What is alopecia areata? Why Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith struck a nerve

LOS ANGELES — Dropping your hair is not any laughing matter, particularly when it is brought on by a well being difficulty you may’t management. 

A type of situations is known as alopecia areata, an auto-immune dysfunction that may trigger severe hair loss in adults and youngsters. 

Alopecia is the explanation behind actress Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald look. And the explanation husband Will Smith wasn’t amused when comic Chris Rock made a joke at her expense on the Oscars Sunday evening. 

Will marched as much as the stage and smacked Rock throughout the face.

Will Smith hits Chris Rock on Oscars stage after joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith

“Go away my spouse’s title out of your f–king mouth,” Will shouted when he returned to his seat.

Jada shaved her head in 2021 after going public along with her battle with alopecia, a situation prompted when the immune system will get out of whack and assaults hair follicles.

She rocked the clean-shaven take a look at the Oscars Sunday evening, however attending to the place she might publicly embrace her situation hasn’t been a simple journey.

Jada first revealed her prognosis in 2018 on her Purple Desk Speak along with her mother and daughter Willow, in accordance with CNN.

She stated it was “terrifying” when her hair began falling out in clumps. 

“It was a type of occasions in my life the place I used to be actually shaking with worry,” she stated. “That is why I reduce my hair and continued to chop it.”

It is not clear if comic Chris Rock knew about Jada’s alopecia when he made a “G.I Jane” joke. He later declined to press prices towards Smith who received the most effective actor Oscar for “King Richard.”  

It is regular to lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day, however for most individuals, new hair is rising in on the identical time to exchange it, in accordance with Memorial Hermann in Houston.

“Hair is in a continuing recycling, with progress, resting and shedding,” stated Dr. Christopher Levert with Memorial Hermann Medical Group.

Whereas baldness — or alopecia — is extra frequent in males, a few third of girls could have hair loss, in accordance with Harvard Medical Faculty. 

Frequent causes of hair loss embody:

• Household historical past or heredity
• Hormonal modifications
• Medicines or dietary supplements
• Trauma to the physique brought on by surgical procedure or childbirth
• Stress
• Smoking
• Poor diet
• Hairstyles and coverings

Alopecia areata causes patchy baldness wherever on the physique, together with the scalp, beard, eyebrows, eyelashes, armpits, nostril or ears. In uncommon instances, individuals lose all the hair on their physique. 

A examine by Harvard confirmed Black and Hispanic girls within the U.S. have a a lot higher likelihood of growing alopecia areata. 

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is one other public determine who has spoken brazenly about alopecia. The Massachusetts Democrat stated she felt compelled to go public to free herself of the disgrace of her situation and supply true transparency to all of the individuals empowered by her hair fashion, AP reported in 2020.

“I felt bare, uncovered, weak. I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt betrayed,” Pressley stated. “After which I additionally felt that I used to be taking part in a cultural betrayal due to all of the little ladies who write me letters, come as much as me, take selfies with me. Hashtag twist nation.”

WATCH: Rep. Ayanna Pressley on battle with alopecia (aired in 2020)

The Nationwide Alopecia Areata Affiliation says the situation impacts about 2% of the inhabitants, or as many as virtually 7 million Individuals, in accordance with AP.

About 65% of sufferers expertise their first episode of alopecia areata earlier than the age of 16, in accordance with Texas Kids’s Hospital.

It may be genetic, however may also be triggered by stress or thyroid points, TCH says.

Contact your physician should you discover these signs.

• Sudden dramatic and patchy hair loss wherever on the physique
• Hair popping out in clumps if you wash it, brush it or gently pull it
• Some could have burning or stinging earlier than sudden hair loss 
• About 20% of people that have alopecia areata, additionally report modifications of their nails, in accordance with the American Academy of Dermatology. This will embody purple or brittle nails, ridges and roughness.

There is no recognized treatment for this autoimmune dysfunction, however there are therapies obtainable.

“Now we have many therapies to assist with hair loss. The earlier they’re used, the extra profitable they’ll typically be,” Dr. Levert stated.

Sudden hair loss may also be an indication of different well being situations so see your physician if it occurs to you.

These are among the sources can be found for individuals with alopecia. The organizations are devoted to elevating consciousness and providing help.

 Locks of Love: The non-profit gives high quality hairpieces to financially deprived kids. 

Kids’s Alopecia Undertaking (CAP)

Nationwide Alopecia Areata Basis

VERIFY: Why do individuals go bald (initially aired in 2019)