Jada Pinkett Smith is not just a talented actress, Will Smith’s wife, and mother of two children, Willow and Jaden. She’s also one of Hollywood’s bravest women, willing to openly discuss her medical condition.
Tired of constant, insensitive questions about why she wears a turban and keeps her hair short, she bravely shared her story in 2018, a conversation that continues today. On her own talk show, Red Table Talk, she revealed that she suffers from alopecia areata.
Quoting zoomboola, ‘It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear. That’s why I cut my hair — and why I continue to cut it. I just had thought, ‘OK, I think we’re gonna do another layer of cutting,’ you know? And my hair has been a big part of me. Taking care of my hair has been a beautiful ritual, you know? And having the choice to have hair or not, and then one day to be like, ‘Oh, my God, I might not have the choice,’ she admitted to her fans.
What is Alopecia?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes abnormal hair loss, leading to partial or complete baldness in specific areas of the scalp or body. Alopecia areata involves one or several round bald patches due to damage to the hair follicles by the immune system.
Jada Pinkett Smith first encountered this when a clump of hair remained in her hands while washing her hair. Overcoming her initial panic, she immediately consulted a doctor to find the cause. However, test results showed nothing; Pinkett Smith was perfectly healthy. She had no option but to accept her condition and learn to live with it.
It took her a while to fully accept it, and she only fully embraced her baldness in 2021, on the eve of her 50th birthday. Inspired by her daughter, who also sported a very short haircut at the time, the actress decided to finally ditch the turbans and short haircuts and shaved her head. “It’s time to let this go,” she captioned a photo of her new hairstyle.
New Life
Over the years, Jada continued to be honest with her fans, inspiring many with her courage and openness. Her frank discussion about her diagnosis has significantly raised awareness of this condition and has helped women with alopecia feel more confident, knowing they have Pinkett Smith’s support.
Now, at this point, I can only laugh. Y’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,” she addressed her Instagram audience in 2021.
Oscar Scandal
During the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock joked about Jada just before announcing the winner for “Best Documentary.” He commented on her short hairstyle.
“Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” said Rock, comparing Smith’s wife’s look to Demi Moore’s shaved head in the movie “G.I. Jane,” according to military standards.
Although Smith may have intended his act as a noble gesture, it sparked a scandal. People accused him of violence, even though some celebrities supported him. The Academy banned him from its events for the next 10 years.
Jada kept quiet for a long time before reacting on Instagram: ” This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.” Her daughter Willow posted something similar. ” You know who’s going through a lot right now? Literally everyone. Just be kind,” she wrote.
First Victories
In August 2023, Jada shared a new photo, revealing that her hair had started to grow for the first time in many years. “These hairs are acting like they’re trying to come back. There are still some problem areas, but we’ll see,” she captioned.
In September, to celebrate her 52nd birthday, the actress posted a photo showing her thick hair, which she dyed a soft pink color. “This ain’t noth’n but a birthday sherbet surprise within a Virgo sunrise,” Jada wrote.
She hasn’t gone into detail about what exactly helped her achieve this growth. However, in 2018, she tried steroid injections, which, according to her, didn’t cure her alopecia but did help manage it.
Additionally, in 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a medication for alopecia patients that blocks the immune system’s attack on hair follicles. It’s quite possible that this medication helped Jada regain her hair.