Ricki Lake: A Journey From Hair Loss to Self-Acceptance

A Celestial Shock: Will Smith Oscars Incident

The 2022 Oscars will forever be remembered for the shocking moment when actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. This sparked a wider conversation about the sensitivity surrounding hair loss, particularly in the public lives of celebrities. Pinkett Smith had begun shaving her head in 2021 due to alopecia.

Revealing the Struggle: Ricki Lake’s Hair Loss Journey

Ricki Lake, the multi-talented talk show host and actor, recently shared her deep-rooted struggle with hair loss. She opened up about her 30-year long battle, confessing that it had once pushed her to the brink of suicidal thoughts due to intense self-consciousness about her thinning hair.

The 54-year-old star bravely addressed her condition, revealing her diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia, which leads to severe hair thinning and can result in male-pattern baldness in both men and women.

The Emotional Release on Social Media

In a deeply touching Instagram post, Lake shared a picture of her shaved head with the caption, “It has been crippling, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely, all the things.” She further admitted, “I have even occasionally had suicidal thoughts because of it. Nobody in my life really understood the severity of the trauma and excruciating pain I was going through.” By sharing her experience, she hoped to support others going through similar struggles, while breaking free from her own sense of isolation.

From “Hairspray to Hairless”

Lake traced the onset of her hair loss journey back to her acting debut as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film ‘Hairspray.’ The intense treatment applied to her hair for her character’s 1960s bouffant look stressed her follicles, leading to what is medically referred to as ‘telogen effluvium,’ or balding. This condition was aggravated by factors such as drastic weight fluctuations, depression, hormonal changes, and hair extensions that Lake used to cover her thinning hair.

Despite trying various treatments ranging from Rogaine, topical treatments, steroid injections, PRP therapy, to the prescription medication Propecia, her hair loss remained persistent.

Ricki Lake’s career, marked by her highly popular tabloid talk program which ran from 1993 to 2004, exposed her to the demanding beauty standards of Hollywood. Her successful roles in films such as ‘Mrs. Winterbourne’ and ‘Cry-Baby’ and television appearances like ‘King of Queens’ kept her in the constant glare of the public eye.

Despite the one-season revival of her talk show ‘Ricki’ in 2012 earning her a Daytime Emmy, her professional journey was not without personal setbacks.

Personal Losses and Impact on Mental Health

The suicide of her ex-husband, jewelry designer Christian Evans, in 2017 deeply affected Lake. She admitted to ‘People’ magazine, “I actually had depression. It was worrisome when I was unable to leave my bed at certain points. Since I tend to be an upbeat person, not feeling that way paralyzed me.” Given such personal and professional stresses, it’s understandable that her hair loss condition worsened.

From Fear to Freedom: The Decision to Shave Her Head

In a 2022 interview with ‘People,’ Lake confessed her fears about going public with her hair loss. “I was at my lowest point. I decided to take control,” she shared. With the encouragement of her then-boyfriend, who assured her she would still look beautiful, Lake chose to shave her head.

A New Beginning: Embracing the Gray

On February 2, 2022, Lake greeted the world with her new look – a shaved head – which she described as her “quiet hell” in an Instagram post. Although it wasn’t her intention to go public on the first day of the new year, she wanted to liberate herself from the agony she had been living in silence.

To her surprise, her hair grew back, this time lusciously gray. She expressed joy over this unexpected turn, describing it as a “miracle.”

Recently, Lake posted the video of her shaving her head on its third anniversary. The caption read, “In this video, you can see me reach a place of tranquility, liberation, and most importantly, self-love and self-acceptance. After three years, I can honestly say that I still love and adore my naturally gray and sometimes unruly head of hair.”

Whether she sports a buzz cut or her naturally gray hair, Ricki Lake continues to inspire many with her brave journey from despair to self-acceptance. Her courage to share her story undoubtedly serves as a beacon of hope for others going through similar struggles.