Ashley Tisdale revealed how she deals with her Alopecia areata diagnosis.
Ashley Tisdale Admits Her Alopecia Areata Diagnosis Made Her Feel 'Less Confident': 'It's Pretty Jarring'
Ashley Tisdale is giving insight into her battle with Alopecia areata.
The High School Musical alum, 39, opened up about being diagnosed with the autoimmune condition that causes sudden and patchy hair loss.
Ashley Tisdale was diagnosed with Alopecia areata.
"It’s pretty jarring to look in the mirror and see a noticeable difference and when I saw more hair in my brush and shower drain, I knew I wasn’t imagining things," Tisdale explained in a recent interview.
"There are times when I’d have patchy hair while having to do press or be on camera, and that made me feel less confident," the former Disney Channel star noted.
Ashley Tisdale said dealing with hair loss made her feel 'less confident.'
Tisdale emphasized how she wasn't used to showing the world her flaws due to her years in front of the camera. "I would wear a hat or do a side part to cover my hair loss," she said. "I grew up as a performer, and I didn’t always want to show everyone what I was really experiencing."
"The most difficult thing about the diagnosis was understanding that alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can be really unpredictable," the Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure star revealed. "I’m not someone who likes unpredictability!"
Ashley Tisdale explained Alopecia areata is 'unpredictable.'
Although it took her some time, Tisdale stated it's important to share her story with others. "I've felt empowered to share my journey and hope I can encourage others to be open about what they’re experiencing, too," she said.
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody actress first revealed the shocking health update on Instagram. "Alopecia and hair loss are fairly common, but a lot of people feel embarrassed to talk about these issues," she penned on social media.
"Any type of hair loss can affect your self-esteem, especially if you feel like you’re the only one going through it," Tisdale continued. "That’s why I want to talk about it openly — because it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes it’s connected to hormones, other times to heredity, and for me, it’s connected to stress overload. Today on @frenshe I’m sharing what I’ve learned about my alopecia and how I help manage it."
Ashley Tisdale revealed her diagnosis on social media.
"I’ve had it my entire life. Went completely bald when I was 18 and never grew back yet (I’m 28)," one person commented below the update.
"I’m so happy you shared this! I was just diagnosed with androgenic alopecia and starting meds soon…if I can get myself to. I’m so scared. I have cried so much over this. It’s the unknown that makes me scared. Will I lose my hair? Will this medication work?… thank you again for sharing!!" a second person wrote.
Well+Good conducted the interview with Tisdale.