In the space of a week, Caitlin Leigh's hair was falling out in large chunks and she began having seizures, but had no idea what was causing either.

One year ago, she was plaiting her hair on the way to work when it just started coming out in her hands.

After only seven days, she had lost 60% of her brown locks and one month later was diagnosed with alopecia areata.

WATCH: Caitlin was having 20 seizures a day

"I mean lets face it, how do you react to that. It was shocking to both me and my family." said Caitlin.

"As well as losing a lot of my head hair I have also lost body hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and nose hairs."

If this was not enough to come to terms with, the 21-year-old from Tonbridge began having seizures just a week after the hair loss.

"I was with my mum in my bedroom and she recalls my whole body shaking.

"She called an ambulance and I was taken to hospital where I was having up to eight seizures an hour."

They went on like this for 11 days. At the worst point, Caitlin was having 20 seizures a day.

At the end of April came her second diagnosis - non-epileptic seizures.

Both the alopecia and seizures were caused by Caitlin's brain being overloaded with stress due to chronic stomach pain she had been experiencing for months.

She later found the pain was caused by adenomyosis- where the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall.

But Caitlin was determined not to let these conditions take over her life.

"I decided I was going to take control, I couldn't control the seizures but I could have some control over my appearance and the stress the hair loss was causing me.

"I braved the buzz and shaving my head made me feel so much more confident."

At the end of last year she featured in Fabulous magazine and shortly after, was scouted by Zebedee- an agency for diverse models.

"I was not too sure how to answer at first.

"But then I thought - I want to show people my seizures and hair loss do not stop me from enjoying my day to day life."

Two weeks on the books and she landed a job with Primark and has since worked with another popular brand, Tu.

"It is nerve racking but I really enjoy it.

"I take each day as it comes as I am always facing different obstacles on this journey" - Caitlin Leigh

"It is important more diversity is seen within the fashion industry as it shows people nothing should hold you back."

Caitlin has to use a wheelchair a lot of the time because of the seizures, but is not afraid to embrace this within her shoots.

With it now being a year since she began losing her hair, Caitlin is reflecting upon her journey so far.

She just hit 2000 followers on Instagram, which is a significant landmark in her aim to raise awareness of alopecia and she continues to work with Zebedee, modelling part-time.

"I do it as much as I can when I'm feeling up to it but am really focussing on my Instagram at the moment."

She added: "I take each day as it comes as I am always facing different obstacles on this journey.

"I am now having seizures about every two and a half hours and am starting CBT next month which should hopefully calm them down by finding the underlying problems."

Living with her mum, Esther, stepdad Stephen and little sister Elizabeth just off of Whistler Road, Caitlin is also a big animal-lover and festival-goer, with her Reading Festival ticket already booked.

You can find Caitlin's Instagram at @hairismyjourney and her blog at hairismyjourney.weebly.com