Alyssa Milano has opened up about her hair-raising experience with Covid 19. Photo / File
Alyssa Milano has opened up about her hair-raising experience with Covid 19. Photo / File
Actress Alyssa Milano has given her followers a brutal look at one of coronavirus' little-understood symptoms, in her months-long battle with the deadly virus.
The former Charmed star, 47, first went public with her coronavirus diagnosis last week, revealing she felt like she "was dying" after contracting the virus several months ago.
And now the actress has shown another symptom of the illness – hair loss.
A recent online survey of 1500 coronavirus survivors suggested more than a quarter experience hair loss, with dozens of people sharing photos of their scalps, saying their hair fall is extreme.
Milano has shown her own hair loss in the confronting video below:
After silently brushing her hair for less than a minute, Milano holds the resulting clump of hair up to the camera. "One brushing. This is my hair loss from Covid-19. Wear a damn mask."
In another tweet posted over the weekend, Milano shared that while she was "acutely sick" with coronavirus in April, symptoms persist to this day. "I am what they call a 'long hauler'. Last night, I had real heaviness in my chest. I went to the ER just to make sure it wasn't a blood clot. Thankfully, it wasn't," she wrote.
I was acutely sick w/ Covid19 in April. I still have many symptoms. I am what they call a “long hauler”. Last night, I had real heaviness in my chest. I went to the ER just to make sure it wasn’t a blood clot. Thankfully, it wasn’t.
The star first went public with her virus battle on social media last week, posting a photo of herself hooked up to an oxygen mask and detailing the terrifying symptoms she experienced as she battled the deadly virus, which has killed more than 700,000 people globally to date.
"This was me on April 2 after being sick for two weeks. I had never been this kind of sick," the Who's The Boss star wrote.
"It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't keep food in me. I lost nine pounds (4kg) in two weeks. I was confused. Low-grade fever. And the headaches were horrible."
Bizarrely, despite displaying "every Covid symptom", Milano said she tested negative for coronavirus twice during her ordeal, labelling the US testing system "flawed".
"After living the last four months with lingering symptoms like vertigo, stomach abnormalities, irregular periods, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, zero short-term memory and general malaise, I went and got an antibody test from a blood draw (not the finger prick) from a lab. I am positive for Covid antibodies. I had Covid-19," she revealed.
"I just want you to be aware that our testing system is flawed and we don't know the real numbers. I also want you to know, this illness is not a hoax. I thought I was dying. It felt like I was dying. I will be donating my plasma with hopes that I might save a life. Please take care of yourselves. Please wash your hands and wear a mask and social distance. I don't want anyone to feel the way I felt. Be well. I love you all (well, maybe not the trolls. Just the kind people)," she wrote.
Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston last month revealed he'd recently battled coronavirus despite being "pretty strict in adhering to the protocols". Now recovered, Cranston did what Milano plans to do, donating his plasma which now contains coronavirus antibodies.
"Yep. It sounds daunting now that over 150,000 Americans are dead because of it. I was one of the lucky ones. Mild symptoms. I count my blessings and urge you to keep wearing the damn mask, keep washing your hands and stay socially distant," he wrote.
Milano and Cranston are the latest in a growing list of celebs to speak out about being diagnosed with coronavirus. Last month it was revealed that actor Mel Gibson was hit with coronavirus in April and spent a week in hospital.
Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were two of the earliest A-list patients, both coming down with Covid-19 during a visit to Australia in March.
Broadway actor Nick Cordero's brutal coronavirus battle came to an end last month after more than 90 days in hospital. After losing a leg, being fitted with a pacemaker and suffering a lung infection, he sadly died at the age of 41.
