Alopecia Isn’t a ‘Cosmetic Issue’—It’s a Serious Autoimmune Disease

Jada Pinkett Smith revived the nationwide dialog round alopecia after her husband’s actions on the 94th annual Oscar Awards ceremony in March of this 12 months. Before the Oscars slap, nonetheless, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), famend for her Senagalese twists, launched a video publicly revealing her shaved head. In the video, launched in January 2020, she shared how her political identification was tied to her twists and what the lack of her hair meant not solely to her personally, but in addition her model.

2 years in the past as we speak, I revealed my #alopecia prognosis.

And whereas it is not all the time straightforward, due to the love & help of my household, the A-Team & the neighborhood, I’m so proud to point out up as my full self, authentically & unapologetically—and create area for others to do the identical. pic.twitter.com/vO6PZolOfa

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) January 16, 2022

And earlier than Pressley, there have been thousands and thousands of girls suffering in silence with a disease which medical professionals had lengthy dismissed as “cosmetic.”

Alopecia, as outlined by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, is an autoimmune illness that develops when “the body’s immune system attacks its healthy hair follicles which causes hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body.” According to the American Hair Loss Association, about 40 percent of hair loss sufferers are women.

In a society with unrealistic beauty standards for girls, not having hair, notably lengthy hair, may cause a girl to really feel devastated, particularly when it’s not inside her management. And whereas the Nineteen Twenties flappers and twenty first century feminism have allowed ladies to embrace shorter hair, the entire lack of hair causes psychological harm.

“To be bald as a woman really does disrupt conventional and societal norms of what is appropriate, what is professional, what is attractive, what is feminine,” stated Pressley. “It takes a real toll.”

Last September, Pressley and her colleague in Congress, Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), reintroduced a bill “requiring Medicare to pay for wigs for those experiencing hair loss due to medical treatments or disease.” Currently, some non-public insurance coverage cowl the price of wigs, however they aren’t coated by Medicare. The invoice would “categorize cranial prosthetics—wigs—as durable medical equipment covered under the Social Security Act,” which Pressley stated “[will] have a profound impact.”

To be bald as a girl actually does disrupt typical and societal norms of what’s applicable, what’s skilled, what’s enticing, what’s female.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)

Angela Christiano, a molecular geneticist and professor at Columbia University, acknowledges how the medical neighborhood neglects to view alopecia as a critical illness, and has devoted her profession to researching therapies and cures. When Christiano herself was identified with alopecia “in 1996, just after finishing my postdoc, I couldn’t believe how little research had been done,” she stated to Nature. “No one could tell me what caused alopecia areata. It was assumed to be an inflammatory skin disease.”

Today, due to her analysis and that of her group, scientists know alopecia is similar to other types of autoimmune diseases, reminiscent of thyroid illnesses, celiac illness, rheumatoid arthritis and sort 1 diabetes. Scientists know alopecia as a polygenic disease, which means “many genes are involved.” One gene found within the information, often known as STX17, “is involved in pigmentation of hair, [and] we now know that T cells prefer to attack pigmented hair follicles that contain melanin, rather than gray hairs,” stated Christiano.

When it involves hair, Black ladies particularly, face a distinct set of challenges. Black ladies are more likely to develop alopecia from carrying hairstyles that intention to suit workplace expectations. In U.S. and Western cultures, these expectations translate to lengthy and straight, moderately than what’s pure for a lot of Black ladies: kinky, curly and invariably, an afro.

In the previous few years, there was a nationwide motion for Black ladies to embrace their pure hair and put on it in varied inventive types. Many of those types, nonetheless, which embody protecting types—hairstyles through which Black ladies put on weaves, braids or twists, so as to “protect” their actual hair—have induced Black ladies to expertise early onsets of alopecia areata and traction alopecia. Unfortunately, as much as one-third of Black ladies will expertise hairstyle-related hair loss.

Alopecia carries with it emotional weight—embarrassment, disgrace, disappointment and loss. And whereas ladies like Ayanna Pressley and Jada Pinkett Smith are able to shave their heads and embrace their baldness, numerous are usually not. It requires bravery that society has not permitted many ladies to have.

When it involves their hair, will probably be an incredible day when ladies can really feel snug sufficient with the way in which they give the impression of being to take up area of their communities, alopecia or not. In the phrases of Ayanna Pressley, ”I’m not right here to occupy area, I’m right here to create area, and I’m right here to be free.”

U.S. democracy is at a harmful inflection level—from the demise of abortion rights, to an absence of pay fairness and parental depart, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and assaults on trans well being. Left unchecked, these crises will result in wider gaps in political participation and illustration. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the tales of these most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we’re redoubling our dedication for the following 50 years. In flip, we’d like your assist, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. For as little as $5 each month, you’ll obtain the print journal together with our e-newsletters, motion alerts, and invites to Ms. Studios occasions and podcasts. We are grateful on your loyalty and ferocity.

Up subsequent: