Kayla Martell Miss America Contestant Removes Wig to Foster Understanding of Alopecia (Baldness)

We've all heard the expression, beauty comes from within, but is that really true? In a society as obsessed with outer beauty as ours can a young woman win the Miss America title without wearing a wig to cover up her bald head?

Kayla Martell, Miss Delaware 2010, oozes self-confidence and is a shining beauty with or without her wig, and I'm not just saying that because she hails from my hometown of Milford, Delaware, or because I'm a nurse and Kayla suffers from alopecia areata, an incurable autoimmune condition that causes early hair loss in 4.7 million Americans. Sure I'd like her to win, but on her own merits not a sympathy vote. And from what I've seen and know about Kayla she deserves to win the crown based on achievements, poise, self-confidence and talent. She does not let alopecia define her and feels she won the Delaware title because the judges knew she was ready for the job.

Every Miss America contestant chooses a platform (cause) to promote, but If Kayla Martell wins the crown she won't just be talking about a cause, she'll be living it. Becoming the next Miss America would give her the opportunity to inspire millions of bald headed women to feel more comfortable and self-confident about their condition. And it would help raise funds for her designated charity, the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF.)

The amazing thing about Kayla is that she is completely comfortable being seen in public with or without her wig. Diagnosed with alopecia at the tender age of 10, she attributes the support of her parents and her faith as key factors in her ability to accept herself and "feel beautiful just as I am."

In 2006 she placed 4th runner up when competing without her wig. This year she kept a wig on during the competition and won the Miss Delaware 2010 title. She is still undecided about whether she will wear her soft blonde wig during the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas in January 2011.

Kayla Martell's persistence in coming back multiple years to compete for the Miss Delaware title wasn't all her own doing, though. When she lost the 2009 pageant, a fellow alopecia sufferer who was just five years old, Liliana Hakim, told her, "You're my Miss America and I want you to keep trying." And so Kayla promised she wouldn't give up, which was why Liliana accompanied Kayla onstage in the 2010 Delaware pageant, sporting her own beautiful bald head.

It is children like Liliana who are Kayla's inspiration. Kayla brought her crown to the NAAF's International conference this year and kids with alopecia took turns trying it on, excited that someone who was bald like them could become the next Miss America. Kayla told them what her parents told her when she was first diagnosed, "Beauty comes in all different packages. You are beautiful and whatever makes you different, embrace it."

The Miss Delaware Send-Off Party was held at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in mid December. To the delight of her fans and supporters, Kayla Martell modeled 15 dresses and 2 of the evening gowns were enthusiastically applauded.

Miss Delaware also responded to questions and was asked whether her competing in a wig, as she now plans to do, detracts from her platform to which Ms. Martell answered, "If anything, I think it makes me more approachable and more able to spread the message."

Miss Martell also said she has been pleased by the extensive media coverage of her platform because it's already helped her get information out about alopecia areata on a national level. Perhaps the most touching story of how she's been able to inspire others who have alopecia was a young woman named Candace Akerson, of Montgomery, Alabama who was in the audience for the send-off. Ms. Akerson's boyfriend lives in Delaware and because he knew how much Candace admired Miss Delaware, he surprised her by taking her to the send-off to meet Kayla Martell in person.

Delawareans are rooting for Kayla Martell to win the Miss America Pageant on Jan. 15, 2011 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and her home state supporters gave her a beautiful send-off.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes chunks of hair to fall out. Most patients experience patchy round spots of hair loss that may eventually progress into total baldness on the scalp and body. Fall-out and regrowth of hair can occur in cycles though some sufferers never experience regrowth.

In an interview with Stylelist.com Miss Delaware explained the condition this way, "We're just normal people without hair! We are otherwise healthy human beings, our bodies are just allergic to our hair. But, it is also important to understand the stigma associated with baldness and the emotional stress that comes from the unpredictable nature of the hair loss."

As stated in the beginning of this article, Kayla Martell comes from my home state of Delaware and although our state is small, Kayla represents the best kind of Delawarean- one whose heart is big and character is hearty and strong. I hope she wins the 2011 Miss America pageant because she's ready for the job and would make a fantastic ambassador for her chosen charity. She would also make an excellent role model for many other kids who look different from their peers and are struggling with issues of low self-esteem. 

On her official Miss Delaware 2010 blog, Kayla wrote that she gets her wigs from Salon Rispoli in Newark, DE.

Mario Rispoli is the salon owner and the phone number for the salon is 302-731-9202. Salon Rispoli offers expertise in non-surgical hair replacement services for women and men, hair extension services and both medical and fashion wig services.  

Kayla Martell looked gorgeous in a long blonde wig and sounded upbeat and confident when she introduced herself at the televised 2011 Miss America Pageant by stating: "Representing the Diamond State, with our tax-free shopping, a girl just can't lose."

She won the heart of the American people who voted her "America's Choice," through text messages, Facebook and You Tube. It was the "America's Choice" vote that propelled her into the top 10 finalists, but alas, the judges didn't agree with her many fans and failed to award her the Miss America crown.

However, Miss Delaware represented my state very well and looked stunning during the swimsuit and evening gown competitions. But I was most proud of her modern ballet routine during the talent portion of the pageant as she dance the entire routine en pointe to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."

Thanks to all who voted for our Delaware beauty queen. She will always be a winner to us.

Kayla Martell ended her reign as Miss Delaware 2010 by passing the crown to Maria Cahill, the winner of the 2011 Miss Delaware Pageant that was held at the Rollins Center at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino on June 11, 2011.

Ms. Martell's advice to the new Miss Delaware was to trust in herself and that even though a Delaware contestant has never won the Miss America title, it is still possible that Maria Cahill can be the first Delawarean to win it.

Ms. Martell also thanked all of her supporters both within and without the state of Delaware for helping her bring awareness to her chosen platform of educating others about alopecia.

Her future plans include starting two part-time internships , one at the radio station, Eagle 97.7 and the other at the news station WBOC which she hopes will help her make an ultimate career decision as to whether she should pursue broadcast journalism or a career in radio.

Either way, I suspect we will be hearing more from Ms. Kayla Martell and that thought makes me, one of her loyal fans very happy.

Being diagnosed with alopecia during the teen years can be particularly hard on an alopecia sufferer's self-esteem as this is the time when young people want to be the same as their peers. To read about one teen's battle with this autoimmune disorder go to the following link: