Children with Alopecia Day is annually observed on April 14th. Yes, this is the condition that Will Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith is suffering from, which Chris Rock made fun of at the Oscars, prompting Will Smith to strike Rock in front of millions of people. Before the slap-gate scandal, it is possible that you were unfamiliar with alopecia. It is an autoimmune disorder that produces baldness or patches of baldness on the scalp. In some instances, it also causes hair loss in other areas, such as the eyebrows and eyelashes. This year, let’s work together to raise awareness about the disease and halt the stigma that children with it face.
HISTORY OF CHILDREN WITH ALOPECIA DAY
Children with Alopecia Day is an initiative created by the Children’s Alopecia Project (CAP) to raise awareness about children with alopecia. Although the disease may manifest later in life, it typically manifests during infancy or adolescence.
Here are the effects of Alopecia on the body: Since alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, it causes the immune cells of the human body to attack hair follicles. This results in hair loss in certain areas of the body. Nevertheless, the amount of hair loss depends on the type of alopecia an individual has: Alopecia Totalis results in complete hair loss on the cranium. Alopecia Areata is known to produce patches of hair loss on the scalp and other body areas. Alopecia Universalis is a severe hair loss condition that affects the cranium, face, and the rest of the body. It is quite common for those with any stage of Alopecia to be ridiculed by their peers, particularly young children who are incessantly bullied by their peers. Unfortunately, alopecia cannot be cured, but many patients may be able to regrow their hair.
According to Jeff Woytovich, the founder of the CAP initiative, the programme was designed to assist children with alopecia-related hair loss issues. He believes that it is crucial to transfer the project’s focus from “growing hair” to “building self-esteem and confidence.”
5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ALOPECIA
It is a so-called ‘friendly-fire disease’
Alopecia is caused by the immune system of the body erroneously attacking healthy cells — hair follicles.
Alopecia in the United States.
Alopecia affects approximately 6.8 million individuals in the United States.
Alopecia worldwide
147 million people worldwide have or will develop alopecia areata at some stage in their lives.
Easy to discern
A laboratory test is not required to diagnose alopecia.
It has no symptoms
Alopecia areata does not cause migraines, irritation, or other symptoms aside from hair loss.
CHILDREN WITH ALOPECIA DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | April 14 | Friday |
| 2024 | April 14 | Sunday |
| 2025 | April 14 | Monday |
| 2026 | April 14 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | April 14 | Wednesday |
