Alongside her stunning singing voice, Ashley Tisdale is known for her long, thick locks. Yet, the High School Musical star is battling with a condition that affects 6.8 million people in the United States.
Alopecia areata is also known as spot baldness as it causes hair loss in patches on the body. The condition is believed to be an autoimmune disease, with stress and illness sometimes bring the trigger.
“The hair grew back, and it always does, thankfully. But there’s been a couple of times in my life where I’ve had very stressful events,” Tisdale said in a video which she posted on Instagram.
As stress is a major contributor, the 37-year-old has developed ways to cope and stay calm.
“A lot of time my cortisol is up because I’m sometimes putting stress on myself for no reason, so it’s really important to know what is actually a big deal versus what’s not a big deal,” she explained.
Yoga, meditation, and therapy are all stress management practises that the Disney Channel alum engages in.
Another method which Tisdale has explored is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. The process involves taking a patient’s blood, filtering it to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the red blood cells, and then injecting that plasma into the affected area.
The actress said that the injections fixed the bald spot on her hairline and that she has not lost hair there since. She is now trying PRP on a spot behind her ear.
“Know that if you struggle with it you are not alone,” Tisdale assured her fans.
