September 28th 2024.
Next in our story, we meet Lydia Morley, a 23-year-old young woman who has been facing a unique and challenging journey. After being diagnosed with Covid-19 a total of eight times, Lydia has now found herself without any hair. Her parents first noticed a bald patch on her head back in January, and since then, her once long and thick locks have been gradually thinning and falling out.
Concerned, Lydia booked an appointment with her GP, who diagnosed her with alopecia areata. This autoimmune disease causes the body's immune system to attack the hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. Lydia believes that her long battle with Covid-19 may have played a role in her developing alopecia.
Within just five months of her diagnosis, Lydia had lost a staggering 80% of her hair. As someone who used to love taking selfies, this sudden change has greatly affected her confidence. She no longer recognizes herself in the mirror and avoids being photographed. However, Lydia is determined to turn her experience into something positive by helping other young women who may be facing similar challenges.
Hailing from Newport, Wales, Lydia is now using her platform to raise awareness about her journey and encourage others to speak out about their experiences. She recalls first noticing that her hair was thinning in November of last year. She had always had long, thick hair, so this change was quite alarming to her. Clumps of hair would come out whenever she brushed it, and one day, her father even noticed a small patch on her head while she was cooking dinner.
The experience was intense, and Lydia admits to feeling quite stressed about the situation. However, at that point, she hadn't considered alopecia as a possible cause. It wasn't until she visited her GP that she received a definite diagnosis. But what exactly is alopecia, you may wonder?
Alopecia is a broad term used to describe any form of hair loss. It affects around 10,000 people in the UK, according to researchers. The condition can present itself in different ways, with some people experiencing hair loss in patches on their head, while others may lose all or most of the hair on their scalp. The most common type of alopecia is alopecia areata, also known as male and female pattern hair loss. This type usually causes round bald spots, but it can also affect hair on other parts of the body. The good news is that hair often grows back within a few months in about half of the cases.
The cause of alopecia is not always clear, and it can be triggered by various factors, including genetics, stressful events, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. Treatment options include Finasteride for men and minoxidil for women. When Lydia first visited her doctor, they believed that stress was the cause of her hair loss, but she insists that she is not a stressed person. She also mentions that she had already had Covid-19 six times before her diagnosis in November.
Researchers have also found a link between Covid-19 and temporary hair shedding. This condition, known as telogen effluvium, is characterized by an increase in hair loss a few months after a stressful event, such as catching the virus. However, studies have shown that this type of hair loss is usually temporary, and most patients recover within two to three months.
Despite her struggles, Lydia has managed to build a following on TikTok by sharing her journey. Her videos have amassed over 179,000 views and 8,000 likes, with many women showing their support in the comments section. One comment reads, "The ultimate hotness test is being able to look hot without your hair, and you passed with flying colors, babe. Very few can pull it off."
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