Women usually describe their hair as their pride and joy, their crowning glory…
But when they lose it – well, it’s the end of the world for some.
Just ask Gail Porter, who has suffered from alopecia for years and has spoken often about the confidence knock she took when her hair started to disappear.
Now Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha has shocked fans by revealing she is losing her locks.
In a frank and emotional video clip, shot in her bathroom, Nadia tells her thousands of fans that she is slowly losing her hair after being told that she has a bald gene.
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In the clip, she begins by explaining how over the years people have continually praised her for having an impressive full head of beautiful bouncy curls, admitting they were naturally springy and were one of the things she liked most about herself.
But as she says they are all fake (as in, she enhanced them), she suddenly pauses for a moment, and looks uneasy and emotional.
“Oh this has taken me by surprise…” she mutters. “I was supposed to be telling you about a curly hair product. My hair is not like that anymore.
She goes on to explain that, after having children, her hair became different.
“My hair really started to change after I had my kids. Bloody kids,” she confesses.
“I lost a lot like a lot of new mums do but it started to change a lot, the texture… having gone from naturally curly hair, it would go frizzy.
“But when I started going through the peri-menopause I think I lost a third of my hair.”
At one point, Nadia leans close to the camera and shows off her her hairline to point out where she’s losing her hair.
“People always say my hair is so thick and amazing. This is where it’s balding. I’m losing it all over,” she continued.
“It sounds awful saying it as people lose all of their hair to alopecia or cancer treatment but it doesn’t make it any easier, the fact that I’m losing my hair.”
Through tears, Nadia goes on to explain that a doc had told her that she was a carrier of a bald gene – and she was devastated.
“I went to the top hair guy, a specialist, who said to me that I have the balding gene,” she recalls.
“I didn’t know women could have it. He drew this picture of my hair follicles and he was saying the follicles have closed [in some areas] and they aren’t coming back.
“Sometimes I think I shouldn’t be ungrateful. On Loose Women the make-up artists do all sorts to my hair. It sounds pathetic saying it…
“It makes me really sad, it just makes me feel old and I know I should feel grateful, I do try to and I do say I’m grateful but it doesn’t mean that I don’t miss my hair terrible.”
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Moved by her video, fans were fast to congratulate her on her brave stance and sent her messages of support.
“Thank you for your honesty and bravery,” one fan messaged. “My Mum always said hair is our crowning glory so your emotions are perfectly understandable.
“Bloody menopause is a menace – I’m peri too and it’s a pain in the bum – sending hugs your way.”
Another fan said: “Such an inspirational woman. Thank you for sharing.”