To our fantastic ladies one and all, I am always so full up of things that I want to share every day thinking of one snippet or another, but I will always start with the biggest thank you from us all for your wonderful cards, flowers, gifts and goodies, the chocolates and sweets being our favourite. Nothing compares with your wonderful encouraging and kind words for us all, nothing makes us happier than to see your pleasure and joy at what ever we have done on the day. My technical teams work tirelessly to get your work done on time and as smoothly as we can muster, even as you may have noticed with their tummy's bulging with new life....so exciting. We always hope that after a time and when they feel it’s appropriate that they will return to us part time or full time because we miss them so much. In so many ways the girls are like family, everyone shares news of themselves and their little ones pictures and progress. It is even more exciting when the babies are brought in for a brief visit, we all love to cuddle and coo. Maybe one day they will be doing our hair, it has happened before. With the new branch in LA and me dividing my time between there and London I have a lot on. I love the American girls and we have had the pleasure of having Marie and Kimberly, our new American team training in London. Micky is moving to LA for two years, where we will be building a fabulous team there. The Americans love the London girls and their team spirit. Next week I am off to see Dominique and the team in Manchester and receiving lots of great feed back about the crew there, some of which I have yet to meet and look forward to meeting. On Thursday the 18th of July, I had the great pleasure of being invited to the Disability Confidence Conference and again meeting our Prime Minister. I can't wait for the moment to tackle him on woman's hair loss issues ...I shall be biding my time and will put a good case for funding and support for the women who find themselves in this dreadful life debilitating situation and the quality of life issues we face. This is a subject that I could fill these pages with and if you know us and me, you are very aware of my drive to make changes about it all. However, I cannot express my admiration enough for the inspiration and drive of our new Minister for the Disabled. The conference was so moving and powerful and even provoked personal emotion. It was pointed out that being disabled for various reasons that at some point in the future, if we live long enough we may potentially all experience some form of disability as things will wear out i.e. sight, hearing, bone deterioration etc. Although my brother has been in a wheelchair for a third of his life, I wasn't aware of the isolation and lack of social interaction that many people with a disability are faced with daily and how much more we can all do. Ian Duncan Smith gave a rousing speech as did our PM, but it was Esher Macvey that made me want to act on this subject. Watching Chickenshed perform a fantastic routine "State of Independence" was www.lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk   inspiring. The performers were all wonderful and it was so moving to see a Down syndrome lad dancing his heart out and a blind girl singing. It touched me deeply to listen to men who have lost their limbs and eye sight in Iraq and are now working for Barclays. The intention of the conference was to inspire companies to make small changes in their work environment and for businesses to become disability confident, whilst supporting people with a disability to fulfill their potential and narrow the employment gap. I truly believe that it is love that makes the world go around. It’s the doing and the giving to others that makes all the good things in one’s life possible, the appreciation and gratitude I feel for the people I come in to contact with on my life's journey is endless. I am truly lucky and blessed and I feel so every day that I breath. look back with a smile wondering, had it been videoed, how many times it would have appeared on "You've Been Framed" but I will never forget the humiliation and upset I felt that night. Living with TTM felt like having an unwelcome guest that refuses to go away no matter how much you protest. Like many others, my journey started in my early teens. “There is no such thing as a hopeless situation. Every single circumstances of your life can change!” Rhonda Byrne, The Secret STAR LETTER - Flo’s Story I felt sick. I froze in complete horror and embarrassment. The old cliché about wanting the ground to swallow you up was invented for this very moment. Except the ground wasn't going anywhere and neither was I. I was locked on the spot, on stage, in a jazz club in Chinatown, London. Time stood still. From somewhere came the sound of music and the audience continued to dance before me. I stood still, rooted to the spot not daring to meet the gaze of those around me. My eyes turned to my left and my worst fears were confirmed. There it was. Like a flag - waving as an emblem of humiliation. My false blonde ponytail hairpiece - ripped from my head during an energetic guitar solo now firmly attached to the guitar's tuning pegs. Twenty years later I can almost appreciate the funny side and During a particularly dull English lesson I found my hand reaching for my head and I started running my hands through my hair until I came across a single strand and pulled it from my head. I felt a satisfying "thunk" as it came out and I studied the plump bulb at the end of the hair. I ran it across my lips a few times before nibbling the root. It felt good. It felt comforting. Little did I know this was that start of a journey which would last over 30 years. As a young girl I always had dramatic long hair, copper coloured, wavy and thick. The sort of hair women admire in magazines. As my TTM took hold what started as a slightly wider parting gradually became a receding hairline and then more noticeable thinning. This was the late 1970's. There was no Internet, nor were there magazines full of human interest articles and there certainly weren't any TV programmes dedicated to people with unusual medical conditions. I was on my own. I was the only one. For that reason there was no way I was going to share this with anyone. A worried mother dragged me off to the family doctor who was clueless but told my mother it was probably traction alopecia brought on by my having such long, thick, heavy hair. My mother's reaction was to march me straight home where she promptly cut off my beautiful long tresses until I was left with short hair. Even this devastating act did not