BB Blog
Jo Tucker is a ' baldmothertucker ' & raising Alopecia Awareness
Posted by Emilienne Rebel on
Jo lost 90% of her hair in two weeks after her third pregnancy... "Losing 90% of my hair in 2 weeks redefined my thoughts on beauty" she says.
39 year-old, mother of three, Jo Tucker lost 90% of her hair in two weeks after her third pregnancy. What followed was a journey of self-acceptance, a love affair with wigs, and a redefinition of what it means to be ‘beautiful’. Ahead of Alopecia Awareness Month, she’s sharing her hair loss story.
It was just before Christmas. I had just returned to work after my third child and I wasn’t sleeping. Without any warning, I noticed that a small area of hair loss was turning into rapid hair shedding and whole clumps began falling out in the shower.
I booked an appointment at the doctor and I was diagnosed with alopecia areata and sent on my way with a leaflet. I was devastated and confused as my blood tests were healthy. It’s incredibly frustrating to know you’re broken, but not sure which bit or how to fix it.
Christmas came and went and by the time I went back to the doctors I had lost 90% of the hair from my head in only two weeks. I bought shampoos, hair growth serums, treatments – but nothing slowed the loss. By April, I had lost all hair on my head and my body. A dermatologist told me that the more you lose, statistically the less likely you are to get it back. I had reached the most extreme Alopecia Universalis and my odds didn’t look good.
I knew I’d need to return to work after the Christmas holidays but I wasn’t ready to be bald. Suddenly I felt like a wig was my only option. My mum knew of a hairdressers which made wigs and I booked an appointment. I was taken through all the different types of wigs, the construction, materials etc. I had no idea it was so complicated – or so expensive!
I instantly loved the confidence that wigs gave me and I soon became obsessed. I enjoyed the different looks you could achieve so effortlessly. And the more I bought, the more styles and colours I tried! I wasn’t shy about wearing a pixie one day and then long hair the next. I embraced this as one of the positives. Before losing my hair, I was always in that awkward growing-out stage between a pixie and a bob and the wigs looked much better than my actual hair ever was!
I own a lot of different wigs now but I have three favourites that are my go-to: a classic long bob, a pixie cut and long, beachy waves. I never had long hair before, so it’s still a novelty and I like being able to wear it back in a plait or up in a messy bun. When I first started wearing wigs, they were really itchy but there are bamboo and fine mesh caps that put a barrier between your scalp and the material the wig is made from to prevent any itch.
Alopecia has been a huge learning curve. Learning to look at myself in the mirror and appreciate what I see. When it first happened, as it was so sudden, I felt incredibly lost. I dreaded seeing people I hadn’t bumped into for a long time and them seeing the difference in my appearance.
But now I’ve learned not to place as much value on appearance and looks. It doesn’t change who you are inside. Beauty really does come in all different shapes and sizes, and I don’t feel less beautiful. I feel like I’ve gained so much. If anything, it makes you a stronger character.
Since starting my Instagram @boldmothertucker, I get lots of messages from other alopecia sufferers. It’s so lovely to have found a community where you have that common ground and there are charities like Alopecia UK which offer support and advice and private Facebook groups and wig chat forums which act as a safe space to share concerns, worries and ask questions.
[Bold Beanies also supports Alopecia UK and are the perfect complimentary alternative headwear for when you don't want to wear a wig... around the house or in bed for example.]
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- Tags: alopcecia, alopecia uk, bold beanies, hair loss, jo tucker
The tip of the ice boob... thermal bra designed to help reconstructed breasts stay warm!
Posted by Emilienne Rebel on
... this is so me, I have to permanently wear a bra just to keep warm and now I know why. Having won an innovation award myself, i'm so pleased to share this simple innovative idea, the thermal bra! It’s an unfortunate truth—women who have had a mastectomy and then undergone reconstruction often deal with cold breasts. After reconstruction, a woman will have only a thin layer of skin and muscle between the implant and the outside environment, making it difficult for her body to maintain 98.6°F unless she’s in the tropics. Without a layer of fatty breast tissue, implants...
