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Ashley Tisdale Reveals Alopecia Diagnosis, Has Suffered From Hair Loss Since Her Early 20s
Opening up. Ashley Tisdale revealed that she has alopecia, which has caused her to suffer from hair loss since her early 20s. Keep scrolling to learn about the condition, see what she’s said about it and more.
What Is Alopecia?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes your hair to fall out, according to WebMD. The hair often comes out in clumps the size and shape of a quarter, though the amount of hair loss is different for everyone.
What Has Ashley Tisdale Said About Having Alopecia?
“Alopecia and hair loss are fairly common, but a lot of people feel embarrassed to talk about these issues. Any type of hair loss can affect your self-esteem, especially if you feel like you’re the only one going through it,” Ashley wrote alongside an Instagram post on her skincare line Frenshe’s account on Wednesday, January 11. “That’s why I want to talk about it openly—because it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
The High School Musical alum explained that the condition is sometimes “connected to hormones,” while other times it’s heredity. “For me, it’s connected to stress overload,” she shared. “Today on @frenshe I’m sharing what I’ve learned about my alopecia and how I help manage it.”
On the Frenshe website, Ashley said that she noticed she was losing hair while filming a TV show.
“A couple of months ago, while simultaneously moving, starting a home renovation, and kicking off a TV project, I noticed that a patch of my hair was starting to fall out,” the mother of one recalled.
Ashley noted that it was not the first time she noticed hair loss, adding that she first experienced it in her early 20s. “Nothing major—just a small section behind my ear—but still, it was happening, and not for the first time,” she said. “A few years ago, the same thing happened when I was overly stressed, so I knew exactly what I was experiencing: alopecia.”
How Does Ashley Tisdale Manage Her Alopecia?
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody alum explained that she likes to do yoga, meditate and go to therapy in order to manage her stress.
“I find what has helped me, is stress management. Obviously, mediation,” she said. “A lot of the time, my Cortisol is up, because I’m sometimes putting stress on myself for no reason, but it’s really important to know what’s a big deal versus what is not a big deal.”
Another more “expensive route” she’s tried is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which uses a patient’s own blood cells to help healing in a specific area.
“I do find it’s really helpful for alopecia,” she said of the treatment.
Additionally, Ashley has started the autoimmune paleo diet. She explained that she has reintroduced inflammatory foods into her diet to promote gut health.
“It first of all just makes you feel better,” the Scary Movie 5 actress said of the diet. “And it really is healing towards the gut. You don’t want to kind of be on it for a lifestyle diet, but it’s good to do a 30-day thing with it.”
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