Here's Why Carrie Ann Inaba Is Wearing Wigs This DWTS Season

With Carole Baskin, Nelly, and so many other celebs on Season 29 of Dancing With The Stars, it's hard to imagine that anyone is paying attention to details over at the judges' table. But eagle-eyed fans have noticed that judge Carrie Ann Inaba has been sporting a new wig each week, even though she said once upon a time that she always wore natural hair. 

Back in August 2020, for example, Inaba posted on Instagram about her medical conditions and their side effects on her hair. She wrote, "The symptoms of my conditions, and the medications I take for them, can have any number of side effects like hair loss, hair dryness, or breakage, so hair is something I am always concerned about. I don't wear wigs as most celebrities do, so my hair goes through a lot of wear and tear from washing and styling." 

But on DWTS Season 29, it's very obvious that Inaba is definitely wearing wigs, and merely a month after that Instagram post, she even posted a behind the scenes photo showing all of them off. So what's with the sudden change of heart? 

Before Episode 3 of Season 29 of Dancing With The Stars, Carrie Ann Inaba posted a behind the scenes pic of her in her dressing room. She captioned a picture of herself standing in front of a slew of wigs, "Which one of you is next? #Conversationswithmywigs It's gotta be special because it's #Disney night in the ballroom. We are heading your the magical kingdom!" Under the photo, fans complimented her looks so far this season and offered their opinions on what kind of wig she should wear for the Disney night. But one viewer, per Parade, asked her about why she went from saying that she doesn't wear wigs to showing them off. 

Inaba responded, "I [had] to take a medication that could cause hair loss, so we planned a season of mostly wigs just in case. When I took the medications, I had too many negative side effects so I had to stop it for a moment but we were already ready with a plan. So we stuck to it." In case you don't remember, Inaba, per Oprah Magazine, lives with lupus, spinal stenosis, Iron Deficiency Anemia, and the immune disorder Sjogren's syndrome. It's a wonder that she's able to remain so upbeat and busy with all of that on her plate, but being able to change up her 'do with wigs has to help lighten the load a bit.

Carrie Ann Inaba has opened up about living with autoimmune diseases before, endearing fans with her honesty. She once told People, "Some people start to feel like I did, like, 'Oh maybe I'm just getting old, and this is sort of the beginning of the end.' I was like, in my early forties and said, 'Is this what happens to you? Am I just going to get really lethargic and not be able to do anything and be incapacitated?'" 

She added, "Once I was diagnosed, it's like I got my life back. I am so grateful. There's a blessing in some of these health conditions because it gives you a greater awareness of your own health. It makes you take care of yourself and realize it's a very important component of a healthy lifestyle is to see the doctor regularly, make sure that you're keeping up all your checkups and getting the right tests." 

Inaba also revealed that DWTS has one of the most grueling schedules she's ever had — "Besides maybe when I was on tour with Madonna, but that was only three months" —  so when she notices herself lagging, she just takes a minute. "So if I'm not feeling well or if I'm starting to get a little tired, I really take good care of myself, I rest," Inaba added. 

Once Carrie Ann Inaba explained why she was wearing wigs on Dancing With The Stars Season 29, fans rallied around her in support. One person commented on her picture, "Go for a really fun wig for Disney night!! And re hair loss.... it's just hair, it doesn't make you. You are beautiful even bald." Another added, "You are beautiful no matter what you do... Take care and stay safe and healthy." Another person commiserated and added, "Sorry some of those meds can be very brutal on the body hope ur feeling better." 

In another People report, Inaba explained that in addition to taking medication, she also does craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, and Reiki to help manage her pain. "I love when life throws me something challenging. Because I know something beautiful is just around the corner," she said. Yeah, like a sparkly pink wig for Disney night on DWTS. Who knows which look she'll go with next?