Hair loss among women is painful, depressing and embarrassing, according to Jada Pinkett Smith and other celebrities who have gone public with their feelings.
The subject rushed into the public consciousness after Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for making a joke about Pinkett Smith's lack of hair.
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From left, Emilia Jones, Daniel Durant, Sian Heder, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, Justin Maurer, Philippe Rousselet, Troy Kotsur and Amy Forsyth accept the Best Picture award for ‘Coda’ on stage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
Will Smith accepts the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘King Richard’ onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
US actress Jessica Chastain poses with the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
US singer-songwriter Finneas O'Connell, left, and US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish accept the award for Best Music (Original Song) for 'No Time to Die' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
Bryon Howard, from left, Clark Spencer, Yvett Merino, and Jared Bush, winners of the award for Best Animated Feature Film for 'Encanto', pose in the press room at the Oscar Awards event on Sunday, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP -
Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia, winners of Best Live Action Short Film, pose in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. Getty Images -
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, right, accepts the award for Best International Feature Film for 'Drive My Car' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP -
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Troy Kotsur poses with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 'Coda' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony. EPA -
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Left to right, Joseph Patel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, David Dinerstein, and Robert Fyvolent pose with their Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for 'Summer of Soul (. . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA -
The makeup and hairstyling team for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' Linda Dowds, centre, Stephanie Ingram, left, and Justin Raleigh accepts the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Award at Oscars 2022. AFP -
Brian Connor, second from left, Paul Lambert, third from left, Gerd Nefzer, third from right, and Tristan Myles, second from right, winners of the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for 'Dune', pose with presenters Rachel Zegler, left, and Jacob Elordi, right, in the press room. EPA -
Spanish director and animator Alberto Mielgo, right, and Spanish producer Leo Sanchez show off their award for Best Animated Short Film for 'The Windshield Wiper' in the press room. AFP -
Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot with his Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film for 'The Queen of Basketball'. EPA -
Greig Fraser, winner of the Oscar for Cinematography for ‘Dune’, poses in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. AFP -
British costume designer Jenny Beavan accepts the Oscar for Best Costume Design for 'Cruella' during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA -
British film editor Joe Walker poses with the Best Film Editing award for 'Dune'. AFP -
Patrice Vermette, left, and Zsuzsanna Sipos, winners of the Academy Award for Production Design for 'Dune', pose with their Oscar trophies in the press room. EPA -
The sound team of 'Dune', from left, Doug Hemphill, Theo Green, Mark Mangini, Ron Barlett, and Mac Ruth in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Pinkett Smith spoke out for the first time in 2018 about alopecia, a medical term for the loss of hair.
“It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear,” the actress and director said on her online show Red Table Talk.
“And that was when I was like, 'Oh, my God. Am I going bald?'”
Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who went public about her alopecia in 2020, took to Twitter on Monday.
“Let's talk about what it's like to live with #alopecia,” she wrote. “The deeply vulnerable & difficult moments that our families see. Appreciation post for those who hold us down & support us when we're at our lowest points. They see us, fully.”
Stress, hormonal changes and Covid-19
As Hollywood inches towards a healthier balance between female beauty ideals and the reality, more actresses have begun speaking out about the effect of losing their hair owing to stress, hormonal changes after giving birth and even Covid-19.
“This is so not glamorous, but it's true: I need to take longer showers so that I can collect the hair that falls out and throw it away so I don't clog the drain. Why do actresses never talk about that?” Selma Blair told People magazine in 2011 after giving birth.
Alyssa Milano, who says she lost her hair after being infected by the coronavirus, said it had affected her whole sense of self.
“It's hard, especially when you're an actor and so much of your identity is wrapped up in those things like having long silky hair and clean skin.”
Actress Ricki Lake wrote on Instagram in 2020 that she had struggled for her whole life with hair loss.
“It has been debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely, all the things. There have been a few times where I have even felt suicidal over it.”
Oscar-winner Viola Davis said she had tried to hide the effects of her alopecia with wigs.
“I had a wig I wore around the house. I had a wig that I wore to events. I had a wig that I wore when I worked out,” she told an interviewer.
“I never showed my natural hair … I was so desperate for people to think that I was beautiful.”
Davis, who has been more open about the subject in the last decade, even included it in the series How to Get Away with Murder, when her character, a strong-willed lawyer and teacher, removes her wig exposing her very short hair.
The National Alopecia Areata Foundation on Monday called for more people to learn about the condition.
It said alopecia areata, a specific type of balding caused by an autoimmune disorder that makes hair often fall out in clumps, affects about seven million people in the US and about 147 million worldwide.
“Alopecia areata does not discriminate and can affect anyone at any age and may be a temporary or lifelong condition. Many people living with the condition are suffering, and we must do better to support this community and erase the stigma, discrimination and societal barriers that persist.”
