What is alopecia?

Brut America

Jada Pinkett Smith, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and countless other women suffer from this autoimmune disease which leads to irreversible hair loss. What is alopecia?

Transcript

00:00Now y'all know I've been struggling with alopecia.

00:02This is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide.

00:06So I thought I'd just share it so y'all not asking any questions.

00:23We know from various studies that hair loss of all types

00:27has a very significant psychological impact on men and women.

00:39Sorry Jojo Siwa and Ariana Grande, not the best hairstyle.

00:44So if you want to hold on to those hairs, maybe change things up if you can.

00:58It was terrifying when it when it first started, you know.

01:03I was in the shower one day and then just handfuls of hair just in my hands

01:08and I was just like, oh my god, am I going bald?

01:20So you know mama's gonna put some rhinestones in there and I'm just gonna make me a little crown.

01:42The most common form of hair loss is purely cosmetic and we call that traction alopecia

01:48and it occurs because of a combination of hairstyles that are too tight as well as

01:54hairstyles that are too tight that are done on hair that has already been chemically weakened

01:59by straightening.

02:08I want to be freed from the secret.

02:12Alopecia errata disproportionately affects children and black Americans and particularly black women.

02:19Some people may say that it's just hair, but for me and for many people living with alopecia,

02:25hair is intrinsically linked to our identity and our cultural expression.

02:30I'm still coming to terms with my new alopecia reality and the impact of my traumatic hair loss.

02:36Every day, thanks to the support of my family, my staff and the broader alopecia community and

02:41others who have experienced hair loss, I am making progress. I am making progress despite

02:48the hateful comments, the cruel and constant online harassment about my baldness, the intrusive

02:54and ignorant questions on the elevators and the unsolicited advice and stares, lots of stares.

03:02No doubt about it, a bald woman entering a room,

03:06entering the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives makes people uncomfortable.

03:18I mainly want to raise awareness for alopecia because not a lot of people know about it

03:23and I also just want people to learn that it's okay to be different.

03:32you

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