Ricki Lake Speaks About Dealing With Female Hair Loss

As we are all still reeling from the slap heard around the world, the conversation around female hair loss continues to get attention, which is comforting to hear as this is often a subject that people shy away from.

One person who is happy that the conversation is garnering more attention, especially because they’ve been on a mission to encourage said conversations, is actress, TV host, and documentary filmmaker Ricki Lake.

Speaking about this past Sunday, Lake shared that the topic of hair loss definitely struck a nerve with her, and while she does not condone violence of any kind, she also does not condone making light of hair loss, especially for those that struggle with alopecia, which includes herself.

Ricki Lake’s Journey with Female Hair Loss

Speaking to New Beauty, the 53-year-old delved into what she had experienced in regards to her hair, starting with what had triggered it in the first place:

“I was about 26….I was the leading lady in this movie, and they put me on a diet. They wanted me to lose weight for the role, and it was a period of nine or 10 weeks, and I lost like 30 pounds, which is a lot. I believe that’s what triggered my initial shedding of hair.” – Ricki Lake, New Beauty

The mother-of-two went on to say that while she did manage to recover her hair at the time, a few years after the birth of her first child, she soon began experiencing shedding all over again, adding “It just has been a cycle over a period of 25 years of struggling.”

Does weight loss cause hair loss?

No, well, not healthy weight loss, at least.

As Ricki Lake explained, she began to battle with hair loss after movie executives asked her to lose weight, and chances are the method in which she did it, considering Hollywood’s approach towards dieting and weight loss, was not exactly the healthiest.

So what would trigger hair loss during a weight loss journey? Well, a lack of nutrients for one. Restrictive eating can cause nutrient deficiencies, which in turn can affect the health of your hair, especially because your hair needs nutrients to stay healthy. In fact, research has suggested that diets low in zinc and iron can contribute to hair loss.

Additionally, hair loss can also occur when the body is stressed out, which happens if you lose a significant amount of weight too quickly, such as when Ricki Lake did. A stressed-out body causes your body to trigger the shedding phase of your hair cycle, which can then cause you to lose 300 hair strands a day, as opposed to the normal 100. This form of hair loss is known as telogen effluvium, and the good news is that it often resolves itself in a few months.

What about pregnancy?

There are a lot of changes that your body goes through during pregnancy, so of course one of these changes is sure to affect your hair follicles.

For one, hormonal shifts can trigger stress-related hair loss (telogen effluvium). On the other hand, pregnancy can also trigger health conditions like high blood pressure, a thyroid condition, or an iron deficiency and each of these factors could be the cause of your hair loss.

A new (shaved) perspective

Following her struggle with hair loss, Ricki Lake made the choice in 2019, similar to Jada Pinkett Smith, to shave her hair off.

“When I shaved my head, it felt like I had no choice. I had been dealing with wearing a hairpiece on my head for a long, long time, and it was pulling, and it was hurting and coloring my hair every two and a half weeks would burn my scalp. It was just getting harder and harder to do that protocol.

I just kind of reached my breaking point, and this was on New Year’s Eve day of 2019, so right before 2020, right before the pandemic, and I just said to myself, excuse my French, ‘f**k it.’ I just needed to be set free.”

Now, while it was definitely a big thing to do on her part, looking back, Lake reveals how empowering the experience was, adding that she didn’t expect to feel as good as she felt. Lake shares that she felt liberated because when you have a secret that’s bogging you down, it’s affecting every aspect of your life,

“Every time I walked by a mirror, it was a reminder seeing my scalp, seeing extensions. So when I finally just said, ‘I don’t want to deal with this anymore.” It was just like being released.”

Ricki Lake goes on to say that shaving her hair off transformed her life. It helped her come to a place of self-acceptance and self-love that has carried her to where she is now.

Advice for women struggling with hair loss?

“Shave your head.”

On a more serious note, Lake advises that for those struggling with hair loss, it’s best that they go for a consultation so that they can get a proper opinion on the state of their scalp health,

“So much of it is about scalp health, not even your hair necessarily. You start with the scalp and the follicle care, and that’s what makes the hair grow healthier.”

Self-care for your locks

As we know, different lifestyle habits can affect the health of your hair. Therefore, taking care of yourself can help to keep your curls healthy.

For Lake, one way she stays centred and healthy is by spending time in nature. She shares that her walks in the mountains keeps her grounded, adding that “it’s just a time of recalibrating.”

Takeaway

Yes, dealing with hair loss is never easy, especially when there’s the risk of the world mocking you about it. However, for Ricki Lake, she’s come to terms with her experience. In fact, she’s now in a place of contentment, appreciation, and gratitude.

Ricki Lake/Instagram

“I really like what I see when I look in the mirror, and that says a lot being a woman in today’s society and being in my middle years.”

MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: rickilake/instagram

References

Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and therapy, 9(1), 51–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6