Sarah Vine has discussed her lifelong battle with female pattern baldness on an incredibly moving episode of the Alas Vine & Hitchens podcast, publicly revealing her real hair for the first time in 15 years.
Speaking to co-host Peter Hitchens, the Daily Mail columnist explained that her hair began falling out when she was just 16, and has continued to thin throughout her life.
To maintain her confidence, Vine has worn a hairpiece for the last 15 years. She said that concealing her hair loss for so long was due to the profound impact the condition had on her sense of femininity and even her career prospects as a public figure.
Vine is a distinguished journalist, broadcaster and author, and the ex-wife of former Cabinet Minister Michael Gove. Her recent memoir, How Not to Be a Political Wife, was a Sunday Times bestseller.
Vine suffers from androgenic alopecia, a genetic condition commonly known as male pattern baldness, although it can affect both men and women.
The decision to finally remove her hairpiece came after consulting eminent dermatologist Dr Ophelia Veraitch, who said she could help but would need direct access to Vine’s scalp to administer treatment.
Now 58, the journalist has set herself the goal of regrowing some of her hair before her landmark 60th birthday. Using a cocktail of lotions, vitamins and other treatments, she hopes to document how much of her natural hair she can restore.
Vine explained that experiencing hair loss was particularly devastating as a woman.
She recounted a painful rejection in her youth when a potential romantic partner told her he liked her personality but could not date her because she did not have enough hair.
The author said she hopes her decision to speak openly about her condition will help other women silently struggling with hair loss.
To hear Sarah Vine describe her life in the public eye with female pattern baldness, search for Alas Vine & Hitchens now, wherever you get your podcasts.
