Meshel Laurie Opens Up About Her Struggle With Female Hair Loss

During her regular spot on The Project last Friday, the 41-year-old sported a bright purple wig not unlike her often vividly coloured hair. But in a Facebook post published soon after the show aired, the mum-of-two revealed that the “cheap wig” was “a desperate measure by a desperate woman”

“I know my look in The Project tonight was a bit wacky, and to be honest, it rattled my confidence a bit,” she wrote.

“The fact is, I have a problem. I’ve always had great hair. I’ve never felt like I had much else going for me on the physical side of things, but I always had a great, thick head of hair that could take anything, but now alas, it has left me. It grows, but then it snaps. I know for a lot of women it stops growing altogether!”

Meshel says the experience has completely shaken her and the purple wig was rock bottom.

“It’s taking my confidence and making me feel like I’m not myself anymore. It’s also making me so very sad. Every time I look in the mirror I’m horrified at what I see. Even with full make up!”

RELATED: Jada Pinkett Smith Is Losing Her Hair To Alopecia And Her Reaction Is So Darn Inspiring

She went on to praise her boss at The Project for his support after she finally revealed her anxiety about the issue and the pressure to appear on television with less and less hair.

“Before the show today, I popped into my big boss at The Project, Craig’s office, to see if the wig was just too ridiculous for television and ended up talking about my true anxiety about my hair situation for the first time. God bless him, he immediately swung into action and organised some proper hair and wig assistance!”

"Time to start dealing with it positively instead of ignoring it," she added. "Thank God for great bosses eh?"

All men and women will be affected by patterned hair loss at some stage in their lives as a result of genetic and hormonal factors. Around one in three women will notice hair thinning or hair loss after they turn 30 and for some, hair loss can start in their 20s – an experience that's particularly distressing and often suffered in silence. 

"Oh Meshel i totally get where you are coming from girl! I am also there and its devastating!" one commenter wrote.

"From a chick who has no hair (and haven’t for many years now) - I hid for a long time behind a terrible wig and bandanas, and the confidence was shattered," another posted. "I tried every treatment from the mainstream to the ridiculous but it was only when I finally made a (sort of) peace with it could I move forward."

"It’s easy for people to say that hair doesn’t define you, or that your face is beautiful don’t worry! But when you lose your hair it’s soul destroying," one commented.

There are treatments available to slow, reduce or stimulate some regrowth, so speak to your doctor if this is an issue affecting you.