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Many children enjoy having a fun and different hairstyle such as dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are somewhat permanent and often have to be cut off after a period of time, so make sure that your child is serious before undertaking the process of creating the dreads. Making dreads in children's hair requires the same process as making them in adult hair and might take up to a month to form.
Hair loss in children can be emotionally devastating for the children as well as for their parents. Many types of hair loss are temporary and will eventually grow back, but several conditions result in permanent baldness.
When a child begins to lose his hair it is a sign of a serious medical condition or severe stress on his body. Hair loss has several causes that are either temporary or permanent. The effects may last for several years or a child can recover quickly if the cause is fixable. Childhood hair loss can also result from medications such as cancer drugs or malnutrition.
Hair pulling, also called trichotillomania can prove disconcerting for parents, children, and physicians. Hair pulling sometimes occurs in young children, who pull out hair from their eyelashes, eyebrows, scalp or other body areas, which cause bald patches.
The American Hair Loss Association (AHLA) states that hair loss in children (pediatric alopecia) accounts for three percent of all visits to pediatricians' offices nationally. Signs and symptoms are most often alarmingly sudden.
A dry scalp and hair loss are embarrassing for children and puzzling for parents. With the right medical care, this condition can be easily treated and prevented in some cases. (See Reference 1.)
According to the American Hair Loss Association, hair loss accounts for 3 percent of pediatric office appointments in the United States.
Although most of the time, grey hair is a symbol of aging, occasionally patches of grey hair can be seen in young people, even children. If your child exhibits grey hair, there are several possible reasons for this strange development.
Usually associated with old age, many are surprised to see gray hair in children. Although in most cases gray hair is nothing to be alarmed about, it can sometimes be an indicator of other conditions.
Alopecia, by definition, means hair loss, and there are many different forms of alopecia. These forms of alopecia all stem from one main form of alopecia called alopecia areata. Hair re-growth is possible in most forms of alopecia, since the hair follicles are still alive, but it may take several years to see a difference. The only exception to this is when the follicles have been scarred from scalp damage (cicatricial alopecia).
Trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder, is a condition that causes a frequent or constant urge to pull out hair from the scalp, limbs or anywhere else on the body. It usually appears in adolescence, but can begin much sooner, sometimes as early as infancy. Most children grow out of their hair-pulling tendencies, but it's possible for it to continue into adulthood.
Scalp diseases can affect the head from the neck to around the ears and up to the forehead. They are common among young children, especially those in childcare centers. Children with scalp disorders may experience discomfort and pain and may not be able to explain fully to parents what is hurting.
According to Hairloss.com, two million children suffer from at least one form of hair loss (alopecia). Of this figure, 60 percent will grow out of the condition and 40 percent will not. There are several causes for hair loss in children, and getting to know which condition is causing it is vital in finding the right treatment.
