Actress and businesswoman Gail Mabalane has opened up about her battles with Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes the hair to come out, often in clumps the size and shape of a quarter.
Mabalane made reference to September being Alopecia Universal Awareness Month, giving the hope to countless women who are living with the disorder. Alopecia affects men and women and involves the loss of facial and body hair, as well as hair on the scalp.
“My wish is for everyone who is experiencing hair loss to know that you are not alone. I know that the experience comes with a ton of emotions. When we work through them, we come out stronger on the other side,” she wrote.
Mabalane shared that three years ago, she started experiencing hair loss and noticed that she was getting bald patches from the middle of the head to scalp sensitivity.
Earlier this year, she said the trauma of losing hair and her suffering gave birth to her hair range. She has since formed a partnership with Clicks to launch a new brand called Ethnogenics.
The Blood and Water actress also shared a few pointers about Alopecia:
1) Get help as soon as you notice it
2) Don’t wait to consult a dermatologist because early detection and treatment may prevent permanent hair loss
3) Identify ‘your tribe’ – this can be an emotional journey. Find the people who offer the support, we can’t do it in secret
4) Find products that support your regrowth process
5) Be conscious of what you put your scalp and hair through. A lot of hair loss is self-inflicted
6) Despite what society has taught us to believe, we are not our hair, our hair is a part of us, but we are much more than that
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