Sarah Hyland Says She Wore Hair Extensions on 'Modern Family' to Conceal Her Hair Loss
Long-time “Modern Family” viewers may recognize Sarah Hyland, who plays Haley Dunphy onscreen, for having long hair. Recently, however, Hyland has been sporting a much shorter and curlier hairstyle, leading some fans to speculate whether she got a major haircut and perm.
The reality, as Hyland revealed in an interview with Refinery29, is that this has been her natural hair all along. The actress said she decided to wear hair extensions for the role of Haley to conceal the hair loss she was experiencing as a result of her health issues.
“With medications and stuff, it can make your hair fall out,” Hyland explained. “So I had extensions put in for Haley to hide any of that loss.”
The “Modern Family” star was born with kidney dysplasia, meaning her kidneys didn’t develop correctly. In 2012, she received a kidney transplant when her dad donated one of his. Hyland’s body began rejecting her first transplanted kidney in 2016 and in September 2017, she had her second transplant — this time from her brother.
Hyland also lives with endometriosis, a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found outside the uterus. She has undergone more than 16 surgeries to combat her conditions.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, hair loss (technically known as alopecia), can be caused by a number of different factors, including stress, illness, diet, childbirth or various medical treatments.
For people with chronic illness, hair loss may commonly occur due to conditions such as thyroid disease or anemia; after a major surgery; as the result of chemotherapy or radiation treatment; or as a side effect of medications such as blood thinners, anabolic steroids, birth control pills, high-dose vitamin A or medications that treat arthritis, depression, gout, heart problems and high blood pressure.
This isn’t the first time Hyland has spoken out about how her illness has affected her hair. In April 2018, she posted a series of videos via Instagram stories asking followers what hair care products help with thinning hair.
“Some of my medications have been making my hair fall out,” she said in the posts. “So for those on prednisone and Prograf and Myfortic and any immune-suppressing medications, have you found anything other than just biotin that works?” She added a caption that admitted, “Help! I am over researching myself.”
If you are experiencing hair loss, be sure to talk to your doctor (if you haven’t already!) to address any underlying medical conditions. For anyone struggling with the effects of hair loss, Mighty contributor Morgan S. Ray shared the following words of encouragement:
I have to remember that losing my hair doesn’t make me less than a woman. It isn’t who I am. The state of my hair doesn’t make me unable to achieve amazing things. I want my hair loss to stop, but right now I can’t control that. So I want all of those struggling with hair loss to feel more confident with themselves. You are not controlled by your hair, so don’t let this struggle hold you back.
For more about coping with hair loss, check out these stories from our Mighty community:
Image via Creative Commons/centuryblack9
Paige is passionate about helping people with chronic health issues share their stories and connect with one another.
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