Ricki Lake’s Struggle With Hair Loss
As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, hair loss is an issue that does not discriminate. No matter what your race, gender, occupation, or socioeconomic status is, losing your hair can happen to anybody. That being said, the psychological effects of hair loss can be much more harmful to certain demographics, especially women & celebrities.
The most recent celebrity (and female) to open up to the public about her hair loss is talk show host, Ricki Lake. Her hair loss story came to light when she posted a picture of her newly shaved head on her social media profiles and described her experience. Take a look at her post on Instagram here:
View this post on Instagram
She also appeared as a guest on multiple talk shows to discuss her journey. Here is a clip from her appearance on Good Morning America:
According to Lake, she has been struggling with hair loss for about 30 years, beginning when she first played Tracy Turnblad in the original “Hairspray” in 1988 and attributes the cause of her hair loss to multiple factors. “Ever since I played Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray back in 1988 and they triple-processed and teased my then healthy virgin hair every 2 weeks during filming, my hair was never the same. (Yes, that was all my own hair in the film.) From Hairspray to Hairless. 🙁 In my case, I believe my hair loss was due to many factors, yo-yo dieting, hormonal birth control, radical weight fluctuations over the years, my pregnancies, genetics, stress, and hair dyes and extensions. Working as talent on various shows and movies, whether DWTS or my talk show, also took its toll on my fine hair.”
She described losing her hair as, “debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely, all the things.” She continued to explain that, at times, losing her hair even caused her to feel suicidal. According to Lake, she tried everything short of getting a hair transplant to feel secure in her own skin, but nothing worked. “I’ve been to many doctors, gotten steroid shots in my head, taking all the supplements and then some. My hair would recover and then shed again. It was maddening.”
By coming out and sharing her experience, Lake hopes that others won’t have to feel the same way that she did. She explains, “I know that by sharing my truth, I will be striking a chord with so many women and men. I am not alone in this and my goal is to help others while at the same time unshackle myself from this quiet hell I have been living in.” Her message has obviously resonated with many people across the country, as they have expressed their gratitude and inspiration from Ricki’s message.
The Doctor’s Take on Ricki’s Journey
Of course, we support Ricki’s bravery and honesty and truth with the rest of the world. With all of the false standards and misinformation that surrounds celebrities and beauty, it is refreshing to see someone come out with the truth. That being said, we would like to also educate the public on the truth about hair restoration. Although hair restoration is seen as mostly for men, there are many hair restoration options for women that really work. We would like to extend our invitation to Ricki and encourage anyone else who to come in for an in-person to consult with Dr. Mohebi on their options. Many hair loss conditions are treatable and having a full head of hair is also an option!
-DH