Actress Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head, which she has embraced as a result of her alopecia, became the center of controversy in the 2022 Oscars.

This after her husband, actor Will Smith, smacked presenter Chris Rock in the face for making a joke about it. On stage, Rock made a reference to the 1997 film "GI Jane" in which Demi Moore shaved her head.

• Will Smith smacks Chris Rock on stage at Oscars, drops F-bomb

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Pinkett Smith first publicly revealed her alopecia in 2018 during her Facebook show "Red Table Talk," saying she has been getting treatment to help slow down the hair loss.

In an Instagram post last December, the actress said she has fully accepted her condition as she showed a prominent ridge near the front of her hairline, sharing her plans to "put some rhinestones" on her scalp and make herself "a little crown."

"Mama's gonna have to take it down to the scalp so nobody thinks she got brain surgery or something. Me and this alopecia are going to be friends... period!" she said.

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WHAT IS ALOPECIA?

Alopecia is characterized by sudden hair loss on the scalp or other parts of the body which could be temporary or permanent, according to the US medical nonprofit Mayo Clinic.

Some treatments may help slow down or reverse hair loss. These include products such as shampoos for hair growth, oral medications, hair transplant surgery, and laser therapy.

Harvard Health Publishing said alopecia, an autoimmune disease, is generally classified as areata (one or more small patches) or totalis (total loss of hair from the scalp).

It also mentioned traumatic alopecia, which can be caused by hairdressing techniques or extreme heat; and androgenetic alopecia, which is influenced by genetics, male hormones, and increasing age.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people who develop alopecia are otherwise healthy, saying that the condition is not contagious.

It also noted that alopecia tends to be unpredictable, as hair may regrow or fall out with or without treatment. The condition is also said to affect nails.

Some of the local celebrities who have opened up about having alopecia include rapper Gloc-9, beauty queen and former GirlTrends member Kelley Day, The Juans vocalist Carl Guevarra, and singer-songwriter Abby Asistio.