share our social media posts, forward our newsletter to your friends and family, and tell everyone you know about the good work we do!

4. Make a one-off donation to our 2024 Alopecia Awareness Month Appeal – A donation from yourself, not matter the size, could help support our efforts this September and beyond. Make your donation today here.

We want this September to be a month where we all come together and recognise that the alopecia community is worthy of more than it has received in recent years, and Alopecia UK is a charity worth supporting.

We are worth it.