22-year-old Diva Hollands began dancing when she was just three years old, and it wasn’t long until she began professional training at the Royal Ballet School in London.
For years, she would go to school and dance for hours. Her mom would, very helpfully, put Hollands’ hair up in tight hairstyles, like high buns or braids, to keep flyaway hairs away from her face.
After a decade of dance practice and intense hairstyling, Hollands began to notice that her hair began to fall out. At just 13, she was experiencing problems with a receding hairline and was severely bullied at school because this.
"I was bullied for my hairline in primary school and then into secondary school, but it got really serious when I was about 13,” Hollands remembered. She’s been self-conscious of her over-exposed forehead ever since, finding every possible way to cover more of her face whenever she went out.
It even continued to be a problem when she began dating her current fiancé. Hollands refused to let him see her with “[her] hair back for six months,” she was so self-conscious about it.
Even though Hollands left the world of professional dance when she was 18 to become a model, her hair loss problem persisted. After Hollands and her fiancé had two kids – now two and six months old – her hair receded even further.
At this point, Hollands’ hairline had receded a couple inches back from its original place. She decided it was time to seek professional help.
Dr. Edward Ball, D.O., diagnosed Hollands with traction alopecia – the scientific term for hair loss – and advised her to undergo an 8-hour hair follicular unit transplant. During the procedure, Dr. Ball would remove strips of skin with healthy hair follicles from the back of Hollands’ head to the front, where her hair had receded.
A year later, Hollands is feeling much more confident about her hair and her personal appearance.
Hollands now takes every chance she gets to speak out about her condition. “I really do think there's a taboo when it comes to women's hair loss," she said. "It can happen to anyone and it's nothing to be embarrassed about."
What she and other dermatologists recommend doing to avoid this type of hair loss is to not wear tight hairstyles. Always take a couple days break between those high bun or tight braid days to allow your scalp and hair follicles to rest and relax.
