Bullied because I had no eyebrows
Schoolgirl Kayla regained confidence after permanent make-up technique helped her deal with alopecia, writes Maria Croce
KAYLA Watson was 12 when she started to lose the hair on her eyebrows.
Within weeks, she lost both eyebrows completely.
Kayla, from Kinneff, Kincardineshire, was diagnosed with eyebrow alopecia and was bullied at school because of her condition.
Her mum and sisters would pencil in brows for her but she struggled to find a more long-lasting solution because of her age.
But thanks to a permanent make-up technique, Kayla, now 16, is feeling confident again.
Mum Sandra, 51, remembers the shock when Kayla’s eyebrows started to disappear.
She said: “One morning when she got up she had a whole bit of missing eyebrow. I thought she had shaved her eyebrow and said, ‘What on earth have you done?’”
Once Kayla explained that she wasn’t responsible, Sandra took her daughter to see doctors, who diagnosed her condition.
Sandra said: “This was devastating for a young girl who was almost a teenager, as your eyebrows are such an important part of your facial structure and have such a huge impact on your appearance.
“Her two older sisters and I did our very best to draw on her eyebrows. Kayla would be in tears every day, which was very frustrating and heartbreaking for us all. “Because of her condition, she was badly bullied by her peers, who would call her atrocious names. As a result, she lost all her confidence.”
Sandra researched microblading and eyebrow tattoos but struggled to find anyone willing to carry out treatment because Kayla was so young.
Eventually she found the Tracie Giles clinic in London, who agreed to carry out brow restoration when she was 14. Kayla’s doctor agreed to write a letter recommending her for treatment.
Sandra said: “The results were amazing. For the first time in two years, Kayla was smiling from ear to ear.
“Tracie and every one of the girls who work with her have been so lovely. Kayla leaves feeling so special every time and is at a stage now where she doesn’t care if her eyebrows don’t grow back, as she is so happy with the way they look.”
Kayla plans to do an apprenticeship in the construction industry and enjoys playing football while no longer having to worry about sweat smudging her brows.
Sandra added: “There just isn’t enough awareness or any help available for sufferers of this condition and I can honestly say that her treatments with Tracie Giles have done more than just transform her appearance – they have changed her life.”
● Tracie Giles semipermanent make-up practitioner is registered with Alopecia UK. Kayla had brow restoration. Prices start from £495. For more information, go to www.traciegiles.co.uk