Jada Pinkett Smith, a woman who has been married to Will Smith since 1997, is known to suffer from the autoimmune disease Alopecia. He was first diagnosed in 2018, currently he is still struggling and undergoing treatment.
This 50-year-old woman once shared her story when she first suffered from the disease. Where he was immediately frightened and panicked when he got a handful of hair in his hand.
However, in the midst of fear and panic about the condition he was in, he actually got a lot of strength from the people around him. Apart from many people and children with cancer, she also gets strength from her husband, Will Smith.
Will Smith once expressed his love for his wife's latest appearance. This also makes Pinkett Smith feel happy, supported, and stronger through it.
Knowing how his wife struggled to get through this disease, when Chris Rock joked about Jada's curly hair, Will Smith was furious and immediately went up to slap Chris Rock on the Oscar 2022 stage.
Jada Pinkett Smith's Alopecia Causes and Symptoms
You, learn to be more aware, get to know more about the causes and symptoms of Alopecia suffered by Jada Pinkett Smith below. Come on!
Definition of Alopecia
Reporting from Medical News Today, Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder that often causes unexpected hair loss. Quoted from Heatlhline, hair loss generally only occurs in small parts that may not be too visible.
The disease affects about 6.8 million people in the United States. Some of them experience only a small amount of hair loss, but some are more extreme.
In total hair loss, the scalp is called alopecia totalis. For cases of extreme loss of the entire body, starting from the eyebrows, eyelashes, face, and other body parts, it is called alopecia universalis.
Still from the same source, this condition is known to affect anyone regardless of age and gender. The majority of cases occur before the age of 30 years.
Citing Healthline, until now there is no cure for this disease. However, there are treatments that can help hair grow back faster and can prevent future hair loss, and unique ways to cover it up.
Causes of Alopecia
So what causes this Alopecia?
Well, this condition can occur when white blood cells attack the cells in the hair follicles. This causes it to shrink and dramatically slows down hair production.
For information, hair follicles are structures from which hair grows. The shrinking follicles become smaller and stop producing hair, this will lead to hair loss.
Quoted from Healthline, until now researchers do not know the exact cause of this alopecia condition. However, it is most common in people who have a family history of other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition, citing Medical News Today, extreme stress factors can actually be the cause of Alopecia. However, there is little scientific evidence, the latest showing a superior genetic factor.
Symptoms of Alopecia
Alopecia symptom is hair loss, especially from the scalp. This hair loss can occur suddenly and continue for several weeks.
There is itching to burning in the area of hair loss. In this condition, the hair follicles are not completely destroyed and can grow back once the inflammation has subsided.
Alopecia-related hair loss is unpredictable. According to doctors and scientists who have conducted research, this happens spontaneously. Then, the rate of hair loss and hair regrowth in each person is different.
Alopecia Areata in Women
Citing Healthline, women are more likely to develop alopecia areata than men. However, it was not clear what the reason was. This loss can also occur on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes
Those are the causes and symptoms of Alopecia suffered by Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith, summarized from Healthline and Medical News Today. So that you don't feel the same way, don't forget to always take care of your health!