prompt me to come clean and admit to pulling it myself. In my late teens I joined a band and found that the flamboyant image I had as lead singer allowed me to mask my ever-thinning hair. A dramatic up-do which was hair sprayed to within an inch of its life took ages to perfect but enabled me to go out - safe in the knowledge that my TTM remained a secret. Or did it? As I reflect over 2 decades, later I wonder whether anyone back then ever guessed my secret. No one ever mentioned it but there must have been people who wondered why my hand was forever reaching to my hair and I never wore my hair down. I only ever went out wearing a hair piece. On stage this look was acceptable - expected almost - but it became such a burden to have to maintain this hairstyle on days when I just wanted to disappear into the crowd in a supermarket. Like many TTM sufferers, I have done much sole-searching in an www.lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk   attempt to understand why I did this to myself. I was told I was attractive, I aspired to be glamorous, I liked to look nice. And yet there was a self-destructive force cutting through everything I stood for, everything I wanted to be. What I do know is that TTM is powerful. Once it has you in its grasp it doesn't want to let you go. It controls you by making pulling a pleasurable act, a comfort, a release from stress so you don't feel able to let it go. Like a domineering partner who has such a powerful hold on you that you can't leave - no matter how much you realise it's for the best. I would set myself challenges; every New Year's Eve I would ceremonially pull my last ever hair only to find myself pulling another one before the first day of January had got underway. On the night of my father's sudden death I told myself that the line had been drawn and I would never pull again, in his honour. The urge to pull would take over within a matter of hours. That really wasn't the right time to try to walk away from my demons. As the years passed, it became apparent that I wasn't alone and other people did this too. Magazine articles and problem pages emerged where the subject of hair pulling was discussed. It was little comfort as this was not something I was willing to admit to the world. My mother knew, presumably she guessed, and so did my husband although I have no recollection of actually telling him. This was my personal battle. I tried reiki, hypnosis, age regression therapy, aromatherapy, meditation and NLP. Apart from the briefest of respite, pulling persisted for another decade. For me it was difficult to find a solution to the problem as I actually found it to be such a pleasurable experience. By this stage I had been pulling almost continually for over 20 years. I couldn't wear my hair down. Whether I liked it or not, a disproportionate amount of my time would have to be spent doing my hair. I dreaded if ever I would have to go to hospital as my secret would be discovered (I have since learnt that thin is a common fear of TTM sufferers). I could not risk people turning in unannounced in case my hair was not presentable. Swimming and most outdoor pursuits were simply out the question. Looking back - I missed so many opportunities and denied myself so much as I struggled to cope alone with my situation. I woke up one day and realised that my life had been taken over by TTM and I wanted it back. A few years earlier I had read an article in a magazine about a company called Attention X which specialised in hair solutions for women with hair loss. The article had been ripped out and stashed away for another day. That day had arrived. With a degree of trepidation I called the company (now going by the name of The Lucinda Ellery Consultancy) and found myself confessing everything for the first time. It felt weird but strangely liberating to be openly discussing my problem with a complete stranger, especially someone who seemed so well Informed and non judgmental. My first consultation with Lucinda herself confirmed to me that the hair replacement system she could offer would solve my immediate cosmetic issues and would serve as a barrier preventing me from pulling further. But what I sensed beyond this was a genuine interest and concern for sufferers and a passion for helping people overcome their difficulties. This was to be far more than a "get your wig fitted, pay your money and walk away" experience and over the years the support and concern Lucinda and her team have shown me has been immense. On 30 June 2006 I arrived at Lucinda's London studio to have my Volumiser / Intralace System fitted. For 8 hours Sally and Ricardo busied themselves around me, creating a head of hair that I never dreamed possible. At the end of the day I stood, somewhat shell-shocked, at the tube station. It felt as if this was a new beginning. Suddenly I had regained some freedom in my in my life. My hair looked "normal". The next day I was hit by a massive lack of confidence and convinced myself that everyone would think it was a wig. Gradually I realised that everything was fine. I continued to wear the Intralace system for 5 years - regularly attending appointments. This was a significant financial commitment but I was fortunate in that I could afford it. I have kept every single receipt but vow never to add them all up. I had hoped that the system would act as an effective barrier and prevent me from pulling, but I found myself pulling again where the Intralace system had loosened. Lucinda's staff were so kind and never questioned this - they just understood. The turning point for me came when I found out about a health supplement called Acetylcysteine. I did some research and found that there had been a number of studies done which had found it to be effective in preventing hair pulling compulsions amongst other conditions. With only the slightest amount of optimism, I decided to give it a try and was staggered to find that my hair pulling urges completed stopped dramatically from the moment I started taking the tablets. I am most definitely not regarding this as a miracle cure as it most certainly isn’t. And whether I would have stopped anyway is www.lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk   something I will never know. But is seems to be too much of a coincidence that the two events occurred at the same time. My Intralace System was finally removed in early 2011 – an emotional day and I’m not afraid to admit (most uncharacteristically) I burst into tears when I arrived at Lucinda’s studio. I don’t think I fully realised the profound affect TTM had had on me until that moment. It felt like the