'Normalizing baldness': London, Ont. woman embracing hair loss and mentoring women

Marcy Gallant is embracing her baldness.

The 22-year-old from London, Ont. is celebrating Alopecia Awareness Month in September, after the autoimmune disease began to steal her hair at the age of six.

“Just raising awareness, stopping the stigma and normalizing baldness,” said Gallant, who has alopecia universalis. “I feel like we need to be celebrated for who we are.”

The Kings University College student has taken to social media with an alopecia dedicated Instagram page.

“It's called ‘The Art of Alopecia’ because alopecia is a beautiful art form. I love rocking the bald [head], but I also love rocking different hairstyles. So I do a lot of fun wig stuff on there, but I also just like advocate, and I mentor,” said Gallant.

She's taken women and young girls, including young Maeve from Amherstburg, Ont. under her wing. She helps them with confidence and their hair-loss journey.

Marcy Gallant (right) with her friend Maeve from Amherstburg, Ont. whom she mentors in her alopecia hair loss journey (Source: Marcy Gallant)

But to get to where her state of mind is today, Gallant had to conquer the challenges associated with going bald as a child.

Diagnosed at the age of seven, she started losing her hair.

“At the age of 10, I basically lost everything and I had to shave the 10 per cent of my hair that was remaining,” said Gallant. “That's when I started to wear wigs because that's what I felt was best. I wanted to hide and that was kind of the solution at the time. But then that's when the bullying started at school.”

Over the past decade, the quality of wigs has come a long way. Thanks to her social media, she can unbox wigs on video, and help educate those struggling to find the right fit without wasting thousands of dollars.

Marcy Gallant, 22, who has alopecia universalis, showed off her collection of dozens of wigs on Sept. 20, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“I'm really fortunate to be where I am,” said Gallant. “Not only to be gifted free wigs but also I feel like the wig journey and growing up as a kid it was really hard because I didn't really have any knowledge. My parents probably spent thousands and thousands of dollars wasted on bad quality wigs and finally, now I'm able to show people what a good quality wig looks like and I'm helping educate them.”

She loves to be able to interchange her hair colour and hairstyles daily.

“Wigs are a huge part of my life, and I don't do it to hide my alopecia but just to embrace it,” said Gallant.

Marcy Gallant, 22, who has alopecia universalis, put on one of her wigs on Sept. 20, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

For the rest of September, she's partnered with a number of London businesses to host a massive giveaway worth thousands of dollars on her social media.

Even thought September is coming to an end, Gallant wants everyone to be sensitive and kind, as people deal with their alopecia journey in many different ways.

“We all want to feel beautiful and confident in our own skin,” said Gallant. “If I can do anything in this world, it's to normalize boldness, to raise awareness, and to inspire and challenge those beauty standards. What's to say that bald is not beautiful?”