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Monday, 11 December 2006

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Sherrie Hewson: Heartbreak left me almost bald

Emmerdale actress lost hair after marriage breakdown

Actress and presenter Sherrie Hewson was devastated when her marriage of 22 years ended in divorce. Then, as she began to rebuild her life, she noticed she was losing her hair.

‘It happened gradually, so I didn’t take much notice at first,’ she says.

Nine months later, though, Sherrie began to panic as her hair thinned so dramatically that she could see her scalp. ‘I was terrified I’d go bald.’

The 56-year-old, who played Lesley Meredith in Emmerdale, was suffering from alopecia. This often starts with small patches of hair loss, but in extreme cases can lead to total baldness. It’s believed the immune system mistakes parts of the body as foreign matter and attacks it. White blood cells gather round the follicles, causing inflammation that weakens hair, making it fall out.

Breaking-up made my hair fall out

Although no one’s sure what triggers the condition, it’s thought to be due to genetic factors, an infection or emotional distress – such as Sherrie’s marriage split two years ago.

‘The stress of the break-up must have brought it on,’ she says. Last year TV presenter Gail Porter lost her hair after splitting from husband Dan Hipgrave (she now shaves her head bald), while former Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker puts her alopecia down to hormonal changes.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee hair will grow back. Even if it does, the shock of losing your hair can be devastating. ‘It’s harder for a woman to lose her hair than for a man,’ Sherrie says. ‘It’s your femininity, your sexiness.’

I was too embarrassed to tell anyone

Indeed, Sherrie was too self-conscious to talk about her condition at first, so she hid it with the help of Emmerdale’s hair stylists, who’d sew in hair pieces. Finally, she confided in a friend, who told her about a treatment he’d seen on TV.

Called BX3.4, a ‘helmet’ emits electromagnetic waves to stimulate the scalp. ‘Within a few weeks, I started to see regrowth,’ she says.

It’s been a gradual process, but seven months on the actress says she looks and feels better than ever. ‘My hair’s grown back really well and is still growing. Life is good.’

Alopecia explained
• Baldness affects around one in 100 people. It's thought to occur when the immune system turns against itself.
• Common causes are: Genetic factors, an abnormal immune system response or emotional trauma.
• There's no cure, but steroid treatment, immunosuppresive drugs and nutritional therapy can help.
• For further information, visit www.alopeciaonline.org.uk

Emily Watkins