Children’s Hair Loss – Types of Hair Loss in Infants and Children
It’s natural for parents to become alarmed when they see locks of their babies hair falling out. Almost all newborns lose some (or all) of their hair during the first six months of life. This is a normal process. In most cases the hair eventually grows back, although the new hair may be a completely different color and texture than at birth!
A common condition, that may cause hair loss in infants is cradle cap. Cradle cap mainly affects infants between the ages of two to six months; causing a crusty, scaling scalp rash. Left untreated, cradle cap often clears up within several months. In severe cases it can cause itching and hair loss, and may also spread to other areas of the body.
Other forms of hair loss affecting infants are rare. They are often congenital in nature and may include hair shaft defects. As the child gets older they become more susceptible to various types of hair loss. After discussing the rare forms of hair loss which can affect infants and children, the more common forms will be addressed.
Congenital Atrichia
With congenital atrichia a child could be born with apparently normal hair; but once it enters the first resting period the hair falls out, and the entire growth process shuts down. In order for hair to grow, certain cells must stay in close contact with each other to transmit and receive signals necessary to keep the hair growth cycle functioning. With this condition the cellular communication gets disconnected, deactivating the hair growth cycle.
Loose Anagen Syndrome
This type of hair loss is most typical in small children with sparse fine hair that can easily be pulled out. It mostly affects girls with light hair. The hair usually does not grow past the nape of the neck. Under a microscope the hairs appear to lack an inner and outer root sheath and have a ruffled cuticle.
Triangular Alopecia
This is a pattern of hair loss that occurs in the temporal area on one or both sides and is usually in a triangular shape. The absence of hair in this area is present at birth or just after. It is permanent and irreversible but is not progressive. The shape and size of the bald area remains the same throughout lifetime.
Pili Torti
This condition can be congenital or acquired. It is most common in girls who have thin blonde hair. There is a rigid twisting of the hair fibers which leads to fractures in the cuticle and internal cortex layer of the hair shaft. The hair is dry and brittle and may stand out from the scalp. It breaks off at varying lengths.
Monilethrix
This is a rare condition that begins in infancy. Although the infant is born with what appears to be normal vellus hair, it is soon replaced with dry, brittle hair that has a beaded appearance. The hair often breaks off even with the scalp and seldom grows longer than 2.5 cm.
Uncombable Hair Syndrome
Children with this syndrome usually have silvery blonde glass-like hair that is unruly and won’t lie flat. It is difficult or impossible to comb. Because of its appearance it is also called “spun-glass hair.” The hair stands away from the scalp in a disorderly fashion. Microscopic evaluation reveals a triangular (or kidney bean) shaped hair shaft with longitudinal grooving. Spontaneous improvement is often seen in later in adolescence.
The following types of hair loss are common in children aged four and older.
Ringworm
Contrary to its name ringworm does not come from a worm but is caused by a type of fungus called dermatophyte. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted through other people or animals. It is mostly seen on children between 4 and 11 years old. It usually begins as a small pimple that becomes larger, leaving scaly patches of baldness with an outline shaped like a ring. The hair often becomes brittle and breaks off very close to the scalp causing what is referred to as “black dot alopecia.” Ringworm is also referred to as tinea capitis.
Alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder which causes the hair to fall out in patches with well defined margins. The onset of alopecia areata is most common in children between four and seven years old but it can strike anybody at anytime. Alopecia areata can progress to alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis affecting total scalp and body hair.
Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia occurs from sustained tension on the scalp due to tightly pulled hairstyles. Prolonged traction causes hair to loosen from its follicular roots. Cheerleaders, dancers and other children who routinely wear these types of hairstyles are at risk. Also at risk are those who wear hair extensions-which are becoming consistently more popular. Prolonged persistent traction can cause permanent hair loss.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania can be translated from Greek to mean a “manic desire to pluck out one’s own hair.” It is an impulse control disorder that often starts in childhood. A person with this disorder will feel an overwhelming urge to pull out his or her hair. This urge causes an extreme amount of tension which continues to build until the hair is pulled.
Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium, also known as diffuse hair loss causes more hair than usual to retreat into the resting phase. This can be a reaction to any disturbance in the body as hair is very sensitive to changes. This type of hair loss is usually temporary and easily corrected once the problem is identified and addressed. Any type of illness, surgery or trauma can cause temporary diffuse hair loss.
