Jada Pinkett Smith’s Painful Hair Loss Condition: What Is Alopecia?

Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, became the subject of mockery by Chris Rock when he joked about her being “G.I. Jane” at the 94th annual Academy Awards on Sunday night.

The “King Richard” actor didn’t take kindly to the joke and said, “You need to keep my wife’s name out of your f---ing mouth” and appeared to slap Rock on stage. Although Rock has declined to press charges, fans feel divided about whether or not Smith should apologize, especially when it’s such a painful subject for Jada.

Jada Pinkett Smith shared her diagnosis with the world in 2018, during an episode of her chat show, Red Table Talk. She described the “terrifying” moment when she first noticed that she was losing “handfuls of hair” while taking a shower.

“It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear,” she recalled. “That’s why I cut my hair and continued to cut it.”

Although she has kept her hair short over the years and has covered her hair with headwraps and turbans, she completely shaved hear head in July 2021.

In an Instagram photo, she wrote, “Will made me do it because it was time to let go. BUT … my 50’s are bout to be divinely lit with this shed (shaved head).”

In December 2021, Jada made an Instagram video regarding her alopecia. “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!?” she wrote.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), alopecia is a disease where the body starts to attack its own hair follicles, which can cause hair loss not just on the head, but anywhere on the body. The condition is not contagious and can begin at any age. For most people, it starts occurring in their childhood and teenage years. It is possible for hair to grow back and cycle through hair loss and regrowth for many years. If a parent has alopecia, there is a greater risk of children developing the disease as well, but it is not a guarantee.

There are three main types of alopecia. Alopecia areata is a medical term for baldness with “areata” meaning “patchy.” This patchy baldness can appear anywhere on the body. Alopecia totalis is when a person loses all hair on their scalp, so they are completely bald. Alopecia universalis is a rare condition where the body loses all hair on the body completely. A 2018 peer-reviewed study found that Black and Hispanic woman have a “significantly greater” chance of developing alopecia areata than White women.

Many people who have alopecia are healthy and do not suffer any other underlying health condition. However, some people with alopecia suffer nail changes, such as having brittle nails or dents or ridges in the nail. Some people develop red nails as a result of the condition.

There are numerous studies being done at the moment to try to cure and treat alopecia, but at this time, there is no definitive cure what the disease.

An alopecia areata nonprofit organization called Bald Girls Do Lunch called out Chris Rock, saying, “Jokes about #jadapsmith or any woman with #alopecia #alopeciaareata is never okay. Period.”

“Jada is a CURRENT inspiration for SO many people who live with the same or similar subcategory of her condition,” one user wrote. “To have someone famous try use her as the BUTT of his joke for clout is disgusting. Chris Rock should know better!”

“I have alopecia & I don’t own a single Will Smith song but I’m going back and buying every album he’s ever put out for that smack he gave @chrisrock,” another tweeted. “It took Jada a lot of courage to come out in public only to have her disability mocked Shame on you Chris Rock #AlopeciaAwareness”

Former NBA star and “alopecia ambassador” Charlie Villanueva tweeted, “To anyone out there that may be still battling with Alopecia… Remember, you have Alopecia, Alopecia doesn’t have you. Don’t give up on yourself. Life is just as beautiful as you.”