A TEENAGER who lost her hair after being struck down by alopecia is hoping her life will be transformed by a revoluntionary new treatment.

Cassie Blackstock, 15, began losing chunks of her hair when she was just 11, until she lost it all, including eyelashes and brows.

Her family say the Norden High School pupil often misses out on normal teenage outings because of the restrictions of her wig.

The blonde hairpiece the Rishton teenager currently wears is liable to slip off at any moment and her family say the situation affects her confidence.

Parents Belinda and Andrew Blackstock, of Commercial Street, plan to begin a series of fundraising events to help raise awareness of the condition, and to help pay for a realistic hair replacement system for Cassie, which is not available on the NHS.

The couple, who work as a PA and builder, need to raise thousands to pay for the highly advanced hair-piece over the coming years.

The specialist hair replacement system involves a custom-made net of breathable mesh being surgically attached to the scalp.

The real hair attached can even be brushed back into a pony tail to show a natural looking hairline. The result appears exactly like real hair to others and can even worn while swimming.

Mum Belinda, 42, said Cassie was skilled at using makeup to replace her lost lashes and brows but that her wig was totally inadequate for an active teenage girl.

She said: “It was very sad when we began taking her to the doctor over losing her hair and they told us it was alopecia and there was no cure.

"If anything though, it affects her more deeply now, because she is reaching that age when she needs to be like her friends.

“The Hair System will free her from the inconvenience of wearing a wig and make her feel like any other young teenager. We also want to raise awareness of the condition, because hardly anyone ever talks about it.”

Doctors have been unable to pinpoint a cause for the alopecia, which can be hereditary or is sometimes caused by stress. Hair System would cost the family approximately £3,000 a year, including monthly maintainance.

The couple said a seven-mile sponsored walk from the Roebuck Inn has already raised hundreds of pounds to begin the appeal, and thanked those who took part this weekend.

They hope to unveil a dedicated fundraising website.