Although the causes are undetermined, alopecia totalis is believed to be an autoimmune disorder in which the white blood cells attack the hair follicles. This means that the body reacts to the hair follicles as intruders, like a sickness, and must get rid of them. Stress, another autoimmune compromiser, may exacerbate hair loss for someone suffering with alopecia totalis.

Alopecia totalis can affect people at any age, but generally targets both men and women less than 40 years of age. Children and young adults are most often victims of this traumatic hair loss. Research has found that, in Western society, approximately one in 250,000 women and one in 125,000 men will suffer with alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis.

For those with alopecia areata, hair loss may correct itself within about one year. However, those suffering complete hair loss from alopecia totalis may not be so fortunate. While there have been instances of total hair restoration, the chance of hair recovery is slight in the majority of alopecia totalis cases.

There is good news, yet. There are several hair loss treatment options for alopecia totalis, universalis, and especially areata. This includes:

1.     Topical steroids (creams, lotions, etc).

2.     Injectable steroids or intra-lesional steroid injections where the doctor injects low concentrations of steroids directly into the bald patches.

3.     Oral steroids. This is often used briefly in patients with hair loss from alopecia totalis or universalis.

4.     Contact allergy inducers or irritants: akin to inducing poison IVY in the hair loss areas, chemicals are applied to the area and the changes in immunity may resolve the condition.

The white cells that attack the native hair causing alopecia totalis would also attack grafted hair; hence hair transplantation is not advised as a treatment for this condition. The Hair Peace Foundation and other hair loss organizations can be a valuable resource for more information on alopecia totalis, alopecia areata, and alopecia universalis.

Nearly two million children suffer from hair loss in the United States. Hair loss in children can result from various conditions, including:

• Tinea capitis, a fungal infection and the most common cause of hair loss in children.
• Trauma resulting from traction, friction, or trichotillomania.
• Telogen effluvium, confusion within the growth cycle of the hair follicle.
• Cancer treatment, including radiation or chemotherapy
• Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder

Most of these causes of hair loss in children are finite. However, the cause of ongoing hair loss in children is usually one of three forms of alopecia: alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, or alopecia universalis. Alopecia areata causes patchy scalp hair loss in children, alopecia totalis causes total scalp hair loss in children, and alopecia universalis causes children a loss if all body hair. Luckily, the odds are in favor of recovery without treatment, as 60% of alopecia cases causing hair loss in children will resolve naturally. As if the child has outgrown the condition. However, the remaining 40% diagnosed with alopecia will not outgrow it, and will require treatment.

What Is Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia areata can affect men, women, and children. It is an autoimmune disorder in which the body treats the hair follicles as foreign matter. Like any illness or infection, the body fights to get rid of what it does not recognize. Thus, hair loss in children begins. The disorder sets in quickly and unexpectedly; completely bald patches can appear in a matter of days or even overnight. Alopecia areata can lead to alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis. Although research shows that alopecia universalis also involves a gene mutation. Alopecia is a volatile disorder, with unpredictable cycles of hair loss and remission.

Is There A Cure?

There is no cure for hair loss in children caused by alopecia, nor any FDA approved treatments or medications. However, there are off-label drugs being prescribed that have promoted hair growth in certain percentages of those afflicted. These medications may help relieve hair loss in children, but as of yet, there is no treatment to guarantee permanent re-growth.

Children can be affected by different forms of Alopecia (link to that new entry), and in many cases at least 60% of children with the condition will outgrow it without the need for long term or serious treatment.

However, for children suffering from Cicatrical Alopecia, a form of hair loss marked by the scarring of the scalp when the hair follicle is destroyed and replaced with a scar tissue, causing permanent hair loss, scattered bald patches, redness and irritation on the scalp, along with severe itching, burning and pain, an expert is needed.

Sometimes the follicles around the bald patches are not completely destroyed and can regrow. More often, the hair loss is permanent.

Dr. Umar is is a board certified dermatologist specializing in the management of skin and hair diseases who can diagnose and recommend the best treatment plan to maintain healthy hair for your child.

Have more questions about child hair loss? Contact Dr. Umar for a free online consultation today.

(2.) At this age most are not certain of the hair styling options they would come to adopt when they get older.

(3.) A hair transplant quick fix of a receding hairline for instance would leave the patients with an odd look as an isolated horse shoe (for full hair line implants) pattern or devils horn (for temporal recess filling), which will become more evident as hair loss advances. Because of this factor, young patients must understand that another transplant will be necessary in the future or else an odd look may result in the future as the hair loss progresses.

For more information regarding receiving a hair transplantation at a young age, contact Dr. Umar at the DermHair clinic in Los Angeles at (310)318-1500, or visit http://www.dermhairclinic.com for a free consultation.

What Conditions Cause Hair Loss In Children?

There are a handful of pediatric medical conditions known to result in hair loss. They are:

• Tinea capitis
• Trauma
• Telogen effluvium
• Cancer treatment
• Alopecia areata

Tinea Capitis is the most common reason that hair loss occurs in children, and rate of occurrence continues to increase. This fungal infection can attack the follicles of the eyebrows, eyelashes, and scalp by invading the hair shaft and causing the hair to break off. The condition usually manifests in patchy loss of hair and some broken-off hairs remaining. Without treatment, hair loss can progress considerably. Some children will develop a tender inflammation of the scalp called a kerion.

Trauma is the result of traction, friction, or trichotillomania. Traction and friction can come from certain repetitive hairstyles, such as tight braids, or wearing a hat consistently. Trichotillomania is the habit of plucking or twirling the hair to the point that is weakens and breaks off. This condition is believed to be an obsessive-compulsive disorder resulting from stress, tension, psychological problems, or emotional deficiencies.

Telogen effluvium is another widespread cause of children’s hair loss. This condition is a confusion of the life cycle of the hair follicle, which can be catalyzed by extremely high fever, general anesthesia, excess vitamin A, severe emotional stress, injury, and certain prescription drugs. Any of these catalysts can lead to a disruption of the normal growth cycle of the hair by holding many or all of the hairs in the telogen phase. Partial or total baldness will not appear until several weeks later.

Cancer treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, can stop almost all cell growth within the body, including hair cell growth. Thus, hair loss occurs for a finite period of time.

A child’s scalp affected by alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder wherein the body attacks the hair follicles as if they are foreign matter to be expelled. The result is round or oval patches of baldness, without inflammation or scaling and with no broken hairs. This condition can develop and manifest over night or within a matter of days. The cyclical cycle of hair loss and re-growth with this disorder remains unpredictable for the duration of its course. Many patients who receive proper treatment will see re-growth within a year, and 60% of children will “outgrow” the disorder with no need for treatment.