JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8/themes/dot-luv/jquery-ui.css">

JavaScript

var string = "|0|0|0|0";
var newString = string.indexOf('|') == 0 ? string.substring(1) : string;
alert(newString); // 0|0|0|0