Jada Pinkett Smith meets mum whose daughter, 12, died by suicide after alopecia battle-Rishma Dosani-Entertainment – Metro

Jada Pinkett Smith spoke of battle with alopecia in 2018 (Picture: AFP)

Jada Pinkett Smith has met with a mom whose daughter who was severely bullied for having alopecia, before taking her own life.

The Scream 2 actress, 50, has been vocal about her own struggles with the condition, which affects millions around the world.

Appearing on the latest episode of her hugely popular Red Table Talk, along with daughter Willow and her mother, Adrienne, she sat down with Niki Ball, who opened up about her late daughter Rio’s life.

The 12-year-old was severely bullied by her classmates over her hair loss, with Niki telling the hosts that her condition began during the pandemic.

According to reports, she said that her daughter was diagnosed with alopecia areata, after her hair fell out ‘by the handful’.

‘With the hair loss, she was so strong. She still rocked it even when it was falling out, and she just had these big bald patches,’ she said in a new teaser video from the instalment. 

Jada spoke of alopecia on her latest Red Table Talk (Picture: Red Table Talk)

‘Tried the creams. They made her break out. Tried the injections, she took five of them in one day. But neither of them really did anything.’

Rio eventually suggested that they shave her head, with Niki recalling that she was ‘glowing’ over the move.

‘And then with school coming up, we got her that super cute wig, she loved it, and she glowed then,’ she continued in the brief clip.

‘But at school, within a couple of weeks, she was like, “I don’t want to wear it anymore, there’s no point.” 

Niki Ball opened up about her daughter being bullied (Picture: Red Table Talk)

‘She had it ripped off her head. She’d get smacked upside on the head walking down the hallway. And that was within the first two weeks, three weeks. It got really bad for her.

‘She was called a naked mole rat, she was called a bug-eyed alien, she was called Mr and Mrs Clean.’

People Magazine reports that Niki eventually spoke to the teachers at the school, and emphasized to her daughter that she was very loved.

Tragically, Rio died by suicide in March of this year, with her mom stating that it was ‘the worst day of my life’.

Niki revealed her daughter took her own life (Picture: Red Table Talk)

‘She was so smart. She was just brilliant,’ she added. ‘And she was funny. She was a great big sister. She loved reading and writing and sketching. She loved being in the band.’

Jada insisted that this is why the public ‘need an understanding around the devastation of this condition’.

The Matrix star shared her own diagnosis in 2018, explaining that she suffers from the autoimmune disorder – which causes hair to fall out.

It is often associated with stress and anxiety. There is no cure, but treatments are available to slow down the loss of hair.

She had previously been seen wearing a turban to cover her head, and said at the time: ‘I’ve been getting lots of questions about why I’ve been wearing this turban. Well, I’ve been having issues with hair loss.

Will Smith was banned for a decade from the Oscars over his actions (Picture: Getty)

‘And I’ll tell you it was terrifying when it first started. I was in the shower one day and then just handfuls of hair, just in my hands, and I was like “oh my God am I going bald?”

‘It was one of those times in my life when I was literally shaking with fear.

‘That’s why I cut my hair — and why I continue to cut it. I just had [thought], “Okay, I think we’re gonna do another layer of cutting,” And my hair has been a big part of me. 

‘Taking care of my hair has been a beautiful ritual. And having the choice to have hair or not, and then one day to be like, “Oh, my God, I might not have the choice.”’

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‘People are out here with cancer, with sick children… I watch the higher power takes things every day and if the higher power wants to take my hair? That’s it? God, you want my hair? When I looked at it from that perspective it did settle me.’

Jada’s condition was thrown back into the limelight earlier this year when Chris Rock made a controversial quip about her hair at the Oscars, leading to Will Smith confronting him on stage.

The world was left reeling when the King Richard actor stormed up and slapped the comedian before returning to his seat, urging the star to keep Jada’s name out of his mouth.

Will was later banned from attending the ceremony for 10 years, and has kept a low profile ever since.

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