NEW YORK: Oscar presenter Chris Rock s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith s hair loss during the 94th Annual Academy Awards made her husband, legendary actor Will Smith, lose his cool as he walked onstage and slapped Rock, leaving everyone around shocked. Smith s violent reaction and Rock s tactless joke both didn t go down well with those present and the viewers even as the episode overshadowed the Oscars award ceremony. For the uninitiated Jada Pinkett Smith has been struggling with a medical condition called alopecia areata which leads to acute hair loss, generally in patches, at times causing complete baldness on scalp or even body in many cases. An automimmune condition, alopecia areata occurs when body s white blood cells start attacking the cells of hair follicles, which leads them to shrink and slow down hair production. Jada has been quite vocal about her hair loss condition and first spoke about it in 2018 saying it was terrifying to deal with it when it first started. She also shared a video on Instagram in December last year captioning it as: Mama s gonna have to take it down to the scalp so nobody thinks she got brain surgery or something Me and this alopecia are going to be friends period sic .
Now at this point, I can only laugh. You all know I ve been struggling with alopecia and just all of a sudden one day, look at this line right here. Look at that. So it just showed up like that and this is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide. So I thought I d just share it so y all are not asking any questions, Jada has said in the video. What is alopecia areata Alopecia areata is a medical condition in which there is acute hair loss, which usually occurs in patches. This leads to patchy baldness. The reason is mostly autoimmune, which means that our body s own immune system attacks the hair follicles leading to hair loss. It can be genetic in origin and can occur at any age group. Good thing is that it is often self limiting and can resolve on its own. In cases where the hair fall is significant, treatment includes use of steroids and other immunosuppressants, Dr Shraddha Despande, Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive Aesthetic Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central. Causes of alopecia areata While it is not clear the exact reason behind what may cause this condition, genetics may have a role to play as one in five people who develop alopecia areata has a family history of the disease.
Stress and alcohol have been known to trigger it. Hence it would be advisable to avoid them when diagnosed with this condition, says Dr Deshpande. Symptoms of alopecia areata Patchy hair loss Coin sized patches of hair begin to fall out Hair growth of beard and eyelashes may get affected Development of sudden hair loss in matter of few days or weeks Itching or burning in area before hair loss Nails may lose shine, become thin and rough Apart from alopecia areata, Here are four other types of common alopecia according to WebMD: Androgenic alopecia: Also known as male or female pattern hair loss, in women the condition is likely to thin their hair but not causing complete baldness, unlike men, who can suffer from partial or complete baldness due to the condition. The hair loss in men is often faster, earlier onset, and more extensive.Some men will get a single bald spot. Others experience their hairlines receding to form an M shape. In some men, the hairline will continue to recede until all or most of the hair is gone, says Dr Rinky Kapoor, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetic Dermatologist Dermato Surgeon, The Esthetic Clinics.
In women, the first signs of female pattern baldness is noticed when thinning of the hair and widening of the partition of the hair is visible and hair does not feel as thick as usual. Although the scalp may be visible, the hairline usually does not recede, she adds. Alopecia totalis: In this type of alopecia, one loses all the hair on the scalp. Traction alopecia: This type of alopecia is caused when you put your hair through repeated pulling or stretching, usually when you style your hair in a tight ponytail, buns, braids, hair extensions etc. This continuous pulling can damage hair follicles and over the time may even lead to permanent hair loss. Cicatricial alopecia: In this type, hair follicles get destroyed as a result of inflammation and the damaged follicles get replaced by a scar tissue. The hair loss in the area is irreversible. One may have symptoms like itching, pain and heat sensation in the area. Diagnosis To tackle hair fall, a blood test can help detect medical conditions and hormonal issues tied to hair loss. A pull test can also be performed by the doctors who will take out several dozens of hairs to see how many come out, and this may help him her get to know about the stage of the hair loss.
Likewise, a scalp biopsy can also be helpful in determining whether an infection is causing hair loss, says Dr. Debraj Shome, Cosmetic Surgeon Director, The Esthetic Clinics. Treatment Here are some treatments that can help with hair re growth. Minoxidil: It one of the most common and popular forms of medications that are prescribed for hair loss, mainly pattern baldness, but can also be helpful in alopecia areata. It is an over the counter drug that comes in either liquid or foam form and is applied on the scalp, particularly on the bald patches, to promote hair growth and stop further hair loss. This should only be taken after consulting the expert. Do not self medicate yourself, as doing so is a strict no no, says Dr. Debraj Shome, Cosmetic Surgeon Director, The Esthetic Clinics.
