7 Main Causes of Hair Loss in Children!

The problem of hair loss is common in adults, but it has become a major issue among children as well. Even children of small ages may experience severe hair loss due to various factors. So, if your child is experiencing the hair fall problem, then this can be due to one or more reasons mentioned below!

1. Nutritional Disturbances

A common reason for hair loss problem among children is the “deficiency of nutrients”. If a child is suffering from a deficiency of Vitamin B complex, biotin, or Vitamin H, then it may suffer from hair fall issue. Vitamin B complex is essential to metabolize the carbohydrate into glucose and a reduction in it is not good for overall health particularly hair. Also, if your child has excessive levels of Vitamin A, or reduced levels of zinc, which is an important mineral for cellular metabolism, then he can experience hair fall problem. For such reasons, it is essential to get a nutritional checkup done for your child if he is suffering from the problem of hair fall.

2. Endocrine Troubles

Some children may suffer from the problem of “endocrine”, which may result in the problem of hair loss. Endocrine problems, like thyroid or hypothyroidism, is a problematic health condition where the thyroid gland is under-active. Under this condition, the thyroid gland produces an imbalanced amount of hormones responsible for regulating the metabolism. So, it results in the major problem of hair fall. If your child has been diagnosed with thyroid, which is a case in 1 out of 10,000 children, then it is essential that you avail proper medical treatment for the same.

3. Hair Shaft Trauma

It is a condition of “physical stress”, which is common among the children. The problem of hair shaft trauma can occur due to various practices, like pulling of hair due to tight braids or pony, excessive sweating and friction among the children, or due to chemical burns. This type of trauma or problem can also happen among individuals suffering from the mental disorder of pulling their own hair, known as “trichotillomania”.

If your child has been diagnosed with the problem of hair shaft trauma, then it is essential to avail proper medication for the same. This will stop the problem of hair fall. It is essential to take the measures at the earliest because in severe cases this might result in scarring, wherein the hair will not grow back.

4. Telogen Effluvium

This is another common cause of hair fall among children. It is a clinical complication that occurs due to a “disturbance” in the hair life cycle. In children, almost 10 to 15% of hair is in the telogen phase. But if a child is suffering from the problem of telogen effluvium then the hair is thrown off from this phase and hence it results in a problem of the hair fall. If the problem is left untreated, then this can even cause complete baldness among the children.

There are numerous reasons that can result in this problem, including stress, an overdose of Vitamin A, any side effect from a medication, or high emotional stress. Diagnosing this problem is very difficult and the good thing is that this condition goes away over a certain period of time. Usually, children are able to get new hair in six months or in a year.

5. Alopecia Areata

It is a medical problem related to the hair and occurs when not just strands but even “patches” of kid hair begin to fall in an oval or round pattern. It results in excessive hair loss and can even lead to loss of high volume of hair in just a few days. The area from where the hair has been lost appears bald but not inflamed. The main reason for the occurrence of this problem is the weak immune system of a child, which attacks directly his hair follicles.

It is a quite rare condition that affects 1 out of 1000 children at a particular time. There is no particular test for this ailment and it can be diagnosed after an analysis of the scalp. There is no such cure available for this ailment, but it can always be combated to a great extent with proper medications that can facilitate hair growth. In some cases, this problem occurs till all the hair falls down.

6. Tinea Capitis

It is the most common reasons for hair loss among children. It occurs due to an infection is known as “tinea capitis”, which is a form of ringworm that attacks the hair and results in the scaling of the hair. In this infection ring like lesions are formed around the hair and that result in hair fall. It is a fungal infection that mainly occurs in school going children.

In most of the situations, the tinea capitis problem is diagnosed with the appearance of the scalp. This fungal infection is limited to not just head hair but extends even to the hair on eyelashes, eyebrows, and scalp. The area of infection tends to become more scaly and flaky. It is not a contagious ailment and can be treated with proper medications.

7. Non-medical problems

Other than the above-mentioned reasons, there can be non-medical reasons of hair loss among children. It can be due to using harsh chemicals, using hot hair styling products, tight ponytails, and tying hairs wet. All these are common reasons that can lead to the problem of hair loss in children.