'I've tried to hide my bald patches': Made In Chelsea's Olivia Bentley reveals secret battle with alopecia has left her feeling 'insecure'
Made In Chelsea star Olivia Bentley has revealed she has been suffering from hair loss condition alopecia since she was a teenager.
The reality star, 23, has attempted to hide her 'bald patches and receding hairline' with hats and hairpieces after her locks began falling out when she was prescribed the contraceptive pill at the age of 16.
The television personality detailed her battle with the condition in a new interview with this week's Hello! magazine, admitting she's been struggling with 'feelings of insecurity over the years' following her diagnosis.
Battle: Made In Chelsea star Olivia Bentley has revealed she has been suffering from hair loss condition alopecia since she was a teenager
Olivia has now decided to speak out on the 'taboo' subject in the hope of encouraging other women 'to not feel upset or embarrassed anymore'.
She said: 'I suffer from hair loss, from alopecia. It's left me with feelings of insecurity over the years, so I've tried to hide my bald patches and receding hairline by wearing hats and hairpieces, and dyeing my naturally dark brown hair blonde.
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'Not enough is spoken about alopecia in women; it’s still a taboo subject we tend to hide. Now I hope that by coming forward, I will encourage other women and girls in the same situation not to feel upset or embarrassed any more'.
The Made in Chelsea star said she noticed balls of hair in her shower after she was prescribed the contraceptive pill at 16.
Confession: The reality star, 23, has attempted to hide her 'bald patches and receding hairline' with hats and hairpieces after her locks began falling out at the age of 16
Hidden: The television personality detailed her battle with the condition, admitting she's been struggling with 'feelings of insecurity over the years' following her diagnosis
The aspiring fine art photographer said she would feel 'clumps of hair' falling into her hand whenever she washed it.
She said: 'Every time I washed my hair in the shower, I could feel clumps of hair falling out in my hand. And whenever I brushed it, there would be masses of hair in the bristles. To go through that as a young girl was awful.'
Olivia will be seen revealing her condition to members of the Made In Chelsea cast on Monday night's episode.
In teaser scenes aired at the end of last week's show, she was seen breaking down to model boyfriend Digby Edgley amid fears he would leave her for a girl with 'long, flowing hair'.
Speak out: Olivia has now decided to speak out on the 'taboo' subject in the hope of encouraging other women 'to not feel upset or embarrassed anymore' (pictured in March)
Read the full interview in this week's Hello! magazine, on sale now
Olivia and Digby confirmed they were back together in February after calling time on their tumultuous on-off relationship while filming the Made In Chelsea spin-off in Croatia last summer.
'It was nice having the break between the series,' Liv said, speaking to MailOnline in October.
'And it 100 percent gets really horrible.
'It's not been like when I broke up with Fred [Ferrier]. Because this relationship with Digby - well, I loved him. And having to see an ex is savage. We have all the same friends so it's not easy.
'Digby never listened when I tried to talk to him.
'I would have a conversation about things and if it didn’t go well we'd have an argument in Croatia and because everyone else was out there they'd get involved and it all just turned nasty.'
Read the full interview in this week's Hello! magazine, on sale now
Opening up: Olivia will be seen revealing her condition to members of the Made In Chelsea cast on Monday night's episode
Tough time: In scenes aired at the end of last week's show, she was seen breaking down to model boyfriend Digby Edgley amid fears he would leave her for a girl with 'long, flowing hair'
