Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss condition is at the heart of the slap heard around the world at this year’s Oscars.
She was diagnosed with alopecia in 2004 and she has been sharing her personal journey.
“I was in the shower one day, and then just handfuls of hair just in my hands. And I was like, oh my god, am I going bald?” Pinkett Smith, 50, said.
Alopecia, also known as an autoimmune disorder, is a condition that causes hair loss and baldness. Since years, the actress has spoken out about her struggle with the disorder and how she dealt with hair loss. Last summer, Pinkett Smith said she was inspired by her and Smith’s daughter Willow Smith to completely shave her head.
Alopecia can be embarrassing and shameful for nearly 7 million Americans. Inside Edition spoke to women who say they felt her pain over Chris Rock’s joke.
“I personally have never gotten a G.I. Jane joke, but I’ve gotten bald eagle jokes, crystal ball jokes,” Mia Osbourne said.
Thea Chassin said that the joke was inappropriate but that it was still funny. “violence is never OK for any reason.”