Medications
Any medication can cause hair loss, even if it is not listed as a symptom. Psychopharmaceutical medications which are becoming more commonly prescribed to adolescents are known to cause hair loss in some people. Acne medications derived from vitamin A can cause hair loss. Some anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory medicines list hair loss as a side effect. Any hormonal medication such as birth control pills or steroids can cause hair loss.
Bacterial Infections
Certain bacteria and other microorganism can infect the scalp causing inflammation and hair loss. Hair loss from scalp infections may be temporary or permanent depending on the degree of damage.
Eating Disorders
Hair loss can be a symptom of any eating disorder such as anorexia nervous or bulimia.
Puberty
Hair loss often occurs during times of hormonal changes. Some hair loss may occur during puberty.
Immunizations
There have been reports of hair loss as an adverse side effect of vaccinations, mostly associated with the hepatitis B vaccine and mostly affecting females.
If you enjoyed this article and would like more information on the topic, Please visit VZ BOTANICALS Melanie Vonzabuesnig is the author of Hair Loss in Women…Getting to the Root of the Problem and Aroma Hair…Aromatherapy Formulas for Healthy Hair.
Melanie Vonzabuesnig has researched every aspect of female hair loss in order to help other women experiencing hair loss. She used aromatherapy for her own hair loss.
Author: Melanie Vonzabuesnig
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Primary Causes of Hair Loss
Hair loss is a common phenomenon. It is not limited to any particular race or culture; rather it is more of a universal problem. Mild hair loss is not that obnoxious, but excessive hair loss may require proper medical attention. There are various causes of hair loss and several factors may actually contribute to excessive hair loss. Let us explore some of them here in this article.
Heredity
Heredity factors can be a real cause of hair loss problem. The most common of all types of hair loss problems is Androgenetic alopecia, which refers to the predisposition of baldness. However, the role of heredity in hair loss is not simple. The genetic propensity along with the prevalence of androgen hormone and ageing plays the significant role in developing baldness.
Major Illness
Major illnesses such as typhoid, malaria can result in excessive hair loss. If someone undergoes through chemotherapy, it results in tremendous hair loss, and in most of the cases, it is incurable also. Apart from that, surgical intervention can be considered as one of the major causes of hair loss. A temporary condition for hair loss may be induced due to stressors experienced at the time of illness.
Hormonal Dysfunction
Dysfunctions associated with hormones may play major role in premature hair loss. Many of the important hormones are secreted from thyroid gland. Individuals having hyperactive or less active thyroid gland may experience hair loss problems. This type of hair loss problem can be solved with thyroid treatment. The imbalance occurred in sex hormones, androgens and estrogens, is believed to be one of the main causes of hair loss. Many women experience hair loss problems during pregnancy as well as prior and post delivery stages. It all occurs due to hormonal imbalance within the body system.
Medication
There are certain medicines that may promote hair loss. However, in most of the cases, this is temporary. When you stop taking particular medications promoting hair loss, the problem alleviates. Blood thinners or anticoagulants, gout medicines, chemotherapy, steroids, interferon, excessive amount of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants are the medications which are considered as the causes of hair loss.
Psychological Factors
Stress is a significant factor that promotes hair loss. Studies reveal if someone is not experiencing any apparent factors that may contribute to hair loss, but is undergoing through stress, he or she may experience hair loss problems. Essentially, stress is related to two types of hair loss problems – Telogen effluvium and Alopecia areata. Apart from that, psychological dysfunction may contribute to hair loss such as trichotillomania.
Infection
Different types of fungal infections can be the causes of hair loss. Especially in children, it is quite common to see hair loss problems due to fungal infection on the scalp area. However, this type of fungal infection can be treated using antifungal medications.
Internal Health Hazards
The diseases like lupus or diabetes may cause hair loss problems. In these cases, hair loss is considered as one of the early warning signs of the diseases. So if you are loosing your hair without any apparent reason, it is always advisable that you must not neglect the situation and immediately ask for guidance from expert health practitioners.
