American actress Lili Reinhart has revealed her diagnosis of alopecia, a condition characterized by the immune system attacking hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. The ‘Riverdale’ star shared the news on TikTok, posting a video of herself undergoing red light therapy and expressing that she was diagnosed with alopecia during a significant depressive episode.
Alopecia primarily impacts the head and face but can affect hair anywhere on the body, with no recognized cause according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. In the footage, Reinhart lip-syncs to a recording where a man talks about being pushed beyond limits, and she captions the post, “Red light therapy is my new best friend #alopecia #mentalhealth.”
While the National Institute of Health states that there is no cure for alopecia, reports suggest that red light therapy may aid in stimulating hair growth. Reinhart, known for her role in ‘Hustlers,’ has been open about her struggles with mental health, addressing issues of sadness and anxiety. In a 2020 interview with Refinery29, she discussed facing challenges head-on rather than seeking external influences to fill a void.
Reinhart emphasized the importance of dealing with pain directly, stating, “I took the road less traveled and just dealt with my shit. I had to face my own pain head-on.”