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Riverdale<\/em> star Lili Reinhart<\/strong><\/a> took to TikTok in January 2024 with an update on her health, revealing that she was diagnosed with alopecia. But what exactly is the illness, and how is she treating it?<\/p>\n Alopecia is a very common disease that causes hair loss. It \u201chappens when the immune system attacks hair follicles,\u201d usually on the head and face, according to the National Institute of Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201c\u200b\u200bHair typically falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter, but in some cases, hair loss is more extensive. Most people with the disease are healthy and have no other symptoms,\u201d the NIH revealed.<\/p>\n Anyone can get alopecia at any age, but the disease is most common in a patient\u2019s teens, twenties or thirties. There are \u201cno obvious triggers\u201d for alopecia, according to the NIH, but \u201cemotional stress or an illness\u201d can bring it on. People with other autoimmune diseases are more likely to develop alopecia.<\/p>\n While there is no cure for alopecia at this time, there are several treatments that can reduce the hair loss. These include corticosteroid creams or injections, contact immunotherapy with a chemical applied to the scalp or other medications.<\/p>\n Lili revealed her diagnosis in a viral TikTok video on January 30, 2024. The video showed the actress sitting under a red light machine used to treat the skin condition. She lip-synced over an audio of a man saying, \u201cI\u2019m pushed beyond limits of what a person should be pushed to endure.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the video, Lili wrote, \u201cWas just diagnosed with alopecia in the midst of a major depressive episode.\u201d In the caption, she added, \u201cRed light therapy is my new best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Red light therapy is my new best friend. #alopecia<\/a> #mentalhealth<\/a> <\/p>\n \u266c original sound \u2013 Sam Huberty<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n Red light laser therapy can be an effective form of treatment for hair loss, as it stimulates weakened hair follicles, according to the Center for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lili joins a slew of other celebrities who have been diagnosed with alopecia, including Ashley Tisdale<\/strong>, Tyra Banks<\/strong>, Jesy Nelson<\/strong>, Alessia Cara<\/strong> and more. Jada Pinkett Smith has famously been battling the condition for years, first opening up about it in May 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands and I was just like, \u2018Oh my god, am I going bald?’\u201d the Madagascar<\/em> star, who shaved her head<\/a> after she got her diagnosis, said on an episode of Red Table Talk<\/em>. \u201cThat\u2019s why I cut my hair, and why I continue to cut it.\u201d<\/p>\n Lili has long been an advocate for mental health and has been candid about her experiences with depression. In May 2021, during Mental Health Awareness Month, she opened up about feeling \u201cdefeated\u201d by depression at times.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an exhausting battle that I\u2019ve been fighting for 11 years and some days, like today, it can feel intolerable,\u201d she said on her Instagram Stories. \u201cThis is a reminder to my fellow warriors that it\u2019s OK to have days where you don\u2019t want to fight anymore. You don\u2019t need to justify your mental health to anyone. Prioritize yourself when needed, take time to rest. Surround yourself with good people and high vibrations. But always remember you are always worth fighting for. And tomorrow could be such a beautiful day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWhat Is Alopecia?<\/h2>\n
Does Lili Reinhart Have Alopecia?<\/h2>\n
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Lili Reinhart Has Been Candid About Her Mental Health<\/h2>\n