May 11, 2026

Why Representation for Women With Alopecia in Fashion Truly Matters

We had the pleasure of meeting Tami Wong, found of Hair Loss Pride. This is a fantastic must have read. As a brand, we are committed to educating ourselves everyday and representing a diverse and inclusive community.

Why Representation for Women With Alopecia in Fashion Truly Matters

A conversation with Tami Wong, Founder of Hair Loss Pride

Women with alopecia are still almost invisible in beauty and fashion; and honestly, it’s long past time that changed.

For decades, fashion and beauty have shaped how women see themselves, what they believe is acceptable, and who they’re allowed to be. Yet millions of women living with hair loss rarely see themselves reflected in campaigns, ads, or brand storytelling. That absence leaves a mark.

I know, because I’ve lived it.

My Story: Growing Up Without Representation

I was born and raised in small-town Nebraska, lived California for fifteen years, and moved to Vancouver six years ago with my husband, our two young daughters, and our dog.

I started losing my hair at fifteen after taking an acne medication. At the time, nearly thirty years ago, I had never heard the word alopecia. No one I knew had hair loss. I assumed it would stop once I stopped the medication, but it didn’t.

My once thick hair became fine, brittle, and weak. At twenty-three, after a scalp biopsy, I was officially diagnosed with alopecia. I was devastated.

I hid my hair loss from everyone, even my closest friends. I wore a truly terrible wig at 22, then spent the next decade relying on hair fibers to conceal bald spots. I was terrified of being rejected, and at one point, I was. That experience reinforced every fear I already had that I was ugly and unlovable.

When I met my now-husband, I knew I couldn’t keep hiding. I told him about my hair loss, bracing for rejection. Instead, he was kind, supportive, and completely unfazed. That moment changed everything.

Around that time, I started wearing wigs again, and something unexpected happened. People complimented my hair constantly, with no idea it was a wig. Every time, I told them the truth. Their shock sparked conversations, and those conversations became the beginning of my advocacy.

Why Representation Matters More Than Most People Realize

Almost every woman I support through Hair Loss Pride tells me the same thing:

“I never see anyone who looks like me.”
“I thought I was the only one.”
“I don’t feel represented anywhere.”

The stigma around female hair loss didn’t appear out of nowhere. It exists because women’s hair loss is rarely shown and almost never normalized. That’s staggering when you look at the reality:

Millions of women live with androgenic alopecia (female pattern hair loss)
Millions more experience telogen effluvium, autoimmune and scarring alopecias, traction alopecia, or chemo-related hair loss
Women lose hair in every form imaginable: thinning, patchy loss, diffuse shedding, or full baldness

Yet they’re almost entirely absent from:

Fashion campaigns
Beauty advertising
Lifestyle branding
“Real women” storytelling

Representation isn’t a buzzword. It’s a lifeline. It creates belonging, safety, and dignity.

Understanding Androgenic Alopecia

My diagnosis is androgenic alopecia (AGA), also known as female pattern hair loss. It’s a progressive condition often influenced by genetics and hormones. Many women experience it during perimenopause and menopause, though it can start much earlier.

AGA typically presents as thinning at the crown and widening of the part. Total baldness is rare in women, but the emotional impact is anything but minor.

Growing Up Without Support

When my hair loss began, I didn’t have much support. I denied it for a long time. I cut my hair short to make it look thicker. I didn’t tell my friends. I unfortunately didn’t have a supportive mother, and I carried it alone.

I became the class clown; making people laugh so they wouldn’t look too closely. I stopped swimming. I avoided showering at the gym. I shaped my life around hiding.

It wasn’t until I was 29 that I finally started opening up. That silence took a toll.

Building Hair Loss Pride: Creating What I Never Had

Last year, I managed a wig store in Vancouver and had countless conversations with women who felt lost, ashamed, and overwhelmed by hair loss. I realized something was missing; not just information, but emotional support.

That’s why I created Hair Loss Pride.

My goal was simple: build what I needed at fifteen so other women and teens wouldn’t have to suffer in silence. This was never about being an influencer or having a massive following. It was about genuine connection and safe space.

I started Hair Loss Pride in September 2024 and went full-time in January. Through Instagram, in-person meetups, and community-building, something beautiful has grown. A small Vancouver WhatsApp group has turned into a deeply supportive circle of women finding healing together.

Why Collaborations Like Lav & Kush Matter

Running Hair Loss Pride has shown me that women with alopecia don’t want pity; they want to be seen.

They are strong, stylish, creative, ambitious, and vibrant.

That’s why collaborating with brands like Lav & Kush, who are willing to expand representation and include women with hair loss in fashion, matters so deeply. It’s not about tokenism. It’s about reflecting reality.

Hair loss does not make women less beautiful. Excluding them does.