Actor and singer Ashley Tisdale has alopecia areata which, for her, manifests in periods of patchy hair loss

Ashley Tisdale on Living With Alopecia: How Hair Loss Has Affected Her Health and Career Here's how Tisdale learned to manage her condition in the spotlight, and how speaking out is helping her connect with others

Actor and singer Ashley Tisdale has alopecia areata which, for her, manifests in periods of patchy hair loss

• Since her early 20s, actor, singer, and entrepreneur Ashley Tisdale has had alopecia areata.
• Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder affecting millions of people that causes patchy hair loss, most commonly on the the scalp.
• Tisdale opened up about how she managed cycles of hair loss and regrowth over the years in an effort to raise awareness about the condition.

Multi-hyphenate talent Ashley Tisdale wears many hats, including singer, actor, and entrepreneur. And in recent years, she’s added health advocate to that list, sharing her own experience living with hair loss.

Tisdale has alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes sudden waves of patchy hair loss, most commonly on the scalp. It affects millions of people around the world.

Now, in a partnership with pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Tisdale is sharing her story to raise awareness about the condition.

She told Health that she hopes to “start a conversation” with others who might resonate with her experiences and shed light on resources and solutions that might help.

“Opening up about my journey with this disease has helped me connect with people who have faced similar things,” Tisdale said. “Being vulnerable can be hard, but it’s been amazing to share what I’ve learned through my journey with this disease. So many people experience alopecia areata, and too many of them feel like they need to keep it to themselves. But connecting with other people who have experienced it [feels] so validating and supportive.”

An Official Diagnosis and a ‘Mix of Emotions’

Alopecia is an umbrella term that refers to a group of conditions marked by partial or complete hair loss. Each of these various types of alopecia has different causes and comes with their own specific treatments—something Tisdale wasn’t aware of when she first started noticing symptoms.

Her story goes back to her early 20s when she was riding a career high with the success of the “High School Musical” films and her own solo music career. She remembered noticing hair loss at her hairline, at first assuming she was “just imagining things.” But that all changed once she zeroed in on the amount of hair caught in her brush.

“That’s when I realized that, yes, I was actually experiencing hair loss,” Tisdale recalled. “It made me anxious because I didn’t understand why it was happening. And at first, I didn’t know what to do about it.”

Tisdale spoke with her hair colorist, who encouraged her to get in touch with a dermatologist who could provide more clarity about what was going on. That sound advice set Tisdale on the right path, and she’s “so grateful” for it. Like many people, she said, she didn’t even know that a dermatologist “would be the right person to turn to.”

It was “the right decision that changed everything for me,” Tisdale added.

At age 24, Tisdale was officially diagnosed with alopecia areata. This started her on a journey to understand more about the disease and how to best manage it.

Tisdale is far from alone in her experiences. Alopecia areata affects almost 7 million people in the U.S. and 160 million people globally. This form of hair loss can affect anyone at any age but tends to manifest more frequently in teens and younger adults, people with a family history of the disease, or people with certain other allergic or autoimmune conditions.

Losing your hair is often upsetting, regardless of whether your career requires you to be in front of a camera.

“Anyone who has experienced hair loss knows that it can be emotional to see your hair change,” said Tisdale.

Getting the diagnosis and having a name for her symptoms was helpful, but also brought about a “mix of emotions” for Tisdale.

“I was definitely relieved to know there was a root cause for my hair loss,” she said. “But I didn’t know what that would mean for the future.”

Stress as a Trigger

Alopecia areata affects people differently and has various causes—experts believe these are largely either genetic or environmental, but it’s not totally clear what exactly spurs this follicle-damaging immune response.

For Tisdale, she believes stress has been a big trigger for her alopecia areata symptoms, she shared in an Instagram post last year. A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Science pointed to the fact that the condition is “closely related to emotional stress and influenced by psychological factors.”

This can make preventing hair loss challenging. For Tisdale, learning to deal with stress is “an ongoing process because life is always going to have some sort of stress.”

“Stress is inevitable. What matters is how we respond to that stress. Practices like yoga and meditation help me a lot, and I also remind myself that not everything is something I need to worry about. I am also incredibly lucky to have friends and family who I can lean on for support,” she added. “I’ve tried different things over the years—vitamins, massages, even scalp injections. Throughout my journey, I’ve worked closely with my dermatologist to decide what would work best for me.”

There is no cure for alopecia areata, but there are various treatments to improve symptoms.

Dermatologists might prescribe topical or injectable corticosteroids, followed by hair regrowth medications such as Anthralin or Minoxidil. For more widespread hair loss, people can try contact immunotherapy, which involves a healthcare professional applying a chemical to the skin.

Another treatment is Litfulo, a pill from drug manufacturer Pfizer for people ages 12 and older with severe alopecia areata. Right now, Tisdale isn’t taking Litfulo or any other prescriptions to manage her alopecia areata. However, she said it was important for her to join this campaign so others could have the knowledge to take control of their health. She cautioned that the drug is not for everyone and can cause serious side effects such as infections, cancer, blood clots, or an increased risk of heart-related issues or death. As with any condition, people with alopecia areata should talk to their doctor about what treatment options may work best for them.

How Alopecia Informed Tisdale’s Own Approach to Health

Living with a condition that has such visible symptoms can be hard for anyone, let alone a celebrity in the public eye. And though Tisdale’s experience is very unique to her, the sense of discomfort and worry over hair loss is one that most people with any type of alopecia can understand.

“For a long time, I hid my disease. I’d wear a hat or do a side part to cover my hair loss. I’ve even worn wigs for some of my acting jobs,” Tisdale said. “Working in an industry that can be so focused on appearance, I’ve worried that the disease might impact my ability to land roles. Now that I have a strong support system, including a dermatologist, I feel more in control of my health and well-being.”

Her journey with this condition has dovetailed with her own entrepreneurial approach to health. She launched her own beauty and wellness brand called Frenshe in 2020, which stemmed from her own personal understanding of wellness and a desire to build community as people work to make themselves healthier.

“Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated or inaccessible,” said Tisdale. “Everyone’s wellness journey is unique, and I hope we are empowering people to be their best, authentic selves.”

When It Comes to Managing Alopecia, Knowledge Is Power

Today, Tisdale said she’s doing well. In addition to Frenshe and her alopecia areata advocacy, she’s a mom of two and continues to act.

But managing her hair loss hasn’t always been “a linear progression,” Tisdale explained. She’s faced cycles of hair loss and regrowth over the years, some more severe than others.

“I’ve noticed spots of hair loss near my hairline, and at other times, patches of hair were missing behind my ear and other places,” Tisdale said. “I’m someone who likes to be in control, so it’s difficult to accept that alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can be so unpredictable. But I think overall, having knowledge about the disease has helped me immensely.”

Julia is a news reporter and editor for Health, where she covers breaking and trending news on health and wellness topics. Her work has been featured in The Heights, an independent student newspaper at Boston College, and Minnesota Monthly.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Brian Mastroianni