Why does a child's hair fall out? This happens as a result of damage to the follicles, as in adults, which is a completely natural process. However, in some cases, increased hair loss is observed. Such cases can signal violations in the body and the appearance of serious he alth problems. That is why, when hair falls out in children, it is important to immediately identify the causes of the phenomenon and take appropriate measures.
Baby hair loss
For the first time, parents have to deal with a problem during the infancy of their children. The main part of the day the baby is in the supine position. Intense friction of the skin on various surfaces when turning the head leads to the formation of bald patches and bald patches. Soft vellus hair clumps and falls out naturally.
If hair falls out in children at this age, parents should not worry, linking such manifestations with serious diseases, provided thatthat the general he alth of the baby is normal. Pretty soon, the old "fluff" that came off the baby's head is restored in the form of coarser hair.
Hair loss in preschool children
The next period of active hair loss in babies is the age of 5-6 years. At this time, active hormonal transformations take place in the child's body, during which soft, thin hairs are replaced by tougher "adult" ones.
This process occurs in some babies completely unnoticed by parents. Hair falls out gradually. Others quickly appear in their place. If the child's hair falls out a lot during this period, most likely, their tangling into lumps can serve as the reason. Therefore, in order to avoid such manifestations, parents should provide the baby with careful care.
Hair loss in children 6-8 years old
The loss of hair in children at this age is a separate story. During this period, children have to adapt to school, adult rules, increased physical and mental stress. Being under constant stress often causes profuse hair loss.
The main cause of hair loss at this age is excessive tone and overstrain of tissues, which results in pinching of hair follicles and, accordingly, interruptions in the proper nutrition of growing hairs. However, sometimes qualified medical assistance is required to eliminate profuse baldness. Next, consider what to do if a child's hair falls out, the reasons for suchmanifestations.
What should not be done to eliminate baldness in a child?
There are a number of common methods that parents use when trying to improve the condition of their children's hair. However, most of them don't make any sense. Let's take a look at what not to do if children's hair falls out:
- Cut the baby bald. Each baby gradually forms an idea of \u200b\u200bits own appearance. Repeated haircuts to improve the condition of the hair after periods of wearing long curls does not lead to anything positive. Such actions only cause discomfort in babies, especially in girls.
- Use of tar, oils and plant extracts. Regular application of the latter to sensitive children's skin not only brings little benefit, but can also cause chemical burns. The vast majority of medicinal oils and extracts are forbidden to be used for the care of children's hair. Some of them cause allergic reactions.
- The use of medical cosmetics. Hair falls out in children and adults for various reasons. Based on this, certain therapeutic agents should be used only on the basis of the true etiology of the disease.
Ringworm
It is one of the most common causes of excessive hair loss in babies. At the root of the problem lies a fungal infection that affects he althy follicles.
On the head of children who suffer from ringwormthere are characteristic bald spots with broken and fallen hair. These areas are either oval or round.
The best solution for identifying the disease is to visit a qualified specialist, take a skin scraping and examine the sample under a microscope.
To eradicate ringworm allows the use of appropriate antifungal drugs. Additionally, special shampoos are used that restore hairline.
Alopecia areata
As in the previous case, the manifestations here are the formation of rounded bald areas on the skin. The latter have no signs of inflammation and are absolutely smooth. Moreover, extensive affected areas may appear within a day.
The reason for the development of alopecia areata is considered to be a decrease in immunity. As practice shows, most bald spots with high-quality treatment become overgrown with hair within a few months. Unfortunately, there is still no single drug that can eliminate alopecia areata. The only right solution here is a proper, balanced diet, taking vitamin complexes.
Hair follicle injury
This is another common problem that causes baby hair to fall out. The reasons for this phenomenon lie in the excessive tension of the hair. Regular weaving of tight braids, all kinds of tails - all this leads to hairline injuries.rods.
Children often harm themselves by suffering from so-called trichotillomania, which is expressed by the habit of pulling out their own hair. Most often, such a diagnosis is obvious to the parents themselves, since it is not difficult to trace such actions. Behavioral therapy, the use of relaxing psychological techniques, allows you to eliminate the problem.
Child's hair falls out - what to do?
To solve a problem, you first need to identify its real cause. Parents should contact the pediatrician, conduct appropriate examinations, and do tests. In general, the following measures can help improve the situation:
- Proper hair care. You should purchase only hypoallergenic shampoos, natural-based products. Shampooing a few times a week is enough to keep your baby's hair in good condition.
- Nutrition - The child should consume plenty of food rich in vitamins and trace elements necessary for hair growth. The diet must include fruits and vegetables, berries, dairy products, meat and fish, cereals, legumes.
- The mental state of the baby. As noted above, if a child loses hair per month, the amount of which does not correspond to the concept of the norm, this may be caused by a deterioration in morale. To avoid such manifestations, it is worth spending more time with the baby, surround him with attention and care. In extreme cases, you can seek help from a child psychologist.
- The use of traditional medicine is a good solution for restoring lost hair. Effective means here are: kefir, chamomile decoction, almond oil. However, healing masks should be kept on the child’s head for no more than 20 minutes, carefully observing the skin reaction. Otherwise, redness and allergic reactions may occur.
In closing
As you can see, in most cases, the causes of hair loss in babies are quite harmless. Therefore, in order to avoid harming the he alth of your own child, first of all, you should contact a specialist. In fact, it's better to play it safe once again. After all, hair loss is often the result of the development of serious diseases.