Melanie Sykes has shared a photo of her entirely bald head on social media, providing a brave update on her alopecia condition. The 55-year-old television presenter, best known for co-hosting Today with Des and Mel alongside Des O'Connor and Let's Do Lunch with Gino D'Acampo, first revealed she had alopecia last year, describing it as causing 'so much pain'.
From Two-Thirds Bald to Completely Bald
Earlier in the week, Sykes told her Instagram followers she was 'two thirds bald' due to the autoimmune condition. On Sunday, June 28, she posted a selfie showing no hair remaining, captioning it: 'Loss + Gain = Life.' The image showed her smiling despite the hair loss.
Sykes has been open about her struggle with alopecia, which she attributes to an autoimmune condition. She explained: 'I've got an autoimmune condition, I am losing my hair, I keep having crazy inflammation all over and I am working on healing.'
Living a Spiritual Existence
In her recent posts, Sykes revealed she has been focusing on her spiritual well-being. 'In the last three months, I've done a meditation teacher training course. I was too ill to finish it like. The last two days of it I couldn't do. It's meditation teacher training, I don't necessarily want to teach, but I can do,' she said.
'Mostly I've been living a very, very very spiritual existence. I'm two-thirds bald, really. Every time I say I'm bald I laugh, I don't know why… Thank god I can laugh.'
Understanding Alopecia and Hair Loss
According to the NHS, losing hair is usually not a cause for concern, but it can be distressing. Treatment may help with some types of hair loss. Some types, like male and female pattern baldness, are permanent and often hereditary. Other types may be temporary, caused by illness, stress, cancer treatment, weight loss, or iron deficiency.
Sykes previously shared that she was experiencing 'Post-Traumatic Growth', a positive psychological change after trauma. She noted she had excessive inflammation throughout her body but felt she was 'vibrating high' after 'transcending trauma.'
Message to Fans: Don't Worry
In recent months, Sykes urged fans not to worry about her health, saying 'there is nothing to fear.' However, she expressed a preference not to discuss her condition further. 'It's not like I'm hiding it, I'd just rather have a conversation about something else because I've got that down and I'm healing myself. Worry about yourselves, if anything, and I don't even mean worry about yourselves, I just mean attend to your own spiritual garden, yourself, your body, your mind, your creative spirit.'
She added: 'Don't worry about me, I've got me, I've always got me, I've learned to really take care of myself in the last two years.'
