Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Actress Jada Pinkett Smith has been open about her hair loss experiences. On her Facebook show, Red Table Talk, Jada spoke about her own experiences with hair loss. Too often, Hollywood stars are perceived to lead these perfectly charmed lives, where nothing ever goes wrong. By discussing her own battles with hair loss, Jada has shed light on this very important and potentially devastating issue—an issue that too many are embarrassed by and too afraid to talk about.
Hair loss doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, white or black, male or female. It can happen when you’re otherwise seemingly perfectly healthy. Whether you have access to no doctors, or the best doctors that money can offer, hair loss can still happen.
Here’s what Jada Pinkett Smith had to say about her hair loss on her Facebook show Red Table Talk:
Hair Loss is Not Uncommon
More than 20 million American women are affected by hair loss, and we spend $3.5 billion dollars a year trying to treat it. From minoxidil to Redensyl® to biotin, we’re trying everything we can to get our hair to grow back. Sometimes things help, but too often they don’t. Black women tend to suffer disproportionately from hair loss. In a survey on black women in metro Detroit, 59% of women surveyed had experienced excessive hair loss.
Hair Loss and Depression
If you’re devastated and depressed by your hair loss, that’s not uncommon either! People with hair loss can and do experience depression and feel that they’re judged by their hair loss. Hair loss even affects personal relationships and the quality of your sex life. Hair loss is also associated with anxiety and lower self esteem. It is important to address hair loss issues. We need to talk about diagnoses and treatment options. We need to take off the cloak of shame and fight hair loss head on.
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