Kayla Martell, Bald Miss Delaware, Brings National Attention To Alopecia

“I think I can be a better Miss Delaware and Miss America by taking the wig off, because it shows people the initial reaction that I am healthy and I’m fine. All we do is we lose our hair, right?”

America’s First State has crowned a bald beauty.

Kayla Martell won the coveted titled in the 2010 Miss Delaware pageant this month, but the 21-year-old student is snatching national headlines for a different reason. Martell suffers from Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the hair follicles and causes sufferers to lose their hair, she has been going bald since she was 11. Pageant fans have been captivated by the stunner’s confidence and display of grace, but Kayla admits she never would have found the courage to compete in the Miss Delaware competition without the encouragement of a 5-year-old girl also suffering from the disease.