For quite a few years, actress Jada Pinkett Smith has made it her mission to lead the charge for Black women who are experiencing Alopecia. While this autoimmune disorder can disrupt the lives of anyone, Black women are the biggest population who receive the brunt of Alopecia. 

The disorder preys on hair follicles, causing hair loss. 

For Black women, alopecia can be extremely disheartening because as a culture we’ve always been taught that our hair should always be treated like royalty. While some women stray away from the conversations about their Alopecia experience, Pinkett Smith is encouraging more conversations about it. 

Over the years, she’s shared quite a few videos about her experience with the disorder. Pinkett Smith also talked about it during an episode of her popular show, Red Table Talk. In December 2021, she shared a transparent video showing her new shaved look. 

Unfortunately, locs aren’t exempt from the horrors of Alopecia. 

For some people, this hair loss can be in small amounts that grow back. But for others the disorder can result in larger amounts of hair loss. Those larger amounts are often tougher to grow back - leaving a damper on someone's everyday life. Sometimes Alopecia can cause someone to lose tons of hair in a very short timeframe. 

And there’s not just one kind of Alopecia lurking.

There are several types including: 

• Traction Alopecia - Thinning of the edges in the front of the sides of the head  
• Alopecia Totalis - Hair loss on the scalp 
• Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia - Hair loss that starts at the crown of the head. 
• Alopecia Universalis - Hair loss on the body 

So, how do you know if you truly have Alopecia or not? 

Experts say, pay attention to the symptoms. And if you notice the obvious, make an appointment with a dermatologist who can thoroughly examine your crown. We hope this gives you a better insight into Alopecia. If it has, take a moment to share this post with other people who may find it beneficial on their loc journey.