COMMON CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS IN CHILDREN

Once we come of age, among the many inevitable conditions that we experience is hair loss. Though this doesn’t cause any harm or physical pain, it sure does affect us emotionally and commonly cause depression.

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Imagine all of this occurring in kids. Kids really should not beexperiencing any form of hair loss because they are at the process of continual growth, anythingabout them is growing but there are certain conditions that can cause hair thinning or balding in such a young age.

Alopecia Aerata

Alopecia Aerata is an autoimmune disorder where the child’s own immune system attacks the hairs follicles. This may cause suddenpatchy hair loss anywhere in the body. It is estimated that 1 out of 1000 children have this problem. Fortunately, with the proper hair loss treatment Alopecia areata can be treated within a year.

Tinea Capitis

Tinea Capitis also called ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin which causes hair to break in patches, near the scalp. This is the most common type of hair loss in children. Ringworms are typically seen on boys than girls at ages 3 to 7 years old.

Telogen Effluvium

As a result of extreme dieting in some teenage school girls, sudden severe hair loss can happen. This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium and this happens because of lack of food intake. The hair follicles are actually starved of vital nutrition and this can convert all the follicles to the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle. The telogen phase is the stage when hair naturally falls out and this comprises only 10% of all hair at any given time, just imagine if most of the hair follicles enter this stage all at once.

Trichothillomania

Trichothillomania is a condition when a child unconsciously pulls or breaks their hair off. Kids are totally unaware of this mannerism until a sibling or the parents notice a patch of hair loss. This could stress related and commonly occurs in preteen years but is also seen of children around 4 to 7 years old. Typically, the child out grows this condition.