Boston Celtics star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown has opened up in a candid new interview about a deeply personal battle that has affected him both emotionally and physically: his ongoing struggle with hair loss.
In a revealing conversation with People, Brown shared how noticing his thinning hair initially caught him off guard. “When I first noticed it, it wasn’t significant,” he admitted. “I used to have braids, but when I would take them out, I would be shedding a lot of hair.”
Despite trying various topical treatments like serums, nothing seemed to stop the progression. Brown confessed that the experience left him feeling embarrassed — and then frustrated with himself for even feeling that way.
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“My hair was fine a couple years ago, and then a couple years later it’s not,” he said. “It is an emotional experience and journey. And if I wasn’t me, I could see how that could affect my mental health, [or] could affect others.”
The 28-year-old guard emphasized that hair loss can be far more than a cosmetic issue for many people. “It’s easy for the world to just be making fun of someone who is potentially losing their hair,” Brown said, “but I don’t think they think about the mental health aspect of it — where they’re losing much more than that: their confidence, their self-belief, all that type of stuff.”
Brown, who has long been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness, revealed that he has personally experienced very dark mental health moments in the past. Because of that, he said he was better equipped to handle the emotional toll of his hair loss journey.
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“It’s spirit-breaking for a lot of people,” he warned, urging fans to show more empathy toward those dealing with the condition.
The topic gained widespread attention after several viral moments during games in October, when a hair product Brown was using rubbed off onto opposing players — including OG Anunoby of the Knicks, Ron Holland of the Pistons, and Kyshawn George of the Wizards — sparking widespread social media conversation and memes.
Reflecting on the incidents with humor, Brown joked: “Those dudes should be grateful. They’re lucky that I left my mark on them. I should get a thank you card: ‘You have the residue of a champion on you. You’re welcome.’”
In response to the hair loss, Brown has now partnered with Nutrafol, a science-backed hair growth supplement company, incorporating it into his broader wellness routine that also includes sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and red light therapy.
“I take vitamins already,” he explained. “So to be able to have something that’s easy and that science backs up puts you back on track… I’m still in a fight. I’m not bald yet. My hair is still growing, it’s thinning but we’re still in a fight.”
Through his openness, Brown hopes to normalize conversations about hair loss and its real impact on mental health, reminding fans that even high-profile athletes face personal struggles that go far beyond the court.