Former England flanker Heather Fisher says wigs were thrown at her after alopecia left her bald

Heather Fisher, a former England and Team GB rugby flanker, has described being targeted with abuse while playing after she lost her hair to alopecia, saying wigs were thrown at her on the sidelines and people questioned her gender.

In an interview with BBC Sport, Fisher, 41, who retired from the game in 2021, said her sudden hair loss left her confidence severely damaged and that there needs to be greater public understanding of women living with alopecia. "It's not all cancer, and it's not all fashion," she said.

Fisher said the condition began after she suffered a back injury during the 2010 Rugby World Cup. She and others believe that the injury triggered the autoimmune condition that caused her hair to fall out rapidly. "All my hair fell out in about five weeks. I was holding on to strands of hair," she told the broadcaster.

She described the emotional toll of the change, saying her confidence was so low that she "couldn't look at myself in the mirror for maybe four or five years." Despite continuing to play at the highest level in the years before her retirement, Fisher said she encountered hostility from spectators and opponents once her hair loss became visible. "I've had wigs thrown at me. I'm about to go and play and just wigs thrown at me at the side of the pitch," she said, adding that being a bald woman subjected her to intrusive questioning about her gender.

Fisher's account highlights challenges faced by people with alopecia, an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall out in patches or entirely. While medical understanding of triggers varies, physical trauma, stress and other health events have been identified by clinicians and patients as potential contributors to the onset or exacerbation of the condition.

Fisher, who grew up in the Midlands and built a prominent international career as a flanker with England's Red Roses, called for more awareness and sensitivity toward women with visible hair loss. Her remarks come amid broader conversations about the stigma attached to medical hair loss and the assumptions people make linking baldness to serious illness or to fashion choices such as wig-wearing.

Her story underscores the intersection of health, appearance and sport, and the particular pressure athletes can face when medical conditions become visible in public arenas. Fisher's experience also illustrates how stigma and abuse can persist even as teams and governing bodies promote inclusion and respect.

Fisher retired from international rugby in 2021 after a career that included caps for England and representing Team GB. In speaking publicly about her experience, she has urged better public education about alopecia and greater compassion for those affected by visible health conditions.

Medical professionals recommend that people who experience sudden or extensive hair loss seek evaluation to determine the cause and discuss treatment and support options. Support groups and charities working with people with alopecia also emphasize mental-health resources and community support to address the emotional impact of the condition.

Fisher's testimony contributes to an evolving public discussion about how sports communities and the wider public respond to athletes coping with health issues that affect appearance, and it has prompted renewed calls from advocates for more informed discourse and less stigma.