I can still vividly remember the day I realised my hair was falling out: it was January 19, 2024.
I was drying my hair late at night when I spotted a flash of white in the mirror.
Panicked, I grabbed a hand mirror for a closer look, and realised that a large patch of my hair was missing on the back of my head.
My hair has always been my crowning glory, dyed every colour under the sun and worn in a wavy shag style for the past four years.
So you can imagine my horror when I put my hand to my scalp and realised the patch measured around 5cm across.
Worse still, I had recently dyed my hair black, so the paleness of my scalp was unmissable.
I burst into tears and stayed awake all night waiting for the doctors to open in the morning to try and get help.
Advanced scalp dermaroller
UKLASH's dermaroller uses hundreds of micro-needles to glide over the scalp, creating tiny channels in the skin. The brand says this can help to boost collagen production while helping to enhance the absorption of hair serums and treatments, in turn helping boost your hair regrowth.
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A patchy diagnosis
After a few questions, my GP diagnosed it as alopecia areata. If you’re not familiar with the name, it’s a type of hair loss that happens in patches - and frustratingly, there isn't always an obvious cause or trigger.
It’s different from alopecia universalis, the type most people think of (and the type that Jasmine Mitchell, the recent winner of GBBO has), where all of the hair falls out along with eyebrows and eyelashes.
I went to see a trichologist in Manchester, called Kate Holden, who examined my scalp under a camera to see whether the follicles were dead or if there was still hope.
She confirmed what the doctor had said, and explained that there were no definitive cures for the condition. However, treatments like minoxidil, dietary supplements (where iron or vitamin deficiencies may have made things worse), dermarolling with serums, rosemary oil, and even onion juice can work for some people.
Reducing stress is also important.
But over the course of the next few weeks, even more hair fell out.
I ended up with a bald area larger than my open hand, plus lots of other small patches along the front and top of my hair.
I started to take the new vitamins I'd been recommended, and tried to reduce stress, as well as using Noughty's Get Set Grow range.
Rainbow of wigs
I regularly appear on camera for work, so I soon started wearing an array of wigs in various shades, and tried to reduce the stigma by posting videos of them on TikTok.
While also working to improve my diet, trying to make wig wearing fun also helped with my attempt to reduce stress (which is hard when hair falling out is very stressful by nature).
I didn’t fancy the onion juice, and most rosemary-based hair oils leave you smelling like a Sunday roast.
Fortunately, after about six months of following the trichologist's advice to relax and taking the recommended vitamins, my hair started to grow back as bright white stubble. It’s common for regrowth to lose colour, but it eventually went back to my natural blonde again - even though I was itching to dye it black once more.
The patches slowly filled in, but my hair still had a long way to go to be as thick as it was before.
Trying the viral dermaroller and regrowth serum
I jumped at the chance to try the viral UKLASH Hair Growth Serum and dermaroller, in the hopes that it would help to thicken my hair back up once again following the regrowth in the patches.
The serum contains nourishing ingredients such as pea sprout extract, phytic acid, and lemon fruit water, and much like the viral eyelash serums, is designed to stimulate and encourage growth.
Trichologist and hair expert Kate explains: “Microneedling is a commonly used treatment in hair loss - it’s used to stimulate blood circulation, encourage collagen production, and promote a healthier environment for hair growth.
“The microchannels formed during treatment can also significantly enhance the penetration of topical products, such as serums or oils, allowing their active ingredients to reach deeper layers of the scalp where they can act more effectively.
“When used correctly and hygienically, dermarolling can complement topical therapies and support improved scalp and follicle health. However, there's also a risk of infection and irritation, so it needs to be introduced slowly and carefully."
Ingredients and how to use
The serum contains pea sprout extract combined with phytic acid, as well as lemon fruit water, which prevents breakage and stimulates growth from the scalp. It comes in two sizes, 50ml and 30ml, and can be applied all over the head or targeting specific areas using the dropper.
It says it’s non-greasy, however, with my hair type, which never gets built up or greasy, I definitely found it to leave a residue. Due to having wavy and slightly curly hair, I only wash my hair once a week to minimise heat damage.
While the instructions encourage daily use, I opted to use it twice a week in order to not have to repeatedly wash it, which could sometimes be distressing at the height of the alopecia as that was when most of the hair fell out.
For optimum results, it’s recommended to use one to two pipettes daily for whole head coverage, or one to four smaller drops if targeting a specific area. It’s also best applied on a damp or dry, clean scalp.
Do not wash it after applying.
Using the dermaroller
I alternated applying it all over my head, with targeting it over and around where the patch has filled in again. It’s vegan and fragrance-free as well as sulphate and paraben-free which is great for sensitive skin too.
I used the dermaroller every time I targeted the patch area after washing my hair while it was still damp.
Being careful not to press too hard, so as not to damage the delicate scalp, I rolled it over the desired area.
Living alone it can be a bit of a faff to reach the correct part on the back of my head, but by setting up a magnifying mirror in front of a normal mirror I was able to see where I was aiming.
If you've got someone who can lend a helping hand, it will be much easier.
Using the dermaroller is quite a pleasant sensation, and stimulates the scalp to encourage regrowth with 540 ultra-fine 0.25mm needles.
It's important to keep it clean, and I rinsed it with hot water before and after every use.
With clean hands, I gently rubbed in three to four drops of the serum.
A day before I planned to wash my hair, I did a whole head application, which did make my hair look slightly greasy, but it wasn’t the end of the world.
I threw it into a loose low ponytail to keep it out of the way, knowing it would be washed the next day.
Results
UKLASH advises waiting 12 to 18 weeks to see any results, explaining: “The growth cycle for scalp hair works slightly slower than that of eyelashes and eyebrows so the key is to be patient and consistent, giving your scalp and hair follicles time to absorb the active ingredients, resulting in longer, stronger and healthier hair.”
After three months of use, my hair was definitely longer and shinier than before, and a small patch that remained at the back has completely filled in.
The area at the back where the patch was, is noticeably thicker than before.
While I’ve also continued my vitamin regime as well as using hair growth shampoo and conditioner, I do believe the serum has contributed further to the growth, even using it just twice a week.
I'll continue to use it, and hopefully will eventually get back to the pre-alopecia thickness.
Advanced scalp dermaroller
UKLASH's dermaroller uses hundreds of micro-needles to glide over the scalp, creating tiny channels in the skin. The brand says this can help to boost collagen production while helping to enhance the absorption of hair serums and treatments, in turn helping boost your hair regrowth.
£20
£14
Jen Thomas