Improper Hair Care
Last but not the least, improper hair care can contribute to major hair loss, hence it can be considered as one of the main causes of hair loss. If you tie your wet hair or pull your hair with tight hair rollers, you may experience traction alopecia, a type of hair loss. If you stop pulling your hair before it is too late and prior developing any scar on the scalp area, it has the possibility that your hair may grow back naturally. However, if you develop scar, it has a high chance that you loss your hair on the scarred area forever. Chemical treatment associated with permanents, also known as ‘perms’, may cause to severe hair loss for some people, leading to experience scarring and inflammation on the affected areas.
Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Hair Loss Causes, Man Hair Loss Causes and http://www.ayurvediccure.com/hair-loss/female-hair-loss-treatment.html Also participate in Health Q& A where you can get your answer and solutions from thousands of members in few minutes.
Author: Dr John Anne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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All About Hair Loss Problem
Hair loss is only permanent if the living part of the hair, the root, is damaged. Extreme hair loss is a widespread problem among the middle aged Americans, specifically among the men. Early hair loss is not caused by clogged pores, poor circulation, or lack of oxygen as some scam hair loss treatment products claim.
An increasing number of men are known to be suffering from hair loss problem. They are experiencing baldness at an early age. Losing hair is a matter of serious concern as it affects the self confidence and esteem of a person. This is true not only from an individual perspective but also from the way people perceive a person. It can affect the confidence of a person immensely.
Hair loss problem is prevalent in most of the people. It is known to affect both the sexes equally. The problem is known to affect a person psychologically. A person suffering from this problem suffers from low self esteem. Appearance matters to most of the people. When a person suffers from this type of situation, his self confidence suffers a serious blow.
Most of the people suffer from hair loss problem. Men, women and children are all equally affected by this problem. Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle have aggravated the situation. Hair loss is not an uncommon problem. The situation can be overcome with medication and a healthy lifestyle.
Hair loss during adolescence signifies ill health. Besides, improper diet can also lead to hair loss problem. Moreover, some medications or medical treatments, like chemotherapy treatment for cancer, can also cause hair loss problem. Certain hairstyles can also lead to this kind of problem. A hairstyle that pulls on the hair for a long time such as braids can lead to hairfall.
Poor Nutrition – Hair loss problem may also result due to poor eating habits. This affects the health of a person negatively. It may result in various kinds of ailments. Apart from the onset of various kinds of diseases, a person may also suffer from hair loss. Stress aggravates the problem. Insufficient sleep and rest can also affect the health of a person. Hence, a balanced diet is a must for general well being. A person should consume food that provides complete nourishment.
This is the most common cause of thinning and affects both men and women. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone. Since everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss there has to be another factor involved.
Some common activities may also leads in losing hair such as harsh shampoo usage, frequent use of blow dryers etc. In order to prevent hair fall, it is advisable to take up nature-based products. Most people carry out wrong methods and uses chemicals for treating their curls, which can be harmful in the long run. Some of the most effective ingredients are red tea or rooibos, apple polyphones and green tea.
By Choosing The Best Hair Loss Treatment Product You Will Have The Right Hair Loss Remedy
By choosing the best hair loss treatment product you will have the right hair loss remedy to stop hair loss from happening to you
You should decide on a hair loss remedy once your hair loss cause has been diagnosed. A hair loss doctor will be able to help you decide on the best hair loss treatment. Since everyone is different, everyone gets different results from different products. Therefore, he or she will be able to tell you which treatment best fits your particular hair thinning needs. There are several hair loss treatment methods available. Some can be combined to help you design your own hair loss remedy.
There are oral drug medications available, such as Propecia (also known as Finasteride); your doctor must prescribe these, so he or she must agree that this is a proper treatment for you. Propecia stops the body from forming DHT, a hormone that stops the growth of hair. A topical preparation that is now available over-the-counter is Rogaine, also known as minoxidil. Originally prescribed as blood pressure medication, men noticed that their hair was growing again when they took it. A topical preparation was devised to avoid oral administration.
There are also many commercial hair loss products on the market that claim to promote hair growth, but most if not all have not been approved by the FDA. If you do decide to go this route, look for products that have some bona fide positive results and are relatively inexpensive to use. The Internet is a pretty good way to do this kind of research; look for hair loss remedies that have gotten good reviews from customers.
