Esther Passaris Opens Up On Condition Causing Her To Lose Her Hair

Nairobi County woman representative, Esther Passaris ranks highly among Kenya's most beautiful politicians owing to her hair.

Born in Mombasa county to a Greek father and a Dutch-Kikuyu Kenyan mother, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker inherited great genes including her skin tone and hair, the latter being one of her most outstanding attributes.

She often spots luscious locks tied up in up dos or often left swaying in the wind as she attends official and casual meetings and events. Her beauty continues to transcend ages from the 90s when she finished second in the Miss World Kenya contest to date where she continues to collect compliments from elites and ordinary people alike.

However, in a recent video she shared on her TikTok account, Passaris spoke out regarding a condition causing her hair to thin, shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of her health.

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris in a video showing her hair thinning. /TIKTOK.ESTHER PASSARIS

She showed her followers a section of her frontal hair volume that appeared thinner than the rest of her head, explaining that this was due in part to her thyroid being removed.

“Oh yeah, my hair is thinning. And the reason it’s thinning is one, I don’t have a thyroid.

"And sometimes my thyroxine levels get low and my hair, of course, thins.  I’m also gonna be 60 next year," she divulged.

"So if you’re going to be 60, obviously, you’ll have to lose some hair. But this is the thing, no matter what you’re going through in life, you’ve got to love yourself.

"You got to look in the mirror every morning and just say to yourself, I love you, no matter what. Cause once you love yourself, then you can pick up any other pieces and move on with it,” she added.

Passaris has nonetheless been working out in the gym lately since going back in November 2022. She announced that she intended on losing weight and this could be one of the ways she is managing her thyroid issues.

Worth It To Note: Thyroid

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam's apple.

The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolic rate, growth and development. It plays a role in controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance.

What Is Passaris Going Through?

The above hair thinning is a symptom of Hypothyroidism. According to Mayo Clinic, this happens when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone, a condition that is also called underactive thyroid.

Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Over time, hypothyroidism that isn't treated can lead to other health problems, such as high cholesterol and heart problems.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism depend on the severity of the condition. Problems tend to develop slowly, often over several years.

At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain. Or you may think they are just part of getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more-obvious problems.

Hypothyroidism symptoms may include:

• Tiredness.
• More sensitivity to cold.
• Constipation.
• Dry skin.
• Weight gain.
• Puffy face.
• Hoarse voice.
• Coarse hair and skin.
• Muscle weakness.
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness.
• Menstrual cycles that are heavier than usual or irregular.
• Thinning hair.
• Slowed heart rate, also called bradycardia.
• Depression.
• Memory problems.

Anyone can get hypothyroidism, including infants. Most babies born without a thyroid gland or with a gland that doesn't work correctly don't have symptoms right away.

However, when hypothyroidism in infants isn't treated, even mild cases can lead to severe physical and mental development problems.

When to see a doctor

It is recommended that one visits their health care provider if he or she is feeling tired for no reason or if one has other symptoms of hypothyroidism.

If you're taking thyroid hormone medicine for hypothyroidism, follow your healthcare provider's advice on how often you need medical appointments.

At first, you may need regular appointments to make sure you're receiving the right dose of medicine. Over time, you may need checkups so that your healthcare provider can monitor your condition and medicine.

An image of a man with a receding hairline. /MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Loss Of Hair

People generally lose hair as they age. Women, in particular, may start losing hair after menopause.

During and after menopause, hair might become finer (thinner) because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.

Hair loss around menopause is likely to be caused by changing hormone levels – and your body produces less oestrogen and progesterone.