Men and women can suffer from alopecia. Why does it seem to be more damaging to women?

This year’s Academy Awards ceremony brought world attention to Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia. Over the years she has made no secret about the intense problems she has faced with hair loss. Research suggests that alopecia not only damages patients’ emotional and psychological health but also their relationships. This is particularly true for women.

Jada Pinkett Smith on the red carpet. Alopecia affects peoples’ self-belief whether they are public figures or not. Source: Source: Arturo Holmes Getty Images

Margaretha is a teacher in the Psychology Faculty at Airlangga University and a PhD candidate at Melbourne University.  She explains to Sri Dean how understandings about alopecia have changed over the years as well the extent to which hair is so important to a woman’s identity.

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Apolecia can have diverse physical and emotional and at present there really is no cure. Source: Source: Welshsk/Creative Commons