end of the journey. Today, as I approach my 4th anniversary of being pull-free it feels as if I have finally been able to move on and put my 30 year old demons behind me for good. Difficult though it is to discuss openly, I feel it is important to give hope to the many people who continue to suffer from this condition and to show them that no matter how long you have been troubled by this, it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. It is possible to overcome it and to move on. Support is there and you do not have to deal with it alone. In a drawer at home, buried deep under a pile of old clothes rests my blond ponytail – rescued from the end of the guitar all those years ago. It remains a symbol of my past. Do I regret pulling my hair all those years? Of course I do – and had I not done so my hair would probably be a darn sight thicker today But it has made looked me what I am today and has shown me that it’s possible to overcome anything eventually – you just need to have support and wait for the right moment for it to happen for you. You just have to believe in yourself.       TTM International No Pulling Week We are very excited to announce that following the success of last year’s National No Pulling Week to raise awareness of trichotillomania, that this year we are aiming even higher and going global with the launch of International No Pulling Week. Taking place between 23rd September – 29th September, we will be campaigning with passion to raise awareness of TTM and make sure people know where the help is. We will be working with celebrity sufferers, as well as lots of exciting opportunities with magazines, newspapers and websites. So what is the best way to raise awareness and get TTM noticed? Speaking out! And we would love your help. Are you registered on our model database? Signing up to our model register helps Lucinda Ellery Studio by letting the world know what our wonderful team do and how others can get the help and support they need. As a thank you for helping us, we will help you by adding a credit to your account to go towards future appointments. If you would like more information, please speak to a Senior Advisor or email info@lucindaellery.com. Also remember that we are on Twitter and Facebook! Follow @LE_Consultancy on Twitter and like our Lucinda Ellery Consultancy Facebook page to get all of our updates and speak to Lucinda herself, and keep an eye out for the hashtag #InternationalNPW! FUNDING We are delighted that another Lucinda Ellery client has been successful in receiving NHS Funding towards her Intralace System™ and maintenance appointments. This particular client is from South East London and she first came to see us for a consultation in 2011. We are always upfront about how difficult it tends to be when applying for NHS Funding. Fundamentally it is the decision of the Clinical Commissioning Group, we do however have systems in place to guide you with your application. We do need to see clients for a consultation before we can help with the application, so remember that a consultation with us is your first step. An Individual Funding Request (IFR) will need to be made for clients who fall outside the range of services and treatments that the Clinical Commissioning Group has agreed to commission. In making a case for special consideration, it needs to be demonstrated that the client is significantly different to the general population of patients with the condition in question; and the patient is likely to gain significantly more benefit from the intervention than might be normally expected for patients with that condition. The fact that a treatment is likely to be efficacious for a patient is not, in itself, a basis for exceptionality. It is important that if you decide to embark on the journey of utilising a Hair Management System with Lucinda Ellery Consultancy that you can self-fund the application. It is not guaranteed that funding will be granted and can cause a great amount of anxiety emotionally, mentally, physically and financially if individuals are reliant on funding being granted. It also then causes further stress and impairment of quality of life when a system has to be removed, because you are no longer able to self-fund the on-going maintenance and application. Clients often enquire if funding is given to a particular age group, hair loss type or geographical area. We have had clients funded by the NHS for many years now and there is no common denominator. Clients that are currently receiving funding are managing different types of hair loss to include Trichotillomania, Post Radiotherapy Alopecia, Burns and Alopecia Areata. We would of course still encourage clients to apply for an ‘Individual Funding Request’ (IFR) and we are very happy to help in any way we can. When funding is approved it is fabulous and a good cause for celebration.   www.lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA Did you know that we are on Twitter and Facebook? Are you? If so, we want you to 'like' and 'follow' us and keep up to date with our latest news, studio information, celebrity updates, competitions and our favourite quotes of the day. Follow us on Twitter: @LE_Consultancy, @elleryhairfairy & @LucindaEllery Like us on Facebook: Lucinda Ellery Consultancy and Lucinda Ellery LITTLE MUFFINS NURSERY SCHOOL - LONDON ur philosophy is to put the child at the centre of everything we do, to provide a safe and stimulating environment where the children can learn and develop positively as individuals. Our little muffins house is set up to give a home from home feel with lots of fun and exciting activities carefully structured around the early years foundation stage curriculum. On weekends the little muffins house will open as a family club offering extra curricular activities for all ages such as: Photography, film club, cookery, theatre, arts and crafts, languages, music and much more. Little Muffins have been created by mums who are professionally trained that care about every aspect of the child’s well being. Little Muffins team are continuously commitment to delivering the highest quality of care for all families using our services and ensuring each and every child in our care is provided with consistency, quality and safety of care. The team at Little Muffins hopes to see you soon enrolling in their fabulous, newly renovated Nursery in London where they have the opportunity to meet and look after your precious little ones. Tatiana Galustian (Nursery Proprietor), Jennifer Fennessy (Nursery Proprietor), Geraldine Munnelly (Nursery Principal)   www.lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk