Celebrities are more open about their beauty rituals [6] than ever before. From what plastic surgery procedures [7]they've undergone to their grossest guilty pleasures [8], it's never been easier to know every aspect of a star's beauty routine. Recently, there's been another once-taboo (but increasingly common) topic that celebs haven't been afraid to get real about: hair loss.
For years, the condition was considered something to hide and worry about in private, often leading to shame for millions of people around the world. Luckily, many celebrities have started breaking down those stigmas by revealing their personal experiences with hair loss [9]. The causes behind each person's story varied: some have dealt with traction alopecia [10] from wearing too-tight hairstyles, while many others experienced shedding as a lingering side effect of COVID-19.
This is normal: "Hair fallout (or shedding) [is] triggered as a result of sudden shock to a body function," Bridgette Hill [11], certified trichologist and founder of Root Cause Scalp Analysis [12], previously told POPSUGAR. "It can be stress induced, hormonally, mentally, nutritionally, or physically induced." Hair loss [13] on the other hand is when "something stops hair from growing," according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. The causes for hair loss can be hereditary, due to harsh hair-care products, or an immune system overreaction, amongst other causes.
Still, stars speaking up about their experiences helps normalise the reality of hair loss and, hopefully, inspire action instead of grief. Keep reading to see which celebrities have gotten real about hair fallout, along with what they've been doing to help.
Jada Pinkett Smith
In 2018 Jada Pinkett Smith [14] revealed that she cut her hair because she experienced a "terrifying" moment in the shower where handfuls of her hair were coming out. Over time, Pinkett realised that she was suffering from alopecia and recently shared a video revealing how the disorder continues to progress, and has now left a faint line on the top of her head.
Pinkett continues to embrace her hair loss in a recent Instagram post [15], stating, "me and this alopecia are going to be friends. . . period!"
Alyssa Milano
In August 2020, Alyssa Milano [16] revealed on Instagram that she was suffering from hair loss as a result of "long COVID," which is where people who previously had the COVID-19 virus suffer an array of longer term side effects.
In the short video [17] posted to Instagram, Milano sat in front of a camera with wet hair and began brushing her hair with a detangling brush. After every pass, Milano shows the clumps of hair both in the brush and in her hand. After sharing the final amount of hair she lost, Milano ended with a call for everyone watching to "wear a mask."
Drake
Drake has also experienced COVID-19 related hair loss [18]. After a fan account compared the most recent version of the now iconic heart etched into his hairline to the previous, fuller version, Drake wrote in the comments "I had Covid that sh*t grew in weird I had to start again . . . It's coming back don't diss."
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley
In 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley [19] revealed that she had been living with alopecia areata. In a video announcement [20], Congresswoman Pressley ditched the twists that had become a part of her brand to reveal that the last bit of hair she had on her head had fallen out.
She says she shared this information because she wanted to feel "free from the shame" that came with keeping her battle with alopecia a secret, and said that she was still making peace with it. Since then, Congresswoman Pressley has become an advocate for alopecia awareness and continues to embrace her new look.
Viola Davis
Back in 2014 Viola Davis revealed in an interview with Vulture [21] that she lost half her hair to alopecia areata. "I woke up one day and it looked like I had a Mohawk. Big splash of bald on the top of my head," Davis said. She went on to realise that the condition was stress related and has since worn her natural hair in a short cropped style, interchanging with wigs and other extensions as she feels fit.
Marcia Cross
Marcia Cross [22] revealed in 2018 that not only had she been battling cancer but she lost the majority of her hair due to the treatments. Captioning her photo "So grateful and happy to be alive but sad that my hair fell out . . ."
Cross asked her followers to share if they had been impacted by cancer related hair loss and her comments were flooded with encourageing testimonies from others also suffering with hair loss.