About hair loss or alopecia
There are several different types of hair loss, which have different causes. The medical name for hair loss is alopecia.
Baldness and hair loss in babies
Many babies are bald from birth or lose their hair shortly afterwards. With time, most babies grow permanent, thicker hair on their heads.
Some babies have bald patches at the backs or sides of their scalps. This is common, and the hair usually grows back.
Regular hair loss in childhood and adolescence
Everyone sheds a certain amount of hair each day. This can be more noticeable when your child brushes or washes their hair.
Increased hair loss in childhood and adolescence
Sometimes children might lose more hair than usual if they:
- have or have had a health condition
- have been through a stressful experience like a traumatic event
- have lost weight
- are using a new medicine.
This type of hair loss generally improves within a few months.
If you notice your child’s hair thinning, it could be a sign of thyroid gland problems. But this is rare in children.
Patches of hair loss
There are a few things that might cause patches of hair loss in children:
- Repeated brushing or firm combing might cause patchy hair loss in some children. This pattern of hair loss will sort itself out gradually as your child grows.
- Nervous habits might cause some older children to pull out their hair.
- Trichotillomania is when children pull at their hair, eyebrows and eyelashes. It can be a sign of a mental health condition.
- Constant tension on the hair from tight ponytails, styling, braiding, hair rollers or weaves can cause patchy hair loss. This is called traction alopecia.
- A fungal infection can occasionally cause hair loss.
Alopecia areata
This is a common autoimmune skin condition that causes hair loss from different parts of the body. It happens because the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.
Problems with the hair shafts
There are some rare conditions that are present from a young age that make the hair feel like wool or wire, make it very brittle, or stop it from growing long. These conditions can occasionally cause hair loss in children.
Symptoms of hair loss
The main symptom of hair loss is bald patches or thinning patches on the scalp.
If your child has a fungal infection, they might:
- complain of an itchy or tender scalp
- have a scaly patch on the bald patch, which is brown, purple or grey on dark skin and red on light skin
- have short, dull and bent hair on or around the bald patch
- have swelling or a spongy lump on their scalp.
If your child has alopecia areata, they:
- might have completely bald or almost bald patches
- might have patchy hair loss on areas of the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes or body, or over the entire scalp or body
- won’t have scaling, changed skin colour, scarring, itching or tenderness.
If your child has trichotillomania, they might have:
- bald patches on the scalp
- patches that aren’t completely bald and that are an irregular shape
- hairs of different lengths in and around the bald patches
- hair loss in their eyebrows and eyelashes.
Medical help: when to get it for children with hair loss
You should take your child to see your GP if your child has:
- significant hair loss or hair thinning for no apparent reason
- an itchy or tender scalp
- a spongy lump under the area of hair loss.
Your child should see a GP if they have hair loss plus a fever, drowsiness, a lot of pain or signs of being generally unwell.
If your child is losing hair from large areas and is feeling upset or stressed about it, it might be a good idea to ask your GP for a referral to a dermatologist.
Treatment for hair loss
The type of treatment your child needs will depend on the underlying cause of the hair loss.
Most hair loss that’s treated early won’t cause scarring.
Many children with small patches of alopecia areata will have hair regrowth without treatment. If your child’s bald patches are getting worse, your doctor might prescribe corticosteroid cream or another treatment for the affected area for a few weeks. If your child has complete or rapid hair loss, your doctor might prescribe an oral medicine.
Some children might feel upset or stressed about their bald patches, and this can affect their mental health. Talking with a GP or counsellor might help.
Prevention of hair loss
Here are ways to prevent or reduce regular hair loss:
- Be careful when combing, brushing and shampooing your child’s hair, because pulling too hard on hair shafts can increase regular hair loss.
- Try not to make ponytails or pigtails too tight because this can pull out hairs along your child’s front hairline.
- Avoid using hair straighteners or chemicals on your child’s hair because this can damage the hairs and irritate the scalp.