ALEX Best feels young again, as though she’s found the secret to turning back the clock.
There’s certainly something different about her, but it’s elusive – you’d be hard pressed to pinpoint exactly what.
But speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Alex reveals the secret no one would ever guess – she’s wearing a wig.
Years of extensions left her fine hair fragile, and the menopause delivered a second blow.
By 53, she was avoiding mirrors and doing everything she could to hide the thinning she felt everyone else could see.
But this week, Alex finally saw a version of herself she recognised – all thanks to a discreet, confidence-boosting solution she shares exclusively with Fabulous.
Not a full wig, but a T-parting piece; a lightweight clip-on hidden under her own hair to create the thick, glossy bob she thought she’d lost forever.
“I’ve always had very fine hair, but the hair loss started a couple of years ago,” Alex says.
“It wasn’t dramatic, but there was definitely more down the plughole than there used to be.
“So when a friend from Northern Ireland, where George and I lived for a few years, told me about T-bar wigs that were being fitted by a hair loss specialist she knows, I leapt at the chance to have one fitted myself.
“I thought, this thing sounds amazing.”
Alex, former wife of the footballer George Best, the footballing genius who was tragically unable to beat his battle with alcoholism and died aged 59 in 2005, had the wig fitted on Monday and is thrilled with the result.
“When I was in the salon, in the mirror I saw someone with hair looking lovely and full, a thick full bob,” she says.
“Honestly, it felt amazing. I feel younger, and you’d never know.”
It’s a solution an increasing number of women are turning to in a bid to boost their thinning locks.
Alex had her T-bar wig fitted by hair loss specialist, Bridgeen King, who has a salon in Northern Ireland and is opening a new salon in London in January to meet demand.
Bridgeen says that over the past few years, the number of bespoke T-bar hair pieces she has produced for clients has increased by 60 per cent.
Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with the trend, with TikTok featuring more than 350,000 videos on the topic.
In Alex’s case, hair extensions have played a critical part in the thinning of her hair. The human hair extensions she’d used for 20 years to make her hair look thicker ended up tearing it to pieces.
“The extensions weren’t long, they weren’t for length, just for thickness,” says Alex.
‘Falling to bits’
“They were a pain in the neck to maintain. You have to have special shampoo. Drying took longer than normal. But worst of all, they were damaging my hair. They were pulling on my hair, tearing it.
“If one fell out, quite a lot of my hair fell out with the extension. I’d put them in to make my hair look thicker, but in the end they made my hair even thinner.
“Luckily my best friend is a hairdresser. She said, ‘Take them out, you don’t need them’. So I had them removed two years ago.”
But Alex continued to lose hair. As a former model, she knows some tricks of the trade, and would “shush it up” and blast root spray on her hair to within an inch of its life, but her hair had lost its volume, and she could see the hair loss in places.
Recently she had her hair cut into a shorter bob, which helped, but she was still acutely aware of the hair loss.
“Over the past year or so, I thought, ‘This is no good, my hair is falling to bits’,” she says.
Alex sent photos of her hair and scalp to Bridgeen, who set about creating a bespoke T-bar hair piece for her. The specialist makes her wigs from hair given by graduating students and dyes and cuts it to match the client.
They’re not cheap – ranging from £500 to £800 – but with care will last at least five years and you can bet any woman experiencing the distress of hair loss will be willing to forgo a weekend away, or a holiday to get back the hair they had in their youth.
Bridgeen had done highlights to match my own highlights. Like my hair, the wig is darker at the roots
“Ordinarily you would have fittings and measurements,” explains Alex, “but as I’m in Surrey, I sent pictures to Bridgeen.”
Alex flew to Belfast last weekend to attend an awards ceremony, then had the wig fitting on Monday.
“Talking to Bridgeen, it was really interesting to learn how menopause and lack of oestrogen affects the hair,” says Alex.
“Menopause is a change, that’s why they call it the change.”
Settled into the chair, Alex examined her bespoke hair piece.
“The matching to my blonde highlights was absolutely fantastic,” says Alex.
“Bridgeen had done highlights to match my own highlights. Like my hair, the wig is darker at the roots, a quarter of an inch darker.”
Bridgeen then did the wig fitting. She trimmed Alex’s hair and cut the wig a little so that it would seamlessly blend into her hair.
