Fitness blogger who lost all her hair as a teen now proudly posts inspiring selfies of her bald head

This fitness blogger spent her teenage years trying to hide her hair loss but has dumped her wig in an attempt to fight back against the internet’s crazy beauty standards.

Lauren Neate, from Bridgend, Wales, was only 13 years old when she developed a bald patch as a result of her alopecia – a hair loss condition that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, according to WebMD.

“My mum was the first one who noticed a small bald spot on the back of my head when I was about 13. Lauren told Wales online. “At first it didn't worry me as my hair was very thick and covered it.”

Soon after, the now 20-year-old started losing her eyelashes, eyebrows, and the rest of the hair on her body in the months that followed. At first, Lauren hid her condition with a wig and only her closest family were allowed to see her bald.  

But the student overcame her insecurities and now shares pictures of herself without a wig with her more than 26 000 Instagram followers – to inspire them to stay true to their identity.

“My aim is to show the people who follow me that you don't have to conform to the unrealistic beauty standards that the industry sets,” says Lauren. 

According to Mirror News, Lauren was really worried about fitting in with her peers when she was a teenager but now laughs when people mention her hair loss.

Being able to courageously share a bald picture of herself on social media was a huge confidence booster for Lauren, and she’s now slowly working towards stepping outside her house without her hairpiece.

“I still haven't reached a position where I'm able to leave the house without it on, but I want to.

“At the moment I'm comfortable with the progress I'm making to fully embrace my alopecia, but I still have more to aim towards,” she says.

Lauren is thankful to her friends and family for always supporting and understanding her condition, and is now – more than ever – determined to show other sufferers that they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

“I could never have imagined how empowering it is to take off my wig and genuinely not worry about the opinions of others.

“I want to show younger people with the condition that it's nothing to be ashamed of. My family, friends, and boyfriend have been nothing but supportive,” she says.

Sources: mirror.co.uk, walesonline.co.uk, allure.com