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- Tags: boobs, mastectomy, thermal bra
Sarah Thomas Swims Channel for "All the survivors out there"...
Posted by Emilienne Rebel on
Sarah Thomas, 37, a cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times in a row non-stop.
Sarah began the epic challenge in the early hours of Sunday and finished after more than 54 hours. The open water ultra marathon swimmer - who completed treatment for breast cancer a year ago - dedicated her swim to "all the survivors out there".
The swim was due to be about 80 miles but because of strong tides Ms Thomas ended up swimming closer to 130 miles.
Ms Thomas completed the final leg on Tuesday at about 06:30 BST.
THANK YOU SARAH!! What an amazing achievement!
Speaking to the BBC after she came ashore at Dover, she said: "I just can't believe we did it.
"I'm really just pretty numb. There was a lot of people on the beach to meet me and wish me well and it was really nice of them, but I feel just mostly stunned."
She said she planned to sleep for the day, adding: "I'm pretty tired right now."
Swimmer Lewis Pugh said in a tweet: "Just when we think we've reached the limit of human endurance, someone shatters the records."
I know of another swimmer Helen, who has inspired a collection of Bold Beanies chemo headwear who is also an incredible swimmer and inspires me every single day!!
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- Tags: BBC, Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Awareness - Come join the photo!
Posted by Emilienne Rebel on
'Gammy-Tit' AKA Vicky who started the True Cancer Bodies campaign shared this invite and article today from Laura...
"Hi Ladies
’m getting in touch because I’m organising another PHOTO SHOOT in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Oct). Location is TBC (London) but it will be shot on Sunday 29th September by the talented Beckie Egan who shot last year’s.
Last year’s shoot was a wonderfully BIG success and all of the women that took part had the best and most fun couple of hours stripping off on Portobello Road for such a worthy cause. We all know someone that has or has had Breast Cancer and it’s something very close to my heart.
If you’re interested in being involved this year, please let me know 🥰
Laura xxx"
If you’d like to be part of this please contact Laura directly. Hope to see you there!
INSTA-MUMMY Laura Rutherford and a troupe of 50 women took to the streets in pink bras and jeans to raise awareness for breast cancer – after she lost her close friend to the cruel disease.
The group posed in front of a pink house in Notting Hill to mark On September 30, to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and to kick-start the #ShareTheCare campaign.
Having lost friends and loved ones to Breast Cancer it is a cause very close to family and lifestyle blogger Laura’s heart.
“The common denominator is that we all know someone who has breast cancer or who had breast cancer,” she said.
“There were a couple of women who took part in the shoot that currently have breast cancer, which made it all the more special.”
Customised Chemo Headwear
Posted by Emilienne Rebel on
Did you know you can have any of our plain Bold Beanies Cancer hats for Men, Women, Kids and Teens personalised with any name, slogan or image you want.
Are you a member of a sports team and are able to carry on being active during cancer treatments? We can customise your team's logo onto a Bold Beanie in any colour you want.
We can add a school emblem to any headwear to make it part of the uniform.
Does your friend or love one have a saying that makes them stand out or mantra that keeps them going? Have it put on the hat in bold at the front or more subtle along the side of any plain cancer hat or chemo bandana you choose.
Please email us (info@boldbeanies.co.uk) if you'd like to have any of our head wrap, headscarves, bandanas or PICC line covers and we can organise this for you.
We use a really durable heat pressed vinyl for a quality, sharp-edged finish. You can choose any single colour or font you want. Multiple colour options also available, but please send over image or requirements first to check if possible.
The vinyl is durable, washable, but also pliable once heat pressed, so it doesn't effect the comfort of the hat in any way and will not peel off.
Customer favourites this month include 'Cancer Sucks' and lots of unicorn and dinosaur images.