Alopecia Makes its Oscar Debut with Jada Pinkett Smith

Why did Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars?

Prepared by Carlyn

Two phrases: Alopecia Areata.

In the health-related vocabulary, Alopecia means ‘bald’ and Areata signifies ‘patchy’.

Jada Pinkett Smith, actor Will Smith’s spouse, has been candid about her struggles with an autoimmune sickness known as Alopecia Areata, which is made up of patchy and unpredictable hair decline.

For the duration of very last night’s 94th Academy Awards, Chris Rock directed a bald joke at Jada, which did not sit nicely with ‘Best Actor’ winner Will Smith. Rock was referring to Demi Moore’s bald seem in the 1997 Motion film G.I. Jane.

Alopecia Areata is categorized as an autoimmune condition, which is composed of the immune process mistakenly attacking parts of the entire body. In this scenario, the cells of the immune process assault and surround the hair follicles, halting hair development.

Here’s what Toronto dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett of DLK on Avenue had to say about the issue:

There are many distinctive kinds of hair reduction, also recognised as Alopecia. Hair decline can be divided into cicatricial (scarring) and non-cicatricial (non-scarring) forms. A single form of non-cicatricial alopecia is Alopecia Areata. This is a type of Alopecia brought on by an autoinflammatory reaction to the hair follicle. Individuals can have isolated patches of hair loss on the scalp, on the other hand in much more significant kinds, it can take place any place on the body which include the eyelashes and eyebrows. Some people can also knowledge the decline of all hair (Alopecia Universalis). Sufferers with Alopecia Areata are also at a higher risk of getting other autoimmune disorders, this kind of as Thyroid Sickness, Pernicious Anemia and Addison’s Disorder between other folks, so it is significant to abide by these patients thoroughly.

Treatment options for Alopecia Areata incorporates topical techniques these types of as topical steroids, intralesional steroid injections or systemic prescription drugs in extra significant varieties. Other typical forms of non-cicatricial alopecia are Telogen Effluvium, which can take place immediately after sickness or trauma and Androgenetic Alopecia, which is usually noticed in adult males and some gals with aging.

Evidently, Alopecia is critical and can be upsetting for the person impacted due to overall look elements. In 2018, a peer-reviewed research showed that “Black and Hispanic ladies in the U.S. have a significantly larger possibility of establishing Alopecia Areata in their life time than White girls.”

In 2018, JPS was open about her condition through an episode of her Facebook collection, Purple Desk Talk, stating that “It was terrifying when it initially commenced. I was in the shower 1 working day and then just handfuls of hair just in my hands.”

Did Chris have it coming?