"Mel Sykes Speaks Out: The Hidden Signs of Alopecia That Appear Before Hair Loss"

MELANIE Sykes has revealed she’s been left “two-thirds bald” and in “so much pain” after being diagnosed with alopecia.

The autoimmune disease causes varying levels of loss, from thinning to complete baldness – but subtle signs affecting other parts of the body may crop up first.

Mel Sykes opened up about her devastating battle with alopecia, saying she’s lost ‘two-thirds’ of her hairCredit: YouTube The TV star says she’s also been left in “so much pain” due to the autoimmune conditionCredit: Getty

The opened up about her battle in a video posted on , where she told fans: “I’m not well, as you know, I’ve been ill all year, I’ve got an autoimmune condition, I am losing my hair, I keep having crazy inflammation all over and I am working on healing.”

She added: “I’m in so much pain but I wanted to say hello. I’m two-third bald, really. Every time I say I’m bald I laugh, I don’t know why…thank god I can laugh.”

is a general term for hair loss, and a specific type of alopecia, alopecia areata, is caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles.

The condition can lead to hair falling out in round or oval patches, often on the scalp, but potentially anywhere on the body.

It’s not possible to predict how much hair will be lost, and regrowth is usually over a period of months or sometimes years, advises the .

The causes of alopecia areata are not always clear – experts say there’s a strong genetic component, and about 20 per cent of people with the condition have a family history of it.

Significant stress, injury, or illness can be a trigger, though this isn’t always the case.

And studies show increases the risk of developing and worsening the condition.

Alongside sudden hair loss, there are other subtle signs of the condition worth looking out.

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) lists other subtle symptoms of the condition to look out for:

• An itching, burning, or tingling sensation in the affected area before or after the hair loss
• If eyelashes are affected, it may cause dry eyes and become sore in dry and windy weather
• Some people develop small pits on their nails or their nails become more brittle and break

Alopecia areata doesn’t typically cause physical pain, but some individuals report experiencing a tender or painful sensation on the scalp.

Headaches have also been associated with the condition for some people.

It’s usually diagnosed following an assessment by your doctor.

Most patients don’t require any tests to confirm the diagnosis, but in some cases, a biopsy may be considered.

There’s currently no cure for the condition, but depending on the extent of the hair loss, four out of five affected people see regrowth within one year without treatment.

A burning or itching scalp can appear before sudden hair loss with alopecia areataCredit: Getty

Those with more than half the hair lost at the beginning, or with complete hair loss at any stage, have only about a one in 10 chance of full recovery, says BAD.

In milder cases, treatments to induce hair regrowth may work, such as corticosteroid creams, JAK inhibitors – a new class of drugs that target the immune system – and contact immunotherapy, which involves applying a chemical to the scalp to cause a mild allergic reaction, which can stimulate hair growth.

In some cases alopecia areata can be a sign of other conditions, particularly other autoimmune diseases like thyroid disease, vitiligo, and type 1 .

It’s also more common in people with atopic conditions such as asthma and .

If you think you have alopecia areata, start by visiting your to get a diagnosis.