Whether you have fine hair, patches of hair loss, complete hair loss, or hair loss and regrowth—each journey is unique, but the challenges and emotions of hair loss are felt by many. For Hair Loss Awareness Month, we are spotlighting our beautiful Education Ambassadors in the hopes that their shared experiences empower those of you with hair loss and destigmatize wearing alternative hair.

First, let’s meet Pia, who found solace in connecting with the hair loss community online.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi, I’m Pia. I am 41 years old and live in Spain. I have a 5-year-old boy and we live in the southern part of Spain in a lovely city called Marbella, right by the sea. I love photography and the beach.

2. How long have you been wearing wigs or hairpieces?

I started to lose my hair in June 2017 after having a series of panic attacks. My hair loss was very sudden and quick and by mid-August that summer it was all gone except for some eyebrow hairs which hung on for a little bit longer. I spent the first year of my hair loss wearing the same wig, which was chosen to mimic my biological hair as much as possible. It was actually a Jon Renau wig, although I can’t remember which style it was.

3. When you started your hair loss journey, what do you wish you knew?

When I started my hair loss, I wish I had known that there was a very big hair loss community out there, as I initially navigated it pretty much by myself, and through the stories and advice of people that had a 'friend of a friend' who had lost hair.

After a year of losing my hair, I started using Instagram and discovered there was a huge hair loss community, and it helped me a lot in starting to play around with wigs and trying different styles and colors, which I had never done previously.

4. What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself throughout your hair loss journey?

One thing I’ve learned about myself throughout my hair loss journey is that I’ve been capable of being stripped completely from my self-esteem (hair loss is obviously very linked to one’s identity) and rebuilding it to the point where my hair loss is not the main character in my life anymore.

Of course, it still bothers me, and I wish I didn’t have to wear wigs and I had my hair, but it’s not an all-consuming factor and obsession in my day-to-day life. I've pretty much been able to reconquer all those aspects and activities in my life that I stopped doing when I first lost my hair; for example, sports and social interaction, to name a couple.

5. What advice would you give to a new alternative hair wearer?

If you find yourself avoiding situations because of your hair loss and feel like your world is getting smaller and smaller, my advice would be to try to push yourself and just show up. It might be for five minutes, or 10 minutes initially, but just get ready, get out of the house and show up to whatever it is that you must go to, even if you just stand at the door and go home immediately because you feel you can't handle it.

Slowly you will find that you’ll be able to handle those difficult situations for longer and longer and this will help you feel more confident and like "you" again. Also, connect with other people going through the same thing as you are.

7. Which Jon Renau style is your favorite?

Sarah, I love her waves and length and it reminds me of my bio hair a lot.

Get inspired! Follow Pia, our Education Ambassador, on social media at @rockinlockss