Mrs Lineker Discusses Hair Loss Trauma

Danielle Bux, the actress and model wife of sports pundit Gary Lineker, has spoken out about how her career in front of the camera helped her overcome low self esteem that occurred as a result of losing hair as a teenager.

Bux, who will shortly be starring in a play at Hampstead Theatre about a teenager with the auto-immune disease Lupus, experienced another auto-immune disease known as alopecia areata when she was younger, which (as can often happen with Lupus itself) causes hair loss.

"I just lost all confidence"

Discussing her hair loss, Bux cited it as a reason that she felt unable to attend drama school, saying that stress had triggered the loss in the first place: “I was exactly 16, starting my A-levels. I’m not sure why but our hair is so important isn't it? I just lost all confidence, self-esteem, it affected me for longer. People ask me why I didn’t go to drama school and that’s probably the one single reason.”

Bux is the second woman in the public eye to speak out about her hair loss this week, after Conservative MP Nadine Dorries discussed hair loss on Daybreak. Bux managed to deal with the emotional toll of women's hair loss by "throwing" herself into a modelling career.

Alopecia areata can be triggered by a number of things, from stress to viral infection and even allergies. This type of hair loss appears as patchy loss on the scalp, and can potentially be treated providing it has not progressed to alopecia totalis, where the whole scalp sheds its hair.

Treating Alopecia

At Belgravia, we find that hair loss treatment centered around extra-strength minoxidil cream is the most effective way to treat alopecia areata. Minoxidil works by stimulating hair growth, and has proven very successful for our patients with alopecia areata.

It's also true that alopecia can recover by itself, though it can return at any time. For Danielle and other men and women who have to deal with alopecia areata, a consultation at Belgravia can determine whether their individual case is likely to respond to treatment. Once this has been established, a bespoke plan containing proven medication and hair growth boosters can be compiled.

You can also view a selection of before and during treatment photographs of Belgravia patients who have been successfully treated for their alopecia areata by clicking here, here and here.