Home and Away actor reveals his secret health battle after cruel trolls made comments on his appearance

Home and Away star Kyle Shilling has opened up about his health battle after being trolled by viewers over his physical appearance.

The actor, who plays Mali on the show, shared a post to Instagram on Friday telling fans he had been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease.

He explained he was forced to open up about his health battle after some viewers complained about his facial hair.

‘For all those Home and Away fans complaining about my beard line…. Not too long ago I was diagnosed with alopecia on the beard region, mainly my neck,’ he wrote.

‘Alopecia is a hair loss disease which can be caused by stress. The makeup team at Home and Away do the best they can do to cover up this ‘insecurity’ I now have. It should grow back eventually, but for now it is what it is,’ he continued.

‘I’m not asking for sympathy as it could be a lot worse but I’m simply shedding light on alopecia so people have an understanding about it.’

Kyle revealed in December last year, he would be joining the Channel Seven soap and playing the character of Mali Hudson.

‘It’s official ladies and gentleman. Stoked to be part of the amazing family/team of Home and Away,’ he wrote at the time.

‘It’s been nothing but an absolute privilege to work with everyone involved. Can’t wait for you all to see the story of Mali Hudson.’

The actor, who plays Mali on the show, shared a post to Instagram on Friday telling fans he had been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease after viewers complained about his facial hair

Alopecia is the general medical term for hair loss. Alopecia areata — one type of hair loss — is caused by the body attacking its own healthy hair follicles.

Alopecia areata does not currently have any cure and doctors cannot predict how much hair someone is likely to lose once small patches begin to fall out.

But there is a 60 to 80 per cent chance hair will regrow naturally in the small areas when it drops out.

If hair does grow back, it can take months or years and usually starts as sparse white hairs in the bald patches which can eventually thicken and regain their colour. 

‘For all those Home and Away fans complaining about my beard line…. Not too long ago I was diagnosed with alopecia on the beard region, mainly my neck,’ he revealed