Tens of thousands of viewers across the world watched in horror as Will Smith smacked Chris Rock in the face after he made a jibe about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head at the Oscars.
Jada, who was first diagnosed with alopecia in 2018, has been very open up about her decision to shave her hair off.
Alopecia is a medical condition that leads to hair loss. There are various types of alopecia including alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, and alopecia areata.
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Dublin-based trichologist Carol Johnson of Universal Hair Clinic said that while 10 years ago she mostly had men coming to her clinic, she's seen a major rise in female clients with female patterned alopecia in the past few years.
While hair loss can happen to anyone regardless of sex and age, Carol said the condition can lead to a major loss of self-esteem amongst women.
She told Dublin Live: "I had a lady wearing a hairpiece come to me. Her husband doesn’t know. That’s rare but she’s been carrying this for the last year and a half.
"It’s a good hairpiece but it’s reducing the growth phase of her hair. The type of alopecia she has, she can treat and it will be encouraged."
Carol explained that the woman even wore the hairpiece to bed which resulted in her scalp being constricted and she quickly ended up losing most of her hair.
She continued: "So her self-esteem is hugely affected. And even to be feeling that way around her husband and she is at a point in her life where she feels nothing is going right for her.
"I told her a lot of what she's experiencing is hormonal in the way she’s feeling. She’s feeling a little low, her self esteem is low."
Carol added that in many cases of alopecia early intervention can make a huge difference.
She said: "So it’s very important to get a diagnosis from a trichologist from the start because the sooner you intervene the better chance you have of hair growth.
"If dormant follicles occur, it’s not as easy to rejuvenate. So diagnosis and treatment are available depending on the type of alopecia."
Alopecia can be driven by several factors including psychological and physiological stress.
She said: "Over the last few years, I've seen more women presenting with that or coming forward with it.
"I’ve seen a woman in her 60s never having had alopecia and suddenly having a type which may be connected to menopause. I've had brides who have 'happy stress' come to me complaining of hair loss.
"So it’s an inflammatory condition and does affect hair follicles and leads to hair loss."
But it's not just women who suffer, Carol spoke about the psychological impact of male pattern baldness on her male clients.
She said: "Men will maybe rib each other and joke about it. It’s sort of acceptable among men.
"But it isn’t because when a man sits in front of me and tells me, ‘Well, I was out with such and such and they made a comment' and 'bird’s nest’ and these kinds of remarks that are very hurtful might be said in the gym or when they’re all out for a rugby match or football match. They lead to low self-esteem in men as well."
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