Children's hair loss? 7 things could be the cause

Hair loss problems do not only occur in adults. The reason is, hair loss can also be experienced by children. Hair loss in children is not a trivial problem. If not treated immediately, children will experience premature baldness. So, what are the causes of children's hair loss?

Causes of child's hair loss

1. Tinea capitis

Tinea capitis or also known as head ringworm is a fungal infection of the scalp that is often experienced by children. Symptoms of this disease can vary. However, generally the scalp of someone who has this condition will feel very itchy. In addition, the scalp looks scaly, red in color, and sometimes swollen from frequent scratching.

Baldness can also occur in infected areas. Usually on the part of the head that is bald will appear black dots which are actually broken hair.

The doctor will perform a microscopic examination to get a proper diagnosis. After that, the doctor will generally prescribe a drinking antifungal drug, such as griseofulvin, which is taken for eight weeks. Your child is also required to use a special antifungal shampoo such as selenium sulfide or ketoconazole to reduce fungal buildup on the head.

Tinea capitis is a contagious disease. That is why your child is advised not to share anything with others that touches the head such as hats, pillowcases, hair clippers, or combs.

2. Alopecia areata

Unlike tinea capitis, alopecia areata is a condition of hair loss that is not contagious. This condition is caused by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking hair follicles. Hair follicles serve as growth units in each hair shaft.

Now, if the hair follicle is damaged, this means that no hair grows on that one hair shaft. As a result, baldness appears in certain areas of the head which is usually smooth, circular or oval in shape and pale pink in color.

This condition can heal on its own and does not recur. However, there are also some children who experience a number of episodes of recurrence until several times in their life, before permanent hair can grow. Meanwhile, if the loss experienced by a child is quite extensive, hair growth may not occur at all.

The drugs most commonly used to treat hair loss are minoxidil and finasteride. Minoxidil can be in the form of liquid or soap. Usually this medication is used on the scalp twice a day to help reduce hair loss and help hair grow back. Meanwhile, finasteride is usually taken by mouth and only given to men.

Before doing this treatment, consult a doctor first so that your child can get the right diagnosis according to their needs.

3. Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is hair loss due to habits that children do, such as pulling, pulling, twisting, or rubbing their hair. This one hair loss is more due to the psychological condition of the child.

Children who suffer from high stress and anxiety are more prone to experiencing trichotillomania. If you see your little one tugging at her hair, just nagging won't help her break the habit. However, proper counseling and treatment can help children get out of these stressful situations and bad habits.

4. Telogen effluvium

Telogen effluvium is hair loss caused by a child suffering from severe stress or depression, after surgery, severe injury, use of certain drugs, high fever, severe infections or other illnesses, and sudden hormonal changes.

This condition can cause baldness in part or completely. To date, there is no specific test to diagnose telogen effluvium. Usually, once the child is out of this stressful situation, their hair growth will return to normal and this generally takes about six months to a year or more.

5. Lack of nutrition

Although rare, hair loss in children can be a symptom of a deficiency in certain nutrients, such as vitamin H (biotin) and zinc. In some cases, hair loss in children can also occur as a result of consuming too much vitamin A.

Paying attention to nutritional intake and balanced nutrition in the food consumed by children daily is an important key to avoiding children from malnutrition, which in turn reduces the risk of children's hair loss.

6. Endocrine disorders

Another cause of hair loss in children is hypothyroidism, which is a condition in which the thyroid gland is inactive which results in irregular metabolism. Diagnosis of hypothyroidism can be made by routine blood tests or examination of the thyroid gland (screening). Your doctor may prescribe certain medications that stimulate the thyroid gland to produce sufficient amounts of hormones.

7. Other causes of children's hair loss

Apart from some of the causes mentioned above, combing your hair too much, tying your hair too tightly, or pulling hair strands are also known to cause hair breakage. Not tying children's hair too tight can be an effective way to prevent children's hair loss.