Kid’s hair loss is a common issue in this country, leave alone where you stay. In fact, it is one of the main reasons for parents making innumerable trips to the paediatrician. According to a leading specialist in children hair loss issues, the majority of cases are brought about by any or a combination of the following conditions.
Ringworm fungus
Ringworm fungus invades the hair shaft, weakening it and consequently causing it to break off. In most cases, the hair breaks off close to the scalp, leading to a stubbly appearance. The infection can spread from one child to another particularly when they are sharing things such as brushes, towels, hats, combs, pillows, barrettes and so forth.
To treat this condition, have the child take oral antifungal drugs for a duration of eight weeks. The child’s remaining hair should be shampooed with an appropriate shampoo twice per week for eight weeks. Though eight weeks is a long duration to treat a condition, particularly in regard to the kids, it is essential to continue the treatment until the child is fully treated so as to ensure that the hair loss issue doesn’t return.
Telogen effluvium
If your child is under a lot of emotional stress, or has high fever, then nearly all the hair that was in growth stage can enter into a dormant phase. Two or three months later, your child’s hair suddenly becomes too thin over his or her entire scalp and starts to fall out by itself. The condition reverses itself as the child continues to grow.
Compulsive hair pulling
Some kids have a compulsion to pull out their own hair. This condition is referred to as trichotillomania and often becomes a habit as the child is for instance doing his or her homework or watching TV. Pulling out of hairs normally occur when your child is under a lot of stress and he or she will stop doing so when the cause is removed.
Traction alopecia
Pulling the kid’s hair back too tightly into braids, ponytails and the likes puts lots of stress on the hair, mostly causing it to eventually break off. This breaking off is referred to as traction alopecia. Changing your kid’s hairstyle should reverse the situation. Simply put, go easy on your child’s hair and avoid things such as hair ties and barrettes that pull at the hair, putting stress onto it.
Alopecia areata
This is a condition that leads to patchy hair loss. For some reason, the kid’s hair just starts to fall out in circular patches of around 2” in diameter. The kids scalp is not itchy or inflamed. In fact it looks quite normal apart from the fact that there is no hair in some parts of the scalp. This sort of kid’s hair loss reverses itself spontaneously, normally within twelve months. The growing hair at first looks white but eventually it goes back to its original hue.
Cosmetic hair loss measures
Hair loss in children can be disguised in a number of ways. The most popular hair loss disguising method for kids today is the use of hairpieces, wigs, a complete hair shave, hair weaves, hair fibre powder and the likes. If the hair loss is not that apparent, an appropriate hair weave can be a good temporally disguising tool. If these hair loss disguising methods are not working for your child, then have the hair completely shaved. This is a fashionable hair styling method these days, so the kid won’t look any different from the others.