AS SHE gets ready to head into the All Stars villa, Kaz Crossley has undergone a transformation.
However, there is a heartbreaking reason behind the Love Island star’s new look.
The reality star, who shot to fame on the hit ITV2 dating show in 2018, has signed up for another shot of finding romance in the villa.
As the influencer, 30, heads to South Africa, she has gone for a complexly different look to what fans are used to.
Rather than longer darker locks, like her first time on the show, Kaz now has a stylish platinum blonde pixie haircut.
The star previously opened up about why she changed her look, and the brave battle she has undergone with her hair.
In March 2023, Kaz opened up about having alopecia, which had caused bald patches around her hairline.
She candidly told fans how she’d had a “good cry” after looking at photos of herself suffering from the condition.
In a series of snaps, Kaz could be seen with bald patches around her hairline before she appeared to be holding back tears in another glassy-eyed shot.
She revealed how her hair loss came not long after the stress she suffered in the wake being arrested and detained in Dubai, which saw her subsequently move back to the UK.
Kaz told her followers at the time: “After I took this pic last night I had a good cry. Sometimes you will have days where you don’t feel strong, and that’s okay – it’s so important to let it out!”
Speaking about the anxiety she felt, she said: “I think the mixture of realising I’m losing more hair, mixed with the fact I will be heading back to the uk (real life) hit me hard.”
The popular star went on to admit that she had been riddled with insecurities that people may notice her bald patches and said it was a “constant reminder” of a “difficult time”.
The star added in a plea to her followers: “Trust me I feel anyone else dealing with this and we will get through it together! Don’t let these thoughts take over for too long.
“We are too blessed to be stressed let it out and keep going. You’ve got this.”
A year after her candid post, Kaz decided to shave off her trademark locks, and she did it all for charity.
But she didn’t stop there, she donated her hair to charity so it could be made into a wig for a child who has cancer.
Sharing the heartwarming moment with her fans, Kaz said: “Over the last few months I have been working closely with @littleladylocks charity.
“In this time I have met some incredibly brave and inspiring girls and have seen first hand the lengths @ashley_marie_hair goes to for them, helping regain their confidence after hair loss.
“I have seen how much these wigs have made a positive impact on their lives, and have since made it my mission to help as many girls as I can.
“So yesterday I decided to cut all my hair off- to create a wig for a little girl who needs it.
“I’m determined to spread awareness of this beautiful charity and hope you all see my dedication to this cause.”
She continued: “But it is not as simple as cutting off my hair. It costs the charity £500 to pay the wig makers to turn my hair into a wig!!!
“That’s why this charity desperately needs our help. It broke my heart when @ashley_marie_hair told me she was close to shutting down because they just don’t have the money or support.
“Let’s get the funds to get all the referrals seen to this month so the girls don’t have to wait any longer to feel like themselves again. Please help me spread the word.”
About two per cent of the population will experience alopecia at some point in their lifetime, with around one in every 4,000 developing the condition each year.
It can start at any age but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to a lack of all hair including eyelashes and eyebrows, nasal hair and public hair.
Alopecia areata causes patches of baldness about the size of a large coin.
“Alopecia” is the medical term for hair loss and “areata” means that it occurs in small, random areas. There are various classifications, including:
The causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood but the loss of hair is because of inflammation around the hair follicles.
The cause of the inflammation is unknown but it is believed that the immune system, which normally protects the body from infections and other diseases, misfires and attacks the hair follicles.
Therefore, it is understood to be an autoimmune condition, says Alopecia UK.
Genetics may be behind the condition, but there are other things thought to trigger it, including a virus, iron deficiency or stress. Studies are not conclusive.
For women, sometimes birth can trigger postpartum alopecia.
In most cases of alopecia areata, hair will grow back in a few months to a year. At first, hair may grow back fine and white, but over time it should thicken and regain its normal colour.
There is no cure for the condition, only treatments that are not guaranteed to work.
People with alopecia may need to take extra precautions, including protecting their skin and eyes when outside and preventing stress.
