What is Alopecia? Jada Pinkett Smith opens up on hair loss struggles in candid Instagram post 

Jada Pinkett Smith at a screening of Matrix Resurrections (Image via Getty Images/ Steve Jennings)
Jada Pinkett Smith at a screening of Matrix Resurrections (Image via Getty Images/ Steve Jennings)

American actor Jada Pinkett Smith opened up about her hair loss struggles in a recent social media post. Taking to her Instagram handle on December 28, The Matrix star revealed that she suffers from alopecia and it has progressed.

Captioning the 40-second video, Smith jokingly wrote that she and alopecia would be friends from now on.

Smith can be seen pointing to a patch on her scalp. She was dressed in a light grey sweatshirt with a Christmas-themed red manicure, donning a no make-up look.

However, Smith took a positive spin while discussing her hair loss struggle. She said she would accessorize it with rhinestones and make herself a little crown.

"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 Pinkett Smith details her struggles with alopecia

As per WebMD, an autoimmune disorder called alopecia areata causes a person's hair to fall out, often in clumps that look like quarters. Every individual experiences different amounts of hair loss. For example, some individuals may lose their hair only a few spots, whereas others may lose it completely.

In some cases, hair grows back but falls out later on. Sometimes, hair grows back permanently. When a person has an autoimmune disease, the immune system of that person's body attacks it. In this case, the immune system attacks the hair follicles

Jada Pinkett Smith first talked about her alopecia in 2018's Red Table Talk episode after talking about her wearing turbans.

"It was terrifying when it first started. I was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands and I was just like, 'Oh my god, am I going bald?'"

In July 2021, Jada Pinkett Smith shaved her head inspired by her daughter Willow Smith, stating it was "time to let go."

Jada Pinkett Smith will launch three upcoming projects on the professional front. She will be working on Uptown Saturday Night, Straight Talk, and an Untitled Jada Pinkett Smith/Netflix Project, a documentary.

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