Joshua Dobbs is making the most of his chance in the limelight, building quite the rapport with an improved supporting cast to keep the Vikings in playoff contention.
In the process, he has become one of the NFL's biggest stories. He certainly has a lot going for him; the 28-year old has been a calming presence in Minnesota's pocket, delivering inch-perfect pamphlets to the likes of T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. He's also something of a renaissance man; you may have heard about his exploits working at NASA (and how it influenced his rather astronomical nickname).
But Dobbs also is also a man who has overcome obstacles to get to this level. And in the process, he's trying to blaze a path for folks living with alopecia areata, or just alopecia, for short, one of the most prevalent hair-loss conditions in the world, affecting approximately 2 percent of the population.
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Here's what you need to know about Dobbs and his experience with the hair-loss condition.
Does Joshua Dobbs have alopecia?
Yes, Dobbs has alopecia. He was diagnosed with the condition in third grade after discovering a small bald spot had formed on the top of his head.
Dobbs applied a topical cream to his scalp, helping his hair regenerate. In high school, though, his hair-loss returned and grew worse. By his senior year, even his eyebrows and eyelashes started to fall out.
Dobbs continued to seek treatment for his condition during his college days at Tennessee. He received weekly cortisone shots to ward off continued hair loss, but the shots proved less effective. So, after his junior year in Knoxville, he opted to shave his head. He's been living hair-free since.
What is alopecia?
According to the National Institutes of Health, alopecia is a condition in which the hair follicles in one's skin are weakened, leading to hair loss. It can affect any part of the body, although, more often than not, it takes shape on the head and face.
The disease is typically characterized by hair falling out in small, quarter-sized patches. But the condition itself is unpredictable, affecting people differently. For some, hair loss is a regular occurrence over the course of their lifetimes. For others, hair falls out in just one mass episode.
The condition is incurable at present. However, there are a host of treatments that aim to accelerate the process of regenerating hair.
Dobbs, who was diagnosed with the affliction in third grade, is one of several athletes alopecia, including NBA players Charlie Villanueva and Jordan Walsh, as well as former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier.
How Joshua Dobbs helped Cardinals cheerleader
Dobbs has found his voice on the topic of alopecia over the years. He offered inspirational words to a fellow Tennesseean living with the disorder while in Knoxville, he told NIH back in 2019.
More recently, Dobbs connected with Cardinals cheerleader Ellie, who was also diagnosed with alopecia shortly before trying out for Arizona's squad.
The sight of two prominent members of an NFL organization — one leading the line under center, the other conjuring magic on the sideline — was significant. Not just for Dobbs or Ellie, who used each other as support valves as they pursued their high-profile careers, but also for legions of alopecia-stricken youngsters, both in Arizona and beyond.
"Anytime you see people being true to who they are, it's great to see," Dobbs said, according to AZCardinals.com. "Everyone's going through something. For us, alopecia may be a little more visually visible to outside people looking in, but everyone's going through something."
