Gail Mabalane reveals health battle behind her new 'do'

13 March 2019 - 12:01
By Chrizelda Kekana
TV actress Gail Nkoane Mabalane shared her diagnosis on social media.
Image: Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu TV actress Gail Nkoane Mabalane shared her diagnosis on social media.

Gail Mabalane has revealed the real reason behind her recent hair do, sharing her experience and the diagnosis that made her go bald.

The actress took to Instagram to explain that she suffers from Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia, a condition that leads to a person losing their body hair.

Gail explained that she had the shock of her life when a chunk of her hair disappeared after a routine wash. She is consulting with a dermatologist who diagnosed her with the condition.

"A few months ago I went to the salon for a routine hair wash. To my shock, after my wash, a big chunk of my hair was gone! After a few weeks of 'self medicating', I decided to consult a dermatologist. CCCA - Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia - was the diagnosis. Simply put a very common cause of Alopecia or hair loss in black women," she said.

Gail explained that while the diagnosis was totally unexpected, she was happy that the treatment she's receiving is working and that her hair was growing back.

"I’m happy to say that the treatment is definitely working and my hair is growing back. So, thank goodness. I’ll survive winter."

Gail said she felt it was necessary to share her struggle so that women are aware that sometimes it's not just "hair loss" and that they need to consult a professional. 

"Apart from the fact that wearing a wig can get tiring. I wanted to use this opportunity to say to women: if you have any form of hair loss (hairline included), please consult a professional. Had I not gotten the necessary treatment, this could have resulted in permanent hair loss. Sometimes it's not hair activator that's needed but treatment."

But Gail can rock any hair style, just see this stunning picture of her below.