Is Tennis Ace Serena Williams Losing her Hair?

International sports men and women at the top of their game undergo a lot of pressure in their professional and personal lives, so much so that hair loss because of stress has become a bit of a cliché.  But US tennis star Serena Williams may currently be losing her hair due to pressure of an altogether different kind.

Photographs appearing in the tabloids appear to show a prominent bald patch at the top of Serena’s head. The former world number one tennis player, one half of the famous Williams sisters, was snapped as she left a star-studded dinner engagement in Hollywood with friends. Aside from the highly noticeable bald patch in the middle of her scalp on the parting, her hair was otherwise immaculately styled, in long tightly-coiled curls.

Sadly, it may well be these attractive curls that are the reason for the bald patch. Serena is known for her love of hair extensions, which like many female celebrities she uses to enhance the look of her own natural hair.

But the extra weight of the extensions, and the subsequent tension they put on the tennis star’s follicles may have led her to develop a hair loss condition known as Traction Alopecia.

Is Serena suffering from Traction Alopecia?

This type of hair loss is the result of excess strain and tension on the follicles. Aside from hair extensions, other common causes of Traction Alopecia are tightly worn hairstyles, such as ponytails, cornrows and braids.

Hair loss often occurs along the parting and around the temples, and is caused by the follicles becoming damaged and ceasing to produce new hair. While the bald patch shown in pictures of Serena is fairly distinct, it is be difficult to diagnose any hair loss condition from a single photo, so without further information one could not say that she is definitely suffering from Traction Alopecia.

If she is however, Serena Williams would be far from the first female celebrity to suffer from Traction Alopecia. Britney Spears, Naomi Campbell and Lady Gaga have all suffered from it in recent years.

If she has indeed developed the condition then the first step she needs to take is to go back to her natural hairstyle for good. Traction Alopecia hair loss is generally not necessarily permanent, provided that it is tackled and treated early enough.

I’m worried I may have Traction Alopecia. What can I do?

If you’ve noticed patchy hair loss recently and you believe it may be due to Traction Alopecia, you too should first discontinue the hairstyle that may be causing it.

Once you’ve changed your hairstyle to one which is more follicle-friendly, get in touch with the Belgravia Centre to see how we can help. Female hair loss can be due to many causes and you need a hair loss expert to advise you. Traction alopecia is treated with great success by the centre, and in many cases hair is regrown. Contact us for a free consultation at our London clinic, or fill in our online diagnostic form to arrange a home-use hair loss treatment programme, tailored to your individual needs that can be sent to you anywhere in the world.

Interesting articles