Hair loss is a very big problem among adults, and there is an ocean of reasons for it. The cause can be the stress, you might have a hormonal disease, or you may be following the wrong path in your daily hair care routine. It is not surprising to see an adult with thin hair or bald areas. However, when it comes to children, the situation may look alarming.
Hair loss in children has different reasons compared to hair loss in adults. To be clear, the most common causes in adults such as alopecia or pattern baldness are not options for young ages. When it comes to kids, it might be a fungal or bacterial infection or telogen effluvium. Ringworm is another reason that also causes hair loss in children.
Reasons for Hair Loss in Children
1.Ringworm
If your child has red, itchy spots on the scalp, this might be a sign for ringworm. It is a contagious fungal infection of the skin. Scratching the infection can cause hair to fall out. Your children also might be pulling the hair to relieve the itching. The hair loss due to ringworm appears on two or three different spots typically ver areas of itchy and irritated skin. You can get an antifungal cream for the scalp after you consult your doctor.
2.Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that causes total baldness or very thin hair. Some children might also lose their eyelashes and eyebrows due to alopecia areata. There is no cure to alopecia, but there are treatments to manage the symptoms. You need to continue your child’s treatment since the grown hair will fall out again when you stop the treatment.
3. Trichotillomania
Your kid might also be twirling or pulling his/her own hair because of stress. The doctors call this trichotillomania. All you need to do is keep an eye on your child. When they stop pulling their hair, it usually grows back.
4.Traction Alopecia
Wearing very tight ponytails and braids cause traction alopecia. The scalp of your child might seem red and itchy with bald or thinning spots if he or she is experiencing traction alopecia. When you stop tying the hair very tight, the hair grows back.
5. Telogen Effluvium
Telogen is the normal phase of the hair growth cycle. Normally, only a few hair follicles should be in this phase. In kids with telogen effluvium, more hair follicles fall out at the same time. It is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs in a day.
If your kid has telogen effluvium, these numbers can go up to 300 hairs a day. This situation might happen after a very high fever or surgery. Once the reason passes, the hair should grow back again.
Hair loss can be upsetting for any age, but it can affect children psychologically. Hair loss is usually not a life-threatening situation, but if your child is getting bald, there might be a reason lying underneath. When you notice anything different, you should consult a doctor to find out.