Ricki Lake Updates Fans On 'Debilitating' And 'Embarrassing' Struggle With Hair Loss

For a lot of women out there, your hair can kind of feel like your whole identity. There's a reason we all go out and get a dramatic cut and color when we go through a breakup — new hair, new me.

That's why struggles around hair loss for women can feel shameful, but Ricki Lake isn't afraid to speak out about her experience!

If you were around in the '80s or '90s, you definitely remember Ricki Lake.

The actress, who skyrocketed to fame in Hairspray (the ORIGINAL, thank you very much) and who had her own fantastic talk show for ten years, is a huge star.

Last year, Ricki went viral for sharing the impactful reason behind deciding to shave her head.

"Liberated and Free, Me," Ricki began her post.

"I am not having a mid-life crisis. nor am I having a mental breakdown, though I have been suffering. Suffering mostly in silence off and on for almost 30 years," she shared. "Here goes….. I have been struggling with hair loss for most of my adult life."

"It has been debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely, all the things."

"I tried wigs on a few occasions but never could get used to them. It all felt fake and I was super self-conscious and uncomfortable," Ricki shared at the time.

Now, it's been a year since Ricki shaved her head, and she's opening up again.

Ricki shared where she is on her hair journey.

"Hi friends! So, it’s been just over a year since I decided to take matters into my own hands and shave my head after struggling silently with hair loss for almost 30 years," she shared alongside a photo of her now and one of when she first shaved her head.

"I had to be set free of the debilitating pain and shame."

"Well, 12 months later I am thrilled to share with the world what I used to get my hair back to its healthiest ever. First off, I never expected my hair to even recover so when I met Lars @harklinikken, I was skeptical," she wrote.

"His topical extract has been a game-changer for me."

"You should know, I have never publicly endorsed a product. My hope is that I am able to help others struggling, as I did for far too long. This journey has been such a gift for me."

"I finally truly love my hair," Ricki wrote.

"And more importantly love myself unconditionally from the inside out."

This is so moving! We're so glad Ricki loves her hair and herself, and we love that she's spreading her message to anyone out there who might be going through a similar struggle!