Hair Loss for Children

Throughout time, hair has been an important aspect of a person's appearance and personality. Color, length, style, and amount have often been associated with youth, sex appeal, health, and power. It's no wonder then, that balding, thinning hair or receding hairlines is a concern for those coping with hair loss. Hair has been called our “crowning glory.” Society has placed a great deal of social and cultural importance on hair and hairstyles. Unfortunately, many conditions, diseases, and improper hair care result in excessive hair loss. People who notice their hair shedding in large amounts after combing and brushing or whose hair becomes thinner or falls out may consult a dermatologist. With the right diagnosis, many people with hair loss can be treated.

Dr. Eileen Tan, a Board Certified Dermatologist who specializes in treating diseases of the skin, hair, and nails. She has received specialist training in North America in managing various hair and nail disorders, hair transplantation, and lasers.

In patients with hair loss, she will evaluate a patient’s hair problem by asking questions about diet, medications (including vitamins and health food taken in the last six months), family history of hair loss, recent illness, and hair care habits. In women, hormonal effects may be evaluated by asking about menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and menopause. After examining the scalp and hair, a trichogram (examining hairs under the microscope), blood tests, or a scalp biopsy may be required for an accurate diagnosis. It is important to find the cause and to determine whether or not the problem will respond to medical treatment.

Hair Biology

Normal hair growth

About 90 percent of the hair on a person’s scalp is growing at any one time. The growth phase lasts between two and six years. Ten percent of the hair is in a resting phase that lasts two to three months. At the end of its resting stage, the hair is shed. When the hair is shed, a new hair from the same follicle replaces it and the cycle starts again. Scalp hair grows about 1cm per month. As people age, their rate of hair growth slows. Most hair shedding is due to the normal hair cycle, and losing 50-to-100 hairs per day is no cause for alarm. However, if you are concerned about excessive hair loss or dramatic thinning, consult your dermatologist.

Common hair loss conditions

Patterned hair loss

Women with this type of hair loss have a pattern similar to what we observe in men. In other words, they have thinning of the hair in front or on top of their scalp with little hair loss in the permanent zone around the sides and in the back. Thus, the balding is in a characteristic "pattern" rather than generalized. Men and women with patterned hair loss generally are excellent candidates for surgical restoration.

Genetics

As is men, the genes that cause hair loss can be inherited from either your mother or father. The expression of these genes is dependent on hormones called androgens, so common hair loss in both men and women is coined "Androgenetic Alopecia"

In Androgenetic Alopecia, hair follicles that are producing healthy, terminal hairs begin to produce thinner, shorter, more brittle hairs with weaker shafts (this process is called Miniaturization and the hairs involved are called miniaturized hairs). Eventually, these follicles produce only fine, almost invisible, short, vellus hairs, or they may die out altogether.

Hormone

Testosterone is converted to DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that is present in higher concentrations in the balding areas of the scalp. This is the hormone that is responsible for male sexual characteristics and, when the body converts it to DHT, it becomes the main culprit in causing baldness.

Women have only ½ the amount of this enzyme overall compared with men and have even less in the crown. In addition, women have higher levels of an enzyme called aromatase in all areas of the scalp that may block the formation of DHT. This enzyme is present in especially high concentration in the frontal hairline in women, possibly explaining why this area is fortunately resistant to balding in most females.

Age

With age, some degree of hair loss occurs in everyone so that total hair volume will decrease over time in both sexes. Acceleration of hair loss associated with genetic balding is also dependent upon time to accelerate itself. Hair loss tends to occur at different rates at different periods in one's life with increased loss often occurring during periods of hormonal change, such as pregnancy, menopause or ill health.

Treatment

There are effective medical and surgical hair restoration techniques.

A thorough history and examination of the scalp can reveal the extent and trend of the hair loss process and the specialist will then offer you the most optimal treatment solutions such as

  • Hair Transplantation

  • Medical Therapies

  • Lower level laser light

Localized Hair Loss

Localized hair loss may be classified into scarring and non-scarring types.

Alopecia Areata is an auto-immune disease that typifies the non-scarring type. It manifests itself with the sudden onset of round patches of hair loss associated with normal skin and can be treated with local injections of corticosteroids or immunotherapy.

Scarring Alopecia can be caused by a variety of medical or dermatologic conditions such as Lupus and Lichen planus, infections or local radiation therapy. Baldness from injuries, or from local medical problems that have been cured, are usually amenable to hair transplantation.

Localized hair loss can occur around the hairline after face-lift surgery or constant tugging on the hair (known as Traction alopecia). Both of these conditions can be treated with hair transplantation.

Diffuse Hair Loss

A number of "non-androgenetic" factors may be responsible for hair loss especially in women. Women's hair seems to be particularly sensitive to underlying medical conditions. Since "systemic" problems often cause a diffuse type of hair loss pattern that can be confused with genetic balding, it is important that women with undiagnosed hair loss, especially of the diffuse or "un-patterned" type, be properly evaluated.

Among the many medical conditions that can cause hair loss, the most common ones are:

  • anemia

  • thyroid disease

  • other endocrine problems (especially those that produce excess androgens)

  • gynecological conditions - such as ovarian tumors

  • connective tissue disease (such as Lupus)

  • surgical procedures and general anesthesia

  • rapid weight loss or crash diets that are not nutritionally balanced

  • severe emotional stress

It is also important to review the use of medications that can cause hair loss. The more common ones are:

  • oral contraceptives

  • thyroid medication

  • blood pressure medication (such as beta-blockers or water pills)

  • "mood" medication such as lithium, Prozac, or tricyclic antidepressants

  • blood thinners such as heparin or warfarin

  • cholesterol-lowering medication

Hair Loss Low-Level Laser Therapy [MEDICAL]

Revage 670TM Hair Laser System is a laser program that involves the use of an FDA-approved Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) with a 670nm wavelength to optimize photobiogenesis in hair follicles to stimulate hair growth. Photobiogenesis helps to induce dormant hair follicles into the growth (anagen) phase, thus stimulating vital and robust follicles.

The NuHair LLLT device has a patented design of a helmet with 30, 4-milliwatt rotating lasers affixed in it. These rotating lasers ensure that the wavelength reaches every part of the scalp, resulting in effective treatment. This non-invasive treatment program is designed to minimize hair loss and potentially stimulate hair growth as it bathes and restores the scalp and its microcirculatory system. Low-level lasers are referred to as “cold” or “soft” lasers because they do not vaporize tissue. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is based on the scientific principle of photo-biotherapy, which takes place when cells absorb laser light, causing stimulation of cell metabolism and improved blood flow. LLLT offers a history of success against other treatment methods available, as the low-level laser light was proven to stimulate cellular metabolism, protein synthesis, and tissue & cartilage regeneration, resulting in a dramatic increase in blood flow to the scalp.

One of the unique features of this device is the incorporation of an integral microscope/camera system that clearly shows each new patient the number of dormant hair follicles in a square centimeter that can be put into the anagen phase of growth. This system dramatically demonstrates improvement throughout the therapy. The LLLT soft laser program offers a treatment that is non-invasive and painless. NuHair not only produces good results of new hair growth, hair thickness, and texture, even the hair colour, and curls can last longer than usual.

According to Researcher, Dr. Glen Charles, “NuHair has shown to increase hair counts in men by an average of 37.78% within 16 weeks of treatment with no incidence of side effects.”

“There are few options for women losing hair, especially after childbirth (POSTNATAL HAIR LOSS). Hair laser treatment helps to stop hair loss and thickens hair.