For those of us who didn’t stay up to watch the Oscars last night, we woke up this morning to stunning news. Will Smith, who minutes later won the ‘Best Actor’ Academy Award, walked onstage and slapped the host of the awards, Chris Rock. With the footage now viral all over the world, we all know the reason why. The trigger was when Rock referenced Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, saying ‘Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2’, which would appear to be a joke about her shaved head.
What everyone now knows is her shaved head is the result of the hair loss condition, alopecia.
Celebrities, commentators and millions of people across the world are either condemning Smith or supporting him for striking Rock. But whatever the view, one thing is for sure, the joke is no laughing matter. Last year, Pinkett Smith took to social media to go explain why she’d shaved her head. She said “..y’all know I’ve been struggling with alopecia. Just all of a sudden, one day.. it just showed up like that.”
The Aftermath
The incident is flying high on the news agenda, which will put female hair loss in the spotlight. That raised awareness can only be a good thing for the millions of women around the world who are battling hair loss. With 40% of us showing signs of hair loss by the time we reach 40, it’s reassuring to know that we are not alone and that many famous women are grappling with the problem too. And not only are they dealing with it, but many are choosing to speak out about it.
By doing so, they're bravely breaking down stigma and showing us that we are not alone!
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Pinkett Smith’s hair loss struggles are now being discussed across the world, but she’s not the only celeb to suffer. Here are some other female celebs you didn’t know had hair loss.
Overstyling
There are many ways to damage your hair and cause it to break or shed; harsh dyes, bleaches and other chemicals can wreak havoc with your tresses.
Lady Gaga has been a superstar and a style icon for over a decade. And throughout, she's had countless hairstyles and a million different colours. Bright pinks, fluorescent yellows, powder blues – not to mention her signature platinum blonde hue. The natural brunette has been open about the price her locks have paid for her hair transformations, admitting she had to “get a chemical haircut because my blonde hair is falling out.”
British actress Keira Knightley had the same issue. She revealed back in 2016 that dyeing her hair constantly for different film roles was making her hair fall out. She now refuses to get her hair dyed, instead electing to wear wigs for any role that needs a dramatic change of look.
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Postpartum Hair Loss
As if the sleepless nights and endless nappy changes weren’t enough to contend with, postpartum hair loss can be something else new mums have to deal with. If you’ve experienced the problem, you’ll remember only too well the shock of seeing clumps of hair on your pillow. It’s a very common problem; it affects nearly half of new mums, and the hormones responsible don’t care about celebrity status. A decade ago, actress Selma Blair was one of the first stars to talk about celebrity postpartum hair loss publicly and wore her postpartum bald patches proudly during interviews.
Victoria Beckham and Debra Massing are other female celebrities with hair loss. They have also gone public with their stories, as did Love Island star Tyla Carr. Tyla spoke in depth about her hair journey and how taking Hair Gain helped after giving birth to her son Archie.
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Even Royalty is affected – back in 2019 there was much speculation that Meghan Markle was suffering from postpartum hair loss after the birth of her first child. She was spotted on a number of occasions wearing her hair in gentle buns and ponytails. A smart move to avoid damaging hair post-pregnancy as well as disguising its loss.
Traction Alopecia
The superstar lifestyle can be hell for hair. There are many celebs out there losing hair due to the wear and tear they put their tresses through. Traction alopecia, where hair loss is caused by constant pulling of the hair into tight ponytails or braids, or having extensions or weaves, is common among famous women.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is one of the celebs who have struggled with the condition. Images circulated widely across the globe revealed she had bald patches and a receding hairline. She disclosed to the Evening Standard back in 2017 that the damage had been caused by years of hair extensions. Fortunately for Campbell, the damaging behaviour stopped before the balding became permanent.
Christina Aguilera and Victoria Beckham (again!) weren't so lucky - they both apparently have lasting hair loss due to traction alopecia. There are a raft of other female celebs you didn't know had hair loss for this reason.
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COVID-19
It’s now accepted that people suffer hair loss as a result of COVID-19. And again, celebs have proved just as susceptible to this problem as us mere mortals!
Fashion guru Trinny Woodall contracted coronavirus at the beginning of 2021 and started to experience significant hair fall. After seeing a doctor, she discovered it was a post-Covid symptom. Woodall quickly took to social media to share her experience. She even collected clumps of hair during a live Instagram broadcast. These were then stored in a jar to record how much she had lost! Former page 3 model Linda Lusardi also went public with her post-Covid hair fall struggle.
In the United States, actress Alyssa Milano also shared her experience on Instagram. She brushed her hair live with a detangler brush and showed the clumps that came out. Studies have shown that Covid-19 triggers telogen effluvium, which causes a usually temporary (although it can become a chronic condition) loss of hair.
Final Thoughts
So, there are many female celebs you didn't know have hair loss. Even the most glamorous and stunning celebs may be dealing with the same hair fall fight as you. Behind the scenes, many celebrities with thin hair are battling the issue. Hair loss can happen for many reasons.
The most important thing is to find out what’s at the root of the problem. Then, you need to follow a regimen to combat it. Getting your hair and scalp in the best possible condition can help you fight back.
Our Hair Gain Gummies and Capsules contain the exclusive AnaGain™ ingredient which promotes fuller and thicker hair at the root. They also contain all the best vitamins and minerals to stimulate healthy hair growth from within.
Meanwhile, nourish your hair and scalp with our scientifically formulated Hair Mask – use it for 10 minutes once or twice a week and let it weave its magic while you relax. And when we're on the go, our new Hair Gain Peptide Puff™ non aerosol dry shampoo is perfect for busy lifestyles while not compromising our hair's health!