WATCH: Riverdale Actor Lili Reinhart Reveals Alopecia Diagnosis On TikTok

Lili Reinhart, an actor best known for her role as Betty Cooper in the teen drama series Riverdale, revealed on January 30, that she had been diagnosed with the under-discussed hair loss issue: alopecia areata. She shared the news in a TikTok video, showing her undergoing red light therapy treatment.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. It can affect people of all ages and genders, and there is no cure. When the immune system attacks hair follicles it causes hair loss majorly on the face and head and any part of the body. The disease reportedly has no recognised aetiology and affects up to 6.7 million people alone in the United States.

Riverdale Star Lili Reinhart Opens Up About Alopecia Diagnosis:

27-year-old Hollywood actor has sent shockwaves in Hollywood and amongst her fans globally as the Riverdale star on Tuesday shared a TikTok video that bravely revealed her recent diagnosis with alopecia, while also shedding light on her ongoing mental health challenges.

The Hustlers actor in an interview in 2020 opened up about her struggles with depression, sadness, and anxiety and spoke openly about her career and mental health ups and downs once made her feel "she was in a black tunnel that was never going to end." 

Reinhart did not detail that her alopecia was directly caused by her mental health troubles but as per the Mayo Clinic, the two can oftentimes be related as there can be "various factors possibly including severe stress." 

TikTok Video:

"Was just diagnosed with alopecia in the midst of a major depressive episode," Reinhart wrote in the video caption, which showed her undergoing red light therapy, a potential treatment for hair regrowth. The video also featured audio of a man discussing being pushed beyond one's limits, hinting at the emotional toll her combined struggles have taken.

Lili Reinhart is responding to social media reaction to her alopecia diagnosis #THRNews pic.twitter.com/11DAwcYdtz

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 31, 2024

Many thanked her for spreading awareness while others shared their own stories of dealing with the disease. A user shared how they were healthy but stressed as they were finishing their MA degree and were randomly last November diagnosed with the disease and talked about losing 30-40% of their hair while having many bald patches. 

Other users also shared their encouraging stories while others also talked about "COVID alopecia". 

While alopecia areata is said to have no certain cure, Reinhart shared undergoing the "red light therapy" that helps in stimulating hair growth. 

However, this is not the first time Reinhart opened up about "annoying" health conditions using TikTok and its funny audios, as the actor shared last September being diagnosed with gluten intolerance and shared it was more disheartening as her "favourite food is bread."

Here is the TikTok Video:

“Acabou de ser diagnosticado com alopecia no meio de um episódio depressivo grave.”

“Terapia de luz vermelha é minha nova melhor amiga.”

📲 Lili Reinhart via Tik Tok pic.twitter.com/NMenwBh8yE

— Info Reinhart Brasil (@inforeinhartbr) January 30, 2024