Losing one’s hair constantly, to the extent of having bald patches, is an alarming thought. Sometimes, hair loss could be due to old age or poor lifestyle choices. But other times, it could be due to autoimmune diseases such as alopecia.
If you’re wondering why this condition sounds familiar, you may have heard of it during the Oscars commotion, when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia.
In Singapore, Nina Tan of Night Owl Cinematics (NOC) fame announced that she has been diagnosed with the same condition. She revealed her diagnosis of alopecia in a heartfelt Instagram post on Saturday (23 Apr).
For the past few months, she has been documenting her journey of hair loss. Through this update, Ms Tan thanked those who have supported her. She also shared details about her treatment process and promised to continue updating her progress.
Ms Tan, who shot to fame for her work with NOC, announced that she had been diagnosed with alopecia via an Instagram post.
Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that results in severe hair loss. It is an affliction that Jada Pinkett-Smith also suffers from, which the actress has publicly talked about.
Through the heartfelt caption on her post, Ms Tan explained that she was diagnosed with alopecia two months ago.
Ms Tan shared that it was “disheartening” to receive the news, in addition to suffering from the various symptoms alopecia causes in patients.
Having to go through the constant hairloss, swelling, throbbing headache and medications plus dealing with life… is just frustrating.
She is currently undergoing treatment for alopecia at Clifford Aesthetics, a medical aesthetics centre based in Singapore.
She praised the clinic for their treatments, stating that her prognosis is positive under their care.
Ms Tan also thanked her followers and friends, who have shared their own hair loss journeys with her. While she was unable to reply to some of the direct messages she received, she stressed that she was grateful for the support received.
Some of you even shared your experiences and pictures which in a way brings me comfort.
Previously, Ms Tan has shared her hair loss journey via social media. On 9 Mar, she revealed the bald spots on her scalp in an Instagram post, joking about the sight.
“My hair was breaking up with me and I had to seek medical help,” she wrote, explaining that she has been undergoing treatment for her continuing hair loss.
She also talked about her hair loss on several stories on Instagram, providing updates on her health.
In one story, she said she was trying to be positive, but felt greatly saddened about her ordeal.
Ms Tan is not alone in her ongoing struggle with alopecia. The condition affects around 2% of the worldwide population, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Her fellow influencers and supporters have also flooded Ms Tan’s comments with words of encouragement.
Medical experts said alopecia cannot be cured, but it’s still possible to regrow hair.
The recovery process can be difficult and arduous, but patients suffering from such disorders have to summon massive amounts of courage just to get through the day.
In being open about her journey of struggling with alopecia, Ms Tan has been applauded for her bravery. We wish her a speedy recovery.
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Featured image adapted from Nina Tan on Instagram.
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