Suffering from alopecia areata…a beauty queen who appears without a wig (photos)

Sickler (22 years old) is preparing for the final round of the competition scheduled for Friday, October 24, where the winner will be crowned the national title.

Sickler had previously spoken about her experience with alopecia, which was diagnosed in December 2024 after hair loss in patches, which later developed into complete loss of eyelashes and eyebrows. She explained: “I looked at myself in the mirror and did not recognize myself… I felt that I had lost everything that represented me.”

Before the injury, Marie had been participating in beauty pageants since childhood, and had established a presence in the fashion industry, including a campaign for Louis Vuitton. After her diagnosis, she temporarily withdrew from work, but returned in 2025 to participate in beauty competitions, achieving second place in the Miss Texas contest, before being crowned Miss Nevada, which qualified her to participate at the national level.

A month before the national competition, Sickler decided to go public and reveal her condition on social media, becoming the first woman diagnosed with alopecia universalis to participate in the Miss USA pageant. She said: “I never imagined that I would step onto the Miss America podium without hair, but today I am proud of it. It took me a long time to see myself as beautiful, and now I realize that beauty begins with accepting yourself.” (Erm News)