Alopecia signs and symptoms as Melanie Sykes shares update

Alopecia signs and symptoms as Melanie Sykes shares update Last year, the former TV presenter revealed she had been diagnosed with the condition TV star Melanie Sykes has revealed her new look a year after sharing the news that she had been diagnosed with alopecia. The former TV presenter has been open with fans on her journey with the condition, sharing last week a video showing off some bald patches she had developed around her temples. On Sunday, the 55 year old revealed she’d taken the leap and had shaved her head entirely. She took to Instagram, sharing a smiley selfie with the caption: “Loss + Gain = Life”. Her update has sparked a renewed interest in the condition, which can affect anyone at any age. What is alopecia? Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. There’s a number of different types depending on the cause, symptoms, treatments and permanence of the hair loss. Experts believe that in Melanie’s case, she more than likely has alopecia areata. This form of alopecia is an autoimmune condition which sees the immune system mistakenly attacking hair follicles. This results in sudden round or oval bald patches as the affected hairs fall out of their destroyed follicles. Alopecia areata can result in total hair loss on the scalp and can also affect hair follicles on other parts of the body. Melanie previously revealed she’d lost most of one eyebrow as well. What are the signs and symptoms of alopecia? Alopecia areata can appear suddenly at any age. Doctors don’t exactly know what causes the flare-up but some common triggers are thought to be stress, illnesses and trauma to the scalp. One key feature is round or oval bald patches that may start off really small. These patches may be totally bald or only feature a few white hairs. The hair follicles affected by this condition may not be permanently destroyed, meaning it is possible for the hair to grow back in some cases. However, it’s hard to predict how long this will take or whether another patch will form. Anabel Kingsley, brand president and lead trichologist at Philip Kingsley, shared some lesser known signs with PA, saying: “A distinguishing feature is the appearance of ‘exclamation mark hairs’ they’re thicker on the top and thinner at the bottom. “If you were to take a little pair of tweezers they would just come out with no resistance, and when you have those, it means the patch is active, so it’s likely to get bigger. If you notice it and you’re worried about it, go seek help as soon as possible.” Earlier this year, Melanie admitted that while it wasn’t easy dealing with the condition, the broadcaster was learning to look on the bright side. She previously said, according to the Metro: “My crown is pretty much what’s left of my hair now and how healthy it is. “I do get cold however, hence my beanie and various headwear but I’m learning to live with 'loss' and counting my blessings instead. It’s not always easy to be grateful, but it is the key to happiness and takes daily, moment-to-moment practice. Practise love.” Melanie initially left the entertainment industry after receiving an autism diagnosis in 2021. Alongside her later alopecia diagnosis, she was also diagnosed with a heart condition and widespread inflammation she has linked to PTSD.