Reality star with alopecia describes the harsh reality of losing her hair

By Amy Reast

A reality star who lost all her hair in a matter of weeks thanks to alopecia is trying UV light therapy in a bid to re-grow her long locks.

ZaraLena Jackson, 29, saw huge clumps of hair falling out in July 2020, and within six weeks the model and influencer had no body hair.

She had alopecia, an autoimmune disease with no known cure, and said hair loss felt like "torture" and made her feel "stripped" of her identity.

The 'Ex On The Beach' star felt helpless as doctors were unable to provide an explanation - but she vowed to continue fighting for answers for herself and on behalf of others.

The model and influencer has now revealed that she has been accepted to begin a new treatment, which uses ultraviolet light to prompt hair re-growth.

She plans to share her experiences with the new treatment, which she will start in early 2022, in the hope that if it is successful, she will be able to recommend it to the thousands of her followers also facing hair loss.

ZaraLena, from Lancashire, UK, said: "Losing all your hair - especially at a young age - leaves you feeling like a deer in the headlights.

"It's not just the hair on your head but losing all your eyebrows and eyelashes is the worst feeling ever - it makes you look ill and it's devastating.

"I couldn't get any answers, it felt like I was screaming for help and nobody could hear.

“I chose to be very open and share my alopecia experience online from day one – because social media is saturated with people who paint the perfect life and I wanted to show a different side to things.

“Since I first shared my hair loss I’ve been inundated with messages from thousands of people facing hair loss who say my openness has helped them too.

“Now I am finally due to begin treatment, I will be just as open about my experiences – it's good to share my knowledge if it ends up helping others like me.”

Model ZaraLena first appeared on MTV's 'Ex on the Beach' in 2017, with long luscious locks before turning to Instagram as an influencer after leaving the show.

She racked up thousands of Instagram followers as she posted selfies and worked on brand collaborations as well as advertising her own clothing range.

But in July 2020 ZaraLena began to notice her hair falling out

She explained: "It started with body rashes and my lymph nodes became inflamed - and then I spotted a bald patch at the front of my head.

"I could see it getting worse and worse every day - but the doctors didn't have any answers.

"It was like watching your identity being stripped away before your eyes.

"When I posted my first fully bald photo, it actually felt amazing - I didn't get one bad word.

"Social media was like my coping mechanism, my strength came through sharing my story online."

ZaraLena shares her baldness openly as well as sharing photos of her wearing a range of wigs while looking confident as ever.

But she said behind the scenes, she finds it hard.

"I do get bad days, where my anxiety goes through the roof - and I used to have dreams about my hair falling out, even long after it was all gone.

"But I would say losing my facial hair was worse than losing the hair on my head.

"It's not something you would ever need to think about but normally, but it makes you look ill not having lashes and brows."

The treatment, called UVB phototherapy, involves using ultraviolet light to prompt hair re-growth - and she’s set to begin the treatment in March 2022.

It involves twice-weekly appointments for six weeks, where she will lie exposed to a special UV-based light.

But she sees it as an opportunity not just for herself, but to help the hundreds of other people going through the same thing as her.

She said: “It was so hard to get any kind of treatment and I spoke to God knows how many doctors – but finally I’m on the list.

“I’m doing it as much for everyone else who has messaged me to say they are struggling to cope with this condition.

“It can ruin people’s mental health, even though it is viewed as cosmetic.

“I’d love to get my hair back but either way, I have learned to feel comfortable in my own skin – whereas some people never get used to their hair loss.

"It's so rewarding when people going through the same thing message me about it and telling me I have given them confidence.

“Maybe this treatment can give them hope too.”