Melanie Sykes has proudly showed off her baldness on Instagram, marking a new chapter in her battle with alopecia. The 55-year-old TV presenter posted a smiling photo of her completely bald head on June 28, with the caption: "Loss + Gain + Life." The image has been reposted over 800 times by fans showing support.
Rapid Hair Loss and Embracing the Condition
Sykes first revealed her alopecia diagnosis last year, but recently shared that her hair has been falling out "really quickly." Just days before posting the bald photo, she stated she was "two-thirds bald." Despite the initial pain, she now laughs about it, saying: "Every time I say I'm bald I laugh, I don't know why… Thank God I can laugh."
During her journey, Sykes wore head scarves to cover patches of hair loss, but last month she mentioned trying wigs as she is keen to "get some hair."
Understanding Alopecia
According to the NHS, alopecia is a general term for hair loss that can range from thinning to complete hair loss. It can affect the scalp, body hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. The most common form is alopecia areata, caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles.
While the exact cause is unclear, it can be linked to other autoimmune conditions like thyroid disease, vitiligo, and type 1 diabetes. Genetics, family history, and stress may also play a role. There is no cure, but treatments include steroid creams, injections, and immunosuppressants, though they are not always effective.
Sykes' Health Struggles and Stress
Sykes first opened up about her diagnosis last year, revealing she had "crazy inflammation" and was too ill to finish her meditation teacher training. She attributed her condition to stress from allegations against TV chef Gino D'Acampo, with whom she worked on ITV's Let's Do Lunch with Gino and Mel from 2011 to 2014.
In a video, she shared that she developed an irregular heartbeat and rapid hair loss, saying: "I went into the New Year with so much energy. I’ve slowed things down because I got a heart problem, which I developed during the whole Gino D’Acampo bull**** that happened in the news. And suddenly, the stress levels in my life shot up because I left that industry years ago but it won’t leave me alone."
