Leanne Evans had always loved her hair. The 32-year-old from Enfield, London, recalls fondly her ‘thick, soft and shiny’ black hair that stretched down to her lower back.
However, in March 2025, everything changed for the school worker when her mum pointed out a bald spot that had formed on the right side of her scalp.
In the following weeks, Leanne noticed two more bald spots. And when Leanne went to see a hair specialist, she was given unwelcome news: she had alopecia areata – a common balding condition that mainly affects men but, in some cases, can afflict women too.
Studies suggest around 400,000 people in the UK have alopecia areata – and hair loss is on the rise among women for reasons that are unclear to doctors.
It is estimated about eight million women in the UK experience some form of hair loss, particularly as they age. By the time they are post-menopausal, half will have some degree of hair loss, according to the Institute of Trichologists.
Online searches for ‘hair loss’ and ‘hair thinning’ in women have more than doubled since 2021. There are also 4.7million posts on Instagram about #hairloss and hundreds have viewed videos on TikTok.
For Leanne, the loss of her hair was devastating.
‘I was heartbroken’, says Leanne. ‘I wanted to do everything I could to fix it.’
Leanne Evans, from Enfield, London, had always loved her hair. The 32-year-old recalls fondly her ‘thick, soft and shiny’ black hair that stretched down to her lower back
Leanne says within weeks she began to notice hair growing back. At first, the new hair was white and just an inch long. But, over several months, it returned to its normal colour
First, Leanne saw her GP who prescribed vitamin D and iron tablets. Studies show that low levels of these crucial nutrient can speed up hair loss – meaning that boosting levels can slow the impact of alopecia areata.
But Leanne say this had little effect. Desperate for a solution, Leanne began researching online. There, she came across a potential surprising solution: rosemary oil.
In recent years, the natural remedy, which can bought online for around £8 a bottle, has become a social media sensation. More than one billion people have watched clips about the remedy’s supposed hair-regrowth properties.
As a result, chemists have reported record sales of rosemary oil. In recent years, the natural health high street shop Holland & Barrett has had a 70 per cent increase in sales.
Some experts argue it can improve blood flow in the scalp and block a hormone linked to baldness.
They also point to studies that appear to show that rosemary oil is an effective hair regrowth treatment.
Leanne says she was, at first, sceptical that rosemary oil would help. However, when she consulted her GP, she was told that it might be worth a go – and was unlikely to make her hair loss worse.
So, a month after she began to notice the hair loss, Leanne began to use the product – lathering it into her hair three times a week, which she would keep in for four to six hours before she washed it.
When Leanne went to see a hair specialist, she was given unwelcome news: she had alopecia areata – a common balding condition that mainly affects men but, in some cases, can afflict women too
For Leanne, the loss of her hair was devastating. ‘I was heartbroken’, says Leanne. ‘I wanted to do everything I could to fix it’
It wasn’t the only step Leanne took to improve her hair.
Following research she had found online, Leanne says she stopped blow-drying her hair and tying her hair up in tight plaits or ponytails.
Some experts believe that modern hairstyles that involve scrapping the hair back into a bun, could be, in part, to blame for the rise in female hair loss.
Astonishingly, Leanne says within weeks she began to notice hair growing back. At first, the new hair was white and just an inch long.
But over several months, it returned to its normal colour and, crucially, continued to grow – reaching five inches in length, according to Leanne.
After around three months, Leanne says the bald spots were mostly covered.
‘I’m relieved and grateful to have that back,’ she says.
‘Some of the hair isn’t quite long enough to fit into a bun or a plait. But it is about maintaining what I’ve got and I’m hopeful it will grow back better and thicker again now.’
Experts say that medical studies have shown that rosemary oil can improve hair growth.
Leanne’s hair continued to grow – reaching five inches in length. Her hair is pictured now
Leanne’s advice to others is to ‘remain patient’ and ‘trust the process’
One 2015 study, which involved 100 people with pattern baldness, found rosemary oil was just as effective at increasing hair growth over six months as the popular and effective prescription drug minoxidil.
However, experts point out this study compared rosemary oil with a low-strength dose of minoxidil.
Research shows that regular strength minoxidil – as well as another hair-loss drug called finasteride – are far more effective than rosemary oil.
Experts also warn that overusing rosemary oil can harm the scalp – and may even worsen hair loss.
‘Rosemary oil, especially in its undiluted form, can be irritating on the skin. This can lead to more hair loss,’ says Dr Sharon Wong, a London-based consultant dermatologist and hair specialist.
But, for Leanne, the remedy is worth the risk – though she advises that women take other steps, like avoiding blow-drying their hair, alongside it.
Leanne said: ‘I’d encourage others to use these similar products whether it’s for hair thinning or hair loss. Just remain patient and trust the process.’