Of course, you have to be careful not to buy into any commercial hype, but look for actual reviews of customers that have had good luck with the product. These types of hair loss products range from topical lotions that you apply to your head, formulations of herbs and/or vitamins that you take orally, or even hair loss shampoos that report to restore hair growth. Again, these are “natural” and usually not chemical in nature, which some people prefer. However, they still do have side effects and may not be good for you, so do your homework.
Some natural hair loss remedies that may help stop hair loss
Saw Palmetto extract: This is used to combat benign prostatic disease, or BPD. This product also lowers the DHT in the body as a side effect, which helps promote hair growth.
Green tea: Although green tea’s reputation for promoting hair growth is spotty at best, it is nonetheless a remarkable nutritional addition to your diet, because it is high in antioxidants and other beneficial substances.
Henna: Henna can be prepared and applied topically to hair. It is an herb that comes in many colors, and some people also use this as hair coloring. Traditionally, it was used as hair color, but now, its use has declined due to the availability of prepared hair formulations on the market. When applied topically, it helps strengthen hair and increased shine.
Provillus: A natural formulation purported to help give your body the proper nutrition to aid in the prevention of hair loss. It is also said to help regrow hair.
Resveratrol: One of the newer antioxidant kids on the block, resveratrol, made from grape skins, and has many beneficial antioxidant properties.
Choosing the best hair loss product that suits your needs
In most cases, your doctor can recommend the best hair loss product for you. He or she can also help treat you with medication or nutritional hair loss supplementation. In extreme cases, surgical intervention is also available, wherein nonproductive hair follicles are actually replaced on the head with hair follicles from elsewhere on the body, usually the back of the head. In surgical intervention, several hundred “hair plugs,” as they’re called, are implanted, usually 10 to 60 per treatment session. This type of hair loss treatment takes several months to complete and several months more to see any type of hair growth.
Finally, keep in mind that although hair loss may be viewed by some as unattractive, in many men, male pattern baldness is simply a family hereditary factor and has nothing to do with health or vitality. In these cases, it is simply a matter of personal choice as to whether or not you should want hair replacement; however, your health is not impacted whatsoever by your lack of hair. In other cases, hair loss results from poor nutrition, prolonged stress, taking certain prescription medications, or illness. In these latter cases, hair growth may spontaneously recur once the cause for the baldness has been removed.
Future treatments for hair loss
Researchers are working continually to help develop new hair loss products that will encourage hair growth. Although reasons for hair loss vary, it is hoped that at some point in the future, every type of hair loss will be able to be treated. However, there will never be one magic pill or method that will fix every type of hair loss, since each has a different cause. For some, DHT is the culprit, meaning that a hormone must be suppressed in the body. For others, stress must be reduced, the diet improved, or other action undertaken to encourage hair growth.
Finally, keep in mind that even healthy hair eventually falls out to give way to new hair. So although it behooves you to treat your hair gently and avoid pulling excessively on it to discourage hair loss and avoid damaging the follicles, eventually this hair will fall out. Baldness occurs not because your hair falls out, which it must do to renew itself anyway, but because it does not regrow after it has fallen out. Therefore, focus must be not so much on keeping hair you’ve got, but on keeping follicles active so that they continue to grow new hair when the previous hair shaft’s time is up.
Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to http://www.HairlossInsight.com an informational based website on Hair loss treatments, products and remedies so that the consumer will be more informed about the right treatment for their hairloss.
Author: Daryl Plaza
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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MapMyFITNESS and Wahoo Fitness Integrate iMapMy Apps with ANT+ to Provide Fitness Enthusiasts Heart Rate Data On-the-Go Using iPhone
DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MapMyFITNESS, Inc. and Wahoo Fitness have partnered to integrate iMapMy apps with the Fisica ANT+ 30 pin Sensor Key, offering fitness enthusiasts the ability to track heart rate data using iPhone.
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Fitch Affirms Ratings on New Hampshire HELC (1997)/ HEFA (1998) Master Trusts
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fitch Ratings has affirmed the senior and subordinate education loan revenue bonds issued by New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation (HELC) under the 1997 master trust and New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority (HEFA) under the 1998 master trust. A Stable Outlook is assigned to the senior bonds and a Negative Outlook is assigned to the subordinate bonds, reflecting a deterioration of the private student loan collateral and lower loss coverage m
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Sport&Health Leases 42,000 s.f. in Woodbridge, Va.
MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In concert with Vanguard Realty Group, Sport&Health today announced the lease of a 42,000 square foot facility to be constructed at “Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center,” located along the I-95 corridor in Woodbridge, Virginia. The Stonebridge location marks the 25th location for Sport&Health, the largest health and fitness operator in the Washington DC Metro Area. Sport&Health opened its newest club at Brambleton Town Center in Brambleton, VA in June 201
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Ferguson makes appeal to Old Trafford crowd
Sir Alex Ferguson has pleaded with Man Utd’s fans not to embark on their usual chanting towards Arsene Wenger at Old Trafford on Monday.
Related Stories Houllier seeks a solution to Villa slump Arsenal to wait on Fabregas’ fitness United duo fit to face Arsenal Wenger ignores Evra’s comments Ancelotti: Abramovich is behind me
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Week 14 Med Check: Times are a-changin, especially with healin
The problem with covering sports medicine is things are always changing, faster than anyone can really keep up. By the time I learn one thing, doctors are on to another. Ligament repair is now both routine and advancing, showing returns in as little as six months. Some are talking about stem cells and re-growing structures the way that some surgeons once talked about the arthroscope. It’s simply astounding and all the better since much of this will trickle down to the rest of us. If you or I went in for knee surgery today, we’d have the same type of procedure an NFL player would have, using those perfected techniques. The difference would be the level of care. I know for me, I’m not in the same physical condition as an NFL player — well, maybe some of the linemen. So I shouldn’t be surprised that when I spoke to doctors this week about Matt Cassel, they were much more optimistic about his return than I had been initially. Asked just after learning he’d had his appendix removed Wednesday, I gave an answer — two weeks — that would have made sense a couple years back. Now I know that answer is from a world where someone had to be famous before they got into Us Weekly, where Lost was still a show on an island, and having an organ removed would cost you a couple games. We don’t live in that world any more. I asked Dr. Matthew Lublin of St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., about this type of procedure and he explained that it was all about pain tolerance. “If he feels healthy enough, he can play. He cannot cause any damage to himself by playing. It comes down to his pain threshold following the surgery,” he said. Honestly, I was stunned. Like many, I’ve had my appendix out and still have the three inch scar to prove it. I wouldn’t have thought about standing up for a couple hours, let alone playing football, in the weeks immediately following that procedure. It’s a different world and Cassel, like all NFL players, are not like me and you. I’ll have more on him below as we take a look around the league:
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European health experts agree – alcohol consumption killing the population
Athens, Greece (AHN) – Alcohol related diseases, such as liver cirrhosis are growing at an alarming rate and are affecting people at a younger age than in the past.
This news was released aat a conference of liver experts hosted by the European Association for the Study of the Liver medical professionals tasked with discussing practical solutions to combat alcohol-related illness and death.
Liver disease is the main health burden attributable to alcohol and Europe has the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world.
One in fifteen adults suffers from serious health conditions because of alcohol consumption – making it the third largest cause of early death and illness after tobacco and high blood pressure
A key issue addressed at the conference was the increasing number of deaths due to liver disease resulting from daily or near-daily heavy drinking in the adult population, in addition to binge drinking in young people.
Daily drinking carries more than twice the risk of liver damage compared with intermittent drinking once or twice per week.
It is not just a health challenge either. The strong hold of the drinks industry in challenging recommendations from health experts in relation to the promotion of alcohol to the general public has been a significant barrier to change.
Professor Mark Thursz, EASL Vice-Secretary, said: “Clear messages around healthy drinking need to be developed and communicated to the public. The concept of responsible drinking can be dangerous if it refers only to the detrimental psychosocial effects (addiction, drink driving, disorderly behaviour), as drinking to levels that address these issues is still detrimental to the liver and people’s health.”
He believes this is why so many previous policies have failed.
Thursz goes on to say, “As one of Europe’s key health determinants, alcohol is under-addressed – particularly compared to smoking and obesity.”
Health officials agree that European Institutions need to support more comprehensive epidemiological research to establish and make aware to the public alcohol’s true burden on health.
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