Alopecia

Alopecia is No Laughing Matter. Educate yourself!

By . - Wednesday, March 30, 2022

“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman.
The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. 
The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”
—Malcolm X

The late Malcolm X is absolutely correct, and it's sad that not much has changed since he first uttered these profound words. Black women are constantly the butt of everyone's jokes all over the world - something we got to see firsthand during the most recent Oscars ceremony. 

Chris Rock, in a very ignorant moment, thought it would be really cool to make a careless joke about Mrs. Jada Pinkett-Smith, who is rocking a bald head due to her ongoing battle with a form of alopecia. Her husband, Will Smith, decided to handle the disrespect by literally knocking the dog mess out of Mr. Rock. 

Now everyone is stuck on the thunderous smack heard across the auditorium instead of PROTECTING BLACK WOMEN and educating the world on what alopecia is and how it affects the body. I will handle the subject of alopecia and I need BLACK MEN to do a better job at PROTECTING BLACK WOMEN!


What is Alopecia?

Alopecia is a medical umbrella term for hair loss. There are several kinds, and your treatment options depend on the type you have. Alopecia occurs in approximately one per thousand persons, affecting men and women equally. Most patients are below the age of 30 at the onset. Most cases resolve spontaneously, though recurrence is common.

Types of Alopecia & Treatments



Androgenic Alopecia

This is common for women and men. It’s also known as male- or female-pattern hair loss. If you’re a woman, it can thin your hair, but your hairline doesn’t recede and you’re unlikely to become totally bald. Women often notice a widening of their part. If you’re a man, the condition often leads to complete or partial baldness. Your genes and your environment seem to play roles in causing androgenic alopecia.

Treatments include:
  • Minoxidil (Rogaine)
  • Finasteride (Propecia)


Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a type of autoimmune disease—your immune system attacks your hair follicles by mistake. This is also known as patchy baldness. The bald patches can show up anywhere on your body, but many people get oval or round patches on the scalp.

Your hair may grow back on its own without treatment. (If it does, it’s also possible for it to fall out again.) Your dermatologist might ask you to wait and see if your hair regrows before they prescribe treatment.

Treatments include:
  • Medications that you put on your bald patches
  • Steroid shots that your dermatologist gives you in the office
  • Chemicals your dermatologist applies to your scalp for extensive hair loss (also called topical immunotherapy)


Alopecia Totalis

This is a form of alopecia aerata that makes you lose all the hair on your scalp. 

Treatments include:
  • Medications that you put on your bald patches
  • Steroid shots that your dermatologist gives you in the office
  • Chemicals your dermatologist applies to your scalp for extensive hair loss (also called topical immunotherapy)
  • Systemic immunosuppressive therapy such as methotrexate or prednisone


Traction Alopecia

This is caused by putting stress on hair through repeated pulling or stretching. You can develop this condition if you often wear your hair in a tight ponytail, buns, dreadlocks, hair extensions, weaves, or braids. Over time, continuous pulling can damage hair follicles. If the damage due to pulling persists, it can cause permanent hair loss. 

Treatments include:
  • Switching over to less-damaging hairstyles and rotating hairstyles to reverse the damage. 
  • Hair transplantation is the most common medical treatment for chronic cases.



Cicatricial Alopecia 

This is a “scarring” type of alopecia. It involves inflammation that destroys hair follicles. The destroyed follicles get replaced by scar tissue, resulting in permanent hair loss in the area. Sometimes the condition brings on symptoms like itching, pain, and a sensation of heat.

It isn’t clear exactly why people get cicatricial alopecia but the condition is associated with a history of tight hairstyles, especially in Black women, and is usually diagnosed with history, examination, and biopsy of the affected area.

Treatments Include:
  • Oral, topical, or injected medicines  
  • Hair transplant surgery or an operation to reduce bald spots is another option.


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