Danielle Jonas, wife of Kevin Jonas, is revealing the stressful symptoms that led to her recent diagnosis of Lyme disease.
Jonas, 39, sought treatment when she noticed that she was shedding more hair than usual.
“They tried to tell me it was anxiety. Finally, I had a biopsy that showed I actually had Lyme disease,” Jonas said in an interview with Parents published on Thursday.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a bite from an infected black-legged tick, also called a deer tick.
Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes, hair loss and rashes, including an erythema migrans rash.
If left untreated, long-term consequences can include facial palsy, heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat, nerve pain, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, loss of concentration or memory problems, and, most commonly, Lyme arthritis.
Years before the Lyme diagnosis, Jonas had experienced symptoms of eczema. They seemed to worsen with this new health battle.
“I … had eczema on my scalp, which was likely from the inflammation [caused by Lyme disease],” said Jonas. “The hair loss was very traumatic. I got to a point where I wanted to wear a wig.”
To compensate for her hair loss, Jonas began wearing extensions, but they pulled on her scalp and further aggravated her eczema.
“I had to go out and do things with Kevin. I just wanted to feel like myself,” she told Parents.
A form of dermatitis, eczema is a non-contagious, inflammatory skin condition that can cause uncomfortable and itchy dry patches and rashes.
Eczema affects 31 million Americans — roughly one in 10 people will develop it at some point, according to the National Eczema Foundation.
It often runs in families and is passed down genetically.
To help manage and alleviate her eczema, Jonas went into “full detective mode,” taking stock of all of the products that came into contact with her skin, including her laundry detergent.
She found that switching to All Free Clear made a significant difference, and she has since partnered with the brand, which has the stamp of approval from the National Eczema Association.
Danielle and Kevin, who have been married since 2009, are parents to daughters Alena, 11, and Valentina, 8.
While her own journey with eczema has been painful, it has prepared Jonas to navigate her children’s flare-ups.
“They saw everything I went through, so the main thing I tell them [when their eczema flares up] is, ‘This is going to pass.’”
To manage their symptoms, she advises her daughters to simplify their skincare routines and avoid following trends.
“I had to reel Alena back in a little bit. Besides eczema, she’s always had other skin issues, so keeping things clean for her is important,” Jonas shared with Parents.
“Still, she gets mad because she wants to have fun with certain products,” she added. “I tell her, ‘Well, do you want a flare-up or do you want it to get it under control?’ That helps her come back down.”
Jonas joins other stars who have opened up about their battles with Lyme disease, including Alexis Ohanian, Justin Timberlake, Bella Hadid and her mom Yolanda, Shania Twain, UFC fighter Jim Miller, Avril Lavigne and Amy Schumer.
