Children Hair Loss Causes
Children Hair Loss Causes
People are used to seeing hair loss in adults but not in children. What can cause children's hair loss? There are a few things.
The most common cause of hair loss in children is Tinea Capitis, also called ringworm of the scalp.
Ringworm, which really isn't a worm but an infection caused by a fungus, can happen anywhere on the skin. When this happens on the scalp the hair shaft gets brittle and snaps off. This would appear as a round or oval area that looks bald. Microscopic examination of a hair close to the area is needed for a definite diagnosis. Treatment is relatively simple though. There are a number of anti-fungal creams, shampoos and in severe cases oral medication available.
The other common cause is just a simple pause in hair growth. Hair, like children in general, goes through growth spurts. It is perfectly normal for a preadolescent to lose 200 hairs a day at times.
Alopecia is another cause of hair loss in children. This has no definite cause, is thought to be autoimmune, and has no effective treatment either. Loss of hair in patches is know as alopecia areata, hair loss all over the body is know as alopecia universalis. Alopecia universalis is unlikely to go into remission while alopecia areata is. It is usually diagnosed on ruling out other causes of hair loss.
A rarer cause of hair lost is environmental toxins, especially heavy metals can cause hair to fall out. This is very uncommon and can be diagnoses by other symptoms the child is experiencing and lab tests.
Another more common cause of hair loss in children is tricotillomania, which is really just a nervous habit of pulling on their hair. This can be done on any area of the body, some children choose the scalp, others eyelashes or knuckles. The treatment is psychological counseling and it is diagnoses by simple observation of caregivers.
There is one other reason that causes hair loss in children and it is of a genetic origin. Called pilli torti, its causes the hair to be brittle and break off easily. Diagnosis is again done by a doctor with a microscope.