A MUM whose teeth and hair fell out due to health problems looks unrecognisable after getting dentures and a wig aged 31.
Stacey Barbera, from Pennsylvania, US, says she feels “a million dollars” since making the investment.
The mum-of-seven suffered thyroid cancer and auto-immune illnesses which caused her to lose her hair and teeth over the years.
“I would be embarrassed to talk and smile because my teeth were so brittle, they were cracking, so I tried to cover my mouth as much as possible,” she said.
“My hair has been thinning since I was a child, but it has gotten so much worse in recent years.”
When Stacey puts her dentures in and her wig on, she looks like an entirely new woman, which has sent her self-esteem through the roof.
She is now hoping to spread positivity about younger people wearing dentures.
She said: “Since I got my dentures earlier this year, everything has changed for me.
“I have a shine about me now, whereas before I was so self-conscious of my teeth.
“There is such a stigma around dentures as people think they are for the elderly or that you have lost your teeth due to addiction, but there are many health reasons as to why people lose their teeth too.
“I have found it very fulfilling being open and positive with my journey with dentures, and others have said that I have even inspired them.”
Stacey, who is currently pregnant with her eighth child, found out she had thyroid cancer in January 2020 after discovering a lump in her neck.
The cancer is most common in people in their 30s and those over the age of 60, with women up to three times more likely to develop it than men.
Sometimes issues with the thyroid- a gland in the neck – and treatment for thyroid cancer can make people more prone to a dry mouth, which can be damaging for teeth.
“I was also severely anaemic and had a calcium deficiency,” Stacey said.
“All of this caused my teeth to become brittle; the enamel came off my teeth and they began to crack.”
By January this year, Stacey had lost four teeth and noticed a crack on her front tooth which sent her into a panic.
Her dentist confirmed that this tooth would need to be extracted which made Stacey weigh up her options about whether she would get a full upper denture.
“I had no choice but to have my broken teeth pulled out,” she said.
“After months of thinking about what I wanted to do, in April I decided to have my remaining nine top teeth removed and get dentures.
“I felt so worthless because I was so young and in the position of having to consider getting dentures.
“It took me a while to come to the decision because I thought my life would be over if I got dentures.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat or talk, and I thought they would look so obvious too.”
Stacey said she has had to adjust to her new look both with and without her new teeth.
She said: “It’s been hard accepting what I also look like without my dentures.
“I still get feelings of insecurity when I take my dentures out, but it has still been life-changing for me.
“Eventually I will need my bottom teeth done too but it will be after I have the baby.”
Stacey’s confidence has dramatically increased since her make over – which also included losing 110lbs (almost 8st) in the past two years.
She said: “I feel amazing now.
“I smile more than I have ever done before, and my smile is so much bigger now.
“It is the best feeling.
“My husband Joe [31] has been my number one supporter. We have been together since we were 12-years-old.
“If we hadn’t been together for as long as we have, I would have been worried about how my denture journey could have affected my relationship with him.
“But he always reminds me that I am beautiful no matter what.
“I love spreading positivity about dentures on social media, especially among young people who may be in a similar situation to me to help them.
“It’s so empowering.”
