If your child has recently developed small, circular hot patches on his scalp, he may have an alopecia Areata, an autoimmune condition that attacks the hair follicles of the body and causes uneven hair loss.
In all likelihood, hair loss will only occur in a handful of spots, but sometimes all hair can fall. Fortunately, alopecia is not linked to other medical problems. “Although hair loss can be very visible, children are generally healthy otherwise,” explains Annie Grossberg, MD, director of the pediatric dermatology division at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.
Here are some elements to keep in mind, including the causes and what treatments have been demonstrated.
1. There is nothing that you or your child “ caused ”
It can be easy to fight when something happens to your child. You may be wondering what you (or they) may have done so that it involuntarily happens. But alopecia is no one’s fault. “It is not caused by external factors or everything that parents or the child have done,” explains Dr. Grossberg. This includes tight hairstyles (for example, braids or horse tails) and frequent brushing, she adds.
Instead, AREATA alopecia is an autoimmune condition where the immune system confuses hair follicles for foreign invaders (such as bacteria or a virus). He responds by attacking the hair follicles, which makes the follicles ignited and causes hair loss. Experts always learn what triggers the condition, but it is believed that it is a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
“Infections, chronic or acute disease or emotional stressors sometimes act as triggers, but there is not always identifiable cause,” explains Grosberg.
2. It is normal for your child’s scalp to look uneven
3. Hair generally grow back
Hair loss caused by AREATA alopecia is generally only temporary. In most cases, you will start to notice the regrowth in several months, even without treatment. “Hair regrowth can start as hair that seems thinner or lighter, then stumble and darken over time,” explains Grosberg.
4. This can affect nails and nails
In many cases, parents and children are not disturbed – or even aware – of these changes, so no treatment is generally necessary, explains Grosberg. But if nails become annoying or uncomfortable, systemic drugs that treat hair loss can help, as are topical treatments applied directly to your child’s nails.
5. You can speed up the hair regrowth with a treatment
“AREATA alopecia is not medically dangerous, so treatment is not compulsory,” explains Grosberg. But drugs, such as topical steroids, steroid injections and oral minoxidil, can help push hair. For more severe hair loss, the doctor may recommend a biological medication or a Janus Kinase inhibitor, depending on your child’s age.
Keep in mind that these treatments are not, however, a cure for alopecia. Your child may again lose hair on the road.
“The” best “Balance Treatment to the extent of hair loss, age, side effects of various drugs and psychosocial toll that the disease takes on the child,” explains Grosberg. Your child’s pediatrician or dermatologist can help you. Together, you can decide the best way to manage alopecia.
The point to take away
- Alopecia, although painful, is not medically harmful or caused by everything you or your child have done.
- Most children’s hair will grow over time, but it is normal that it looks uneven or different in the meantime.
- Treatments, including topical steroids and oral minoxidil, can help accelerate the hair regrowth process.
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