‘Akshai Saw a 2-Inch Bald Spot’: Sameera Reddy Opens up About Alopecia Areata

'I pray people will pause, reflect and be sensitive to each other,' Sameera Reddy wrote.

Sameera Reddy opens up about alopecia areata.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram)

Sameera Reddy took to social media and wrote that the controversy surrounding Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars made her want to “shed light that we all have our individual battles we are fighting and healing from and we need to create a positive safe space for one another”.

Chris made a ‘joke’ about Jada Pinkett Smith during the 94th Academy Awards. Jada has been vocal about her hair loss journey and had revealed that she shaved her head following an alopecia diagnosis. Jada’s husband, actor Will Smith got on stage and slapped Chris for the comment he made.

Sameera Reddy wrote in her post’s caption, “What Is Alopecia Areata? It is an auto immune disease . When you have Alopecia Areata, cells in your immune system surround and attack your hair follicles. This causes the attached hair to fall out that causes patches of bald spots.”

She added that she got diagnosed with alopecia areata in 2016 and husband Akshai Varde saw that she had a ‘2-inch bald spot’ at the back of her head.

She further wrote, “In one month I discovered two more patches . It was really hard to deal with. Alopecia Areata does not make people sick, nor is it contagious. It can, however, be difficult to adapt to emotionally. For many people, Alopecia Areata is a traumatic disease that warrants treatment addressing the emotional aspect of hair loss, as well as the hair loss itself.”

“The doctor told me that in most cases the hair can grow back and with Corticosteroids injections in the scalp my three patches grew back slowly. But I’m very aware there is no cure . And there is no particular reason why a person gets Alopecia Areata,” Sameera revealed.

She continued, “Other types of alopecia are—alopecia totalis (when entire scalp turns bald); alopecia ophiasis (when even the hair loss is also on occipital, temporal, and parietal regions of the scalp); and alopecia universalis (when the hair loss happens across the entire body) And though right now i have healthy hair with no patches (that I am grateful for everyday ) I’ve been told I have to be aware it can come back at any point in my life.”

“I do take homeopathy and I hope to keep it at bay. In this fast paced world I pray people will pause, reflect and be sensitive to each other,” Sameera concluded.