Lili Reinhart, best known for her appearance in the hit television series Riverdale, has announced that she has alopecia areata.
In a TikTok video broadcast on Monday, the 27-year-old showed herself having red light treatment and wrote, “Was just diagnosed with alopecia amid a major depressive episode.” In the video, she was lip-syncing to the audio that said: “I’m pushed beyond the limits of what a person should have to endure.” The Chemical Hearts actress captioned the photo, “Red light therapy is my new best friend. #alopecia #mentalhealth.”
Alopecia areata is more frequent than you might believe, impacting roughly 6.7 million people in the United States
Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss in small, circular patches on the scalp or other parts of the body. In this illness, the immune system primarily targets hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. The specific aetiology of alopecia areata is unknown, however, it is believed to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and immune system factors. Hair loss in alopecia areata can develop unexpectedly and affect persons of all ages and gender. While the hair follicles are not damaged in this condition, they do become dormant, which allows for regrowth. The incidence and length of hair loss varies greatly from person to person.
Alopecia areata is more frequent than you might believe, impacting roughly 6.7 million people in the United States alone and about 2% of the global population, according to NAAF. Unfortunately, there is no cure for alopecia areata; however, there are treatments available, and their efficiency varies from person to person. The FDA approved two Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, Olumiant and LITFULO. These drugs have been used to treat illnesses such as psoriasis. Other treatments are under investigation or are about to be reviewed by the FDA.