Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

‘If it can happen to Jada, it can happen to us’: meet the people living with alopecia

‘If it can happen to Jada, it can happen to us’: meet the people living with alopecia

Oscars incident shone a light on Jada Pinkett Smith’s condition – and raised awareness for millions living with it

After Shaily Malik discovered a bald patch on her head three years ago, mornings grew tough as she would wake to discover chunks of hair on her pillow. The thought of washing her hair became dreadful, knowing she would only lose more. She grew reluctant to have her photograph taken, and when looking in the mirror struggled to identify with her reflection.

As a 32-year-old business analyst born in India and living in Brighton with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss, Malik understands the strength it requires to dress up, go out and be yourself. She has endured people staring at her on the street, and others accosting her asking her to wear hats or wigs at the park where she takes her three-year-old son.

Shaily Malik.


On Sunday, when Will Smith slapped the Oscar presenter Chris Rock after the comedian cracked a joke at the expense of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, Malik recalled her experiences and realised: “If that can happen to Jada at the Oscars, it can definitely happen to us on the streets.”

For Malik, the impact was huge. “People are actually talking about it. They’re considering that people are actually bullied because of their visible difference,” she said. “I have personally experienced it.”

Pinkett Smith, who shaved her head after “struggling with alopecia”, is far from the only person to be ridiculed for her visible difference. The British comedian Matt Lucas, who is also outspoken about living with alopecia, said recently he finds it “so weird” that one newspaper always refers to him as an “egghead”.

The TV presenter Ranvir Singh also spoke of her experience living with alopecia this week, saying: “It started when my dad had a heart attack and when he died, when I was eight or nine, it’s never come back, so I understand a little bit of the real discomfort you live with having it.”

Others told of the emotional toll of living with different types of alopecia that has resulted in isolation, depression and identity loss.

After Malik was diagnosed with 80% hair loss in November, she decided to shave her head in January. “It’s definitely not been an easy journey, because I’m somebody who has always had very good hair,” she said.

After some time, and with support from her husband, Malik decided to get it together, she said: “I realised if I cannot accept myself with that hair loss or how I look right now, I cannot teach the same thing to my child.”

While the Oscars unscripted slap incident has sparked awareness, for some “dealing with unwelcome remarks and being the butt of jokes is sadly an all too real part of having alopecia”, said the charity Alopecia UK. Other organisations have called for erasing “the stigma, discrimination and societal barriers”.

Alopecia is a loosely given term referring to hair loss. It is commonly caused by an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles. In nearly 20% of cases, there is a family history. While there is treatment, there is no cure.

For Dr Anita Takwale, a consultant dermatologist and hair specialist in Gloucester, the Oscars incident has become a topic of discussion with patients. “I’ve got patients who would just stay at home, parents who are absolutely distraught, and so this has kind of made it mainstream,” she said. “If anything comes out of this, it’s awareness.”

However, for Helen Rowlands, 33, it is more complex. While she did not watch the Oscars live, as someone living with alopecia she said she felt empowered seeing Pinkett Smith attend. But the day after the video went viral, Rowlands felt self-conscious at the gym with her own shaved head, paranoid that eyes would be on her.

Helen Rowlands.


“It’s great that it’s bringing the awareness, but it’s almost bringing it out there for the wrong reasons,” she said. “The joke never should have been made.”

Living with alopecia from the age of 10, Rowlands has found herself a target of bullying. As a child she wore wigs and hats, only to have other children steal them and throw them into gardens. Into adulthood, people often assume she is ill or has cancer, and ask what stage of chemotherapy treatment she is in. On one occasion, a stranger stroked her head at a nightclub.

“While I don’t want people to treat me any differently because I’ve got alopecia – I think a lot of people with alopecia want to be seen as the same as everyone else,” said Rowlands. “But ultimately, hair is an important part of a lot of women’s lives, so to lose that is a loss of identity.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×