Actress Gail Mabalane got candid about her struggle with hair loss in honour of Alopecia Awareness Month.
Gail Mabalane shares her battle with Alopecia
Mabalane took to her Instagram account to give hope to other women battling the disorder and referred to September as Alopecia Universal Awareness Month.
The Blood & Water actress wrote:
“From receding hairlines to bald patches to hair loss that starts in the middle of the head to scalp sensitivity. We (women especially) have just become so good at hiding it and suffering/fighting it in silence.”
She continued on to say:
“My wish, is for everyone who is experiencing hair loss to know that you are not alone. I know that the experience comes with a ton of emotions. When we work through them, we come out stronger on the other side.”
In the post, Mabalane added that she started the brand because she struggled to find products to help with her hair’s regrowth.
The 37-year-old also revealed she started experiencing hair loss and noticed that she was getting bald patches from the middle of the head to scalp sensitivity three years ago. Adding to this, the actress also shared a few pointers about Alopecia, such as “finding the right products” and “being conscious of what you put your scalp and hair.”
Earlier this year, she said the trauma of losing hair and suffering gave her the inspiration to launch her haircare range. Mabalane has since partnered with Clicks to launch a new brand called Ethnogenics.
What is Alopecia?
Alopecia, according to Medical News Today, is an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. Like other diseases, it can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race, though most cases develop before the age of 30.
Alopecia does not directly make people sick, nor is it contagious. It can, however, be challenging to adapt to emotionally. For many people, it is a traumatic disease that warrants treatment addressing the emotional aspect of hair loss.
There is currently no cure for alopecia, although there are some forms of treatment that doctors can suggest to help the hair re-grow quickly.