Alopecia

Embracing the baldness with Boldness

by Shiti Nancy

My biggest insecurity while growing up was being born with spot baldness; having no edges was not something my younger self could deal with and if I am being completely honest, my older self is still trying to get acquainted with this notion. Spot baldness is no strangertoAfricansociety,insomeparts of Africa, it is called ‘BAMBA’ a conditionthatiscommonwiththe middle-aged population.

The first time I heard about alopecia was after the 2022 Oscar Awards when Chris Rock in passing joked about Jada Pinkett being bald and getting sucker punched by her husband; Will Smith, on live television. Thinking it was some terminal disease or cancer I rushed to google to get some insights and found out it was just a fancy name for a common plague, one that I was all too familiar with.

Alopecia areata occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, a condition that may be brought about by severe stress. It is the sudden loss of hair that starts with one or more circular patches that may overlap with time. Alopecia has been said to affect about 2% of the world’s population and unfortunately for me, I am among the 2% living with this condition.

People who suffer from alopecia tend to hide their condition behind wigs, caps, or just shave off their hair and who can blame them; the feeling isn’t pleasant and neither are the questioning stares or snide remarks that are meant to come off as consolation. Alopecia is not reserved for the poor and unpopular. Stars like TyraBanks,JesyNelson,andViola Davis have opened up about their struggles with Alopecia and how difficult it was for them to keep it together.

However, it is admirable how Jada Pinkett is taking alopecia in strides, sharing her experiences and hardships, embracing rather than hiding. She shares her experiences with others so that people out there suffering from the same thing know they’re not alone.

The problem with Africans having alopecia is the level of ignorance that ensues. Most Africans tend to think alopecia is some sort of deficiency gotten from birth. You might have heard funny stories of how the hair was either eaten by rats or licked by wall geckos. After doing research, it's safe to say this disease has no fear or consideration for age, it comes when it pleases and goes the same way.

Unfortunately, Alopecia doesn’t have a cure as of now although some suggestions could be made by doctors to speed up hair growth.Themostcommonformof alopecia areata treatment is the use of corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can suppress the immune system. These are mostly administered through local injections, topical ointment applications, or orally. Although these may help with hair growth, they cannot prevent the formation of new bald patches.

After trying some of these remedies to no avail, and watching Jada Pinkette own her bald look like nobody’s business, I decided to go bald. On most days, I love it. I still get envious when I see ladies with new braids or cute afros but I decided to own my condition and make the most of it. I love how I feel the breeze on my head and howIgetheadsturningeverytime I walk into a building with my balding look(dandruff free might I add), hot red lipstick, and kinky pair of stilettos and I won’t have it any other way.