Beyoncé reveals she has psoriasis and opens up about ‘sacred relationship’ with her hair

Beyoncé, who is launching a line of hair products, spoke for the first time about her struggle with psoriasis, a dermatological disease that can cause dandruff, an itchy and painful scalp.

In an interview with the American magazine “Essence”, the pop diva told her memories related to hair, from her childhood spent in her mother’s salon to her father applying oil to her scalp to treat psoriasis.

“These moments are sacred to me. I have so many beautiful memories linked to my hair. The relationship we have with our hair is a very private journey,” said Beyoncé.

The 42-year-old singer also spoke about the sense of community that exists in neighborhood salons and barbershops. “It’s a place to feel beautiful, laugh, share secrets and share wisdom. It’s the most consistent community we have. It’s a sanctuary of sorts,” she said.

She explains that she named her brand Cécred, a combination of the last syllable of her name with the word “sacred” (“sacred”, in English). “From my mother’s salon to the rituals with my father, to the years of experience developing a line of hair products, the journey has been exactly that: sacred,” she says.

In the interview, Beyoncé also spoke about her hair decision that shocked the internet in 2013, when she got rid of her long locks and adopted a “joãozinho” cut. “I love how we associate moments in our lives with a hairstyle,” she recalls. “I just decided to cut everything out. I was going through an emotional metamorphosis and I needed to express it.”

“Much of my identity as a performer is connected to voluminous, flowing hair. Cutting it all off was my rebellion against being this woman that society thought I should be,” she explains. “I was a new mother and it brought me liberation. It was a physical representation of breaking expectations that were placed on me,” she says.