Alex’s hair was combed forward and the wig placed on her crown, then attached with clips. Her own hair was then placed over it to conceal the hair piece.
Taboo subject
“The clips are those that you clip and then press down,” says Alex. “The hair piece felt really secure and comfortable.
“It fitted perfectly. My hair felt heavier, it felt healthy. I was so pleased with the result.
“My hair felt all bouncy, it gave me a spring in my step.”
Alex says many women may not realise just how much hair loss is affecting their confidence.
“It really impacts how you feel. I couldn’t believe how different I felt with the T-bar in place. Menopause is much more talked about than it was in the past and this is one big thing that it does affect.
“I think it’s really positive that people are being more open about hair loss. You don’t have to just put up with it, there are ways around it.”
So many people are suffering from hair loss – everyone’s talking about it
The T-bar wig can be easily clipped in and out and is low maintenance – Bridgeen recommends washing it about once every six weeks.
The expert says over the past few years, she has seen a huge increase in women coming to her to be treated for hair loss.
Such is the demand, she is opening a new clinic in London’s swanky Mayfair in January. “It’s massive,” she says. “There are many reasons – menopause, genetics, stress.
“T-bar wigs have been around for a long time but people are just starting to talk about them now.
“A lot of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, openly wear wigs, which has made them a talking point. But a lot who wear them don’t talk about them. Hair loss is very, very common.
“It used to be a taboo subject but people are speaking about it now, it’s ok to talk about it. So many people are suffering from hair loss – everyone’s talking about it.”
After speaking to Bridgeen, Alex now plans to take extra care of her hair.
“Your scalp is your skin and you should be treating it as you do your face, exfoliating it, oiling it,” she says. “I’m going to be doing that from now on.”
Alex was married to Belfast born George Best from 1995 until their divorce in 2004. She supported him through his battle with alcoholism, and they remained close up to his death in November 2005.
Tuesday this week was his 20th anniversary, so he has been especially on her mind.
“I’m always thinking of him, and on Sunday, while I was in Northern Ireland, I went to his grave,” says Alex.
“The anniversary has been quite a big thing over there. I always feel he’s around me. I do think of him with great fondness, I remember the good times.”
Nowadays Alex lives a quiet life in Surrey with her dog.
I couldn’t believe how different I felt with the T-bar in place
“I’ve got a really old cottage, it’s got a nice vibe. I’m single and enjoying it. I can watch the telly programmes I want. I’m on my own, I’ve got my dogs. I don’t think I could be with anyone now, I’m set in my ways.”
But Alex isn’t entirely resigned to being single forever.
“I don’t think the right person has turned up, but he must be around somewhere,” she says.
Alex is looking forward to going out with her girlfriends and showing off her new barnet.
“I’ve told them all about it and I can’t wait to show off my new hair when I meet them for lunch. I’m going to wear it all the time when I go out… though perhaps not when I’m walking the dogs.
“It’s incredible – I love it.”
Rush hair expert reveals how to repair damaged hair
TINA Farey, Editorial director at Rush Hair, shares her advice…
HOW TO RESTORE DAMAGED HAIR
Whilst you can’t fully reserve the effects of damaged hair, you can stop the problem from growing.
Depending on the condition of your hair, I’d recommend getting a trim every six to eight weeks – this will prevent any split ends from travelling further up the hair shaft, which weakens the hair’s overall structure and leads to more breakage.
Even just an inch of the ends will completely transform the appearance of your hair – trust me.
When it comes to products to help restore damaged hair, Goldwell’s Rich Repair Treatment Mask is a firm favourite – strengthening damaged locks to be healthy and shiny once again.
HOW TO PREVENT DAMAGE
My number one tip is to always use a heat protectant – even if you’re only blow-drying your hair.
Consistent heat styling without one will leave your hair open to heat damage.
I’d also recommend refraining from over-washing your hair as this can strip the hair of its natural oils – nobody wants a dry and irritated scalp!
And finally, swap your sleek, slick back for a hair down day!
They may be in fashion at the moment, but over time all that tension on your strands from being pulled will wreak havoc on your hair follicles – this could lead to thinning and bald spots in areas where the hair is constantly pulled.
