Causes Of Hair Loss In Children
Hair loss in children is one issue that has received little attention from parents and caregivers as well as from most pediatricians. This lack of attention is responsible for the general feeling that children do not suffer from hair loss very often. However, surveys have shown that hair loss in children is responsible for at least 3% of visits to pediatric clinics. A number of medical conditions have been found responsible for causing loss of hair in children. Most children get over the problem of hair loss without necessitating any medical treatment. In some cases, spontaneous recovery does not work and medical treatment or other strategies for promoting hair growth are needed.
Tinea Capitis
Commonly known as ringworm of the scalp, Tinea capitis is a fungal infection that affects the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes. The fungus also attacks hair shafts and follicles, and thus causes hair loss in children who get infected with this parasite. Tinea capitis is the leading cause of hair loss in kids and its incidence is on a rise in America and other parts of the world. Treatment for Tinea capitis usually involves the use of an antifungal medicine, such as griseofulvin, an oral medication prescribed for about eight weeks. Also prescribed is an anti-fungal shampoo like Nizoral.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is considered an autoimmune condition that occurs when a person's own immune system starts destroying his or her hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. Round or oval patches are left at the spots from which hair are lost, usually within a few days, without any inflammation or scaling of the scalp. In some cases, when left untreated, the child may lose all hair (alopecia totalis). While no effective medical treatment exists at the moment to cure Alopecia areata, physicians may prescribe certain drugs that promote hair re-growth. Still, it may recur any time after hair is restored partially or completely.
Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium is another common cause of hair loss in children. It is a condition caused when some or most of the hair follicles in the scalp are thrown into a resting phase in which the follicles remain dormant without giving out new hair. This may happen due to a number of different causes like high fever, surgery, injuries, mental stress and so on. No specific treatment exists for restoring hair lost to Telogen effluvium. Usually the hair resumes normal growth after the underlying cause of the condition is treated.
Trauma and Hair Loss
One of the frequent causes of partial hair loss in children is trauma such as physical damage to the hair shaft caused by pulling, rubbing or stressing the hair in any other way during play or in bed. Plucking or twirling of hair also causes hair loss in children. There is obviously no effective way of stopping hair loss by trauma except guiding kids to be more careful in dealing with their hair. In most cases, hair usually resumes normal growth when the stress or damage is stopped.
