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A young woman who caught Covid-19 eight times has said the disease has left her without any hair.
Lydia Morley, 23, said her parents discovered a bald patch on her head in January, after her long, thick hair had begun thinning and falling out.
The vintage shop supervisor booked an appointment with her GP, who diagnosed her with alopecia areata.
The disease occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing them to fall out.
Lydia, who was first sickened by coronavirus in 2020, said long Covid may be responsible for her hair loss.
Within five months of being diagnosed with alopecia, Lydia lost 80% of her hair.
She’s trying to help other young women with their confidence (Picture: Kennedy News/@lydiaemorley)
Lydia said she previously loved to take selfies but alopecia left her unable to recognise herself in the mirror or be photographed.
The 23-year-old from Newport, Wales is raising awareness about her journey to help others speak out about their experiences.
‘In November last year I thought my hair was looking a bit thin, I used to have really long thick hair,’ she said.
‘Whenever I’d brush my hair in the shower, I’d have proper clumps come out and it was getting to the point where it was a little bit strange. A couple weeks into January I came home from work one day, I was cooking dinner and my dad was standing behind me and noticed a little patch on my head.
‘This was quite an intense experience as I knew I had had hair falling out but I didn’t think about alopecia at this point. That night was difficult and I was quite stressed about the situation but I think it was more not knowing what was wrong.
What is alopecia?
Alopecia is a broad term that refers to any form of hair loss. Around 10,000 people in the UK are affected by it, according to researchers.
Some people may only experience hair loss in patches of their head, while others lose all or nearly all the hair on their scalp.
Alopecia areata, often known as male and female pattern hair loss, is the most common type of hair loss.
People living with it tend to lose their hair in clumps, causing round bald spots, though it can also affect hair on other parts of the body. About half of the time, however, the fallen hair will grow back.
There’s no singular and sometimes even clear cause of the condition – losing your hair is a normal part of getting older. However, it does appear to be partly genetic and triggered by stressful events, weight loss and nutritional deficiencies.
Finasteride is usually prescribed for men suffering from hair loss, and minoxidil for women.
‘When I first went to the doctors, they did believe the cause to be stress but I’m the least stressed person ever. Before having covid in November I had it in the summertime. I’ve …read more
Source:: Metro
