Sudden hair loss

[CatchingBabies]

My teen DD has suddenly started having large amounts of hair loss, so much that she now has a noticeable bald patch.

She eats well, takes multivitamins, does use a lot of heat products on her hair but always with heat protection and it’s coming out at the roots rather than snapping anyway.

She’s very very distressed about this. I’m going to book her into the GP ASAP but anyone had anything similar and was it resolved?

Potentially it could be alopecia areata. I had a period of it in my late teens but that was stress induced. Once I was happier the hair grew back. There are some treatments for alopecia which are variably successful, and I know several people who've had alopecia which has resolved, so it certainly can go away. Thing is hair loss is not very well understood so often doctors can't give you a reason as to why it's happening.

I really feel for her, I've had dreadful acne too and honestly, the hairloss was worse. Nothing has ever dented my confidence so badly, and particularly at that age.

I’m praying it’s not alooecia, she will be absolutely distraught! But it’s very worrying as it’s falling out in huge clumps. That first picture has gone from no hair loss to that in less than a week, every morning her pillow is covered in hair, the drain is blocked every time she goes for a shower. She has a GP appointment next week but she’s scared she’s going to end up bald.

OP my teen went through this exactly a year ago. She was in y11 last year and found the GCSE run up very stressful plus was experiencing bullying at the same time which may have contributed.

The gp found she was very low in b12 and ferritin. She had a loading dose of b12 (6 injections over 3 weeks) and started on iron supplements. She also went on the pill at the same time on case heavy periods were contributing.

She lost most of her hair around the hairline so two large bald patches at her temples plus 3 50p sized completely bald discs on her crown.

It all started growing back after the b12 injections except for one disc in her parting. It wasn't until it grew back that we realised she'd lost a 2 inch strip across the neck. It looked like she'd had a buzz cut. .

I would get the gp to test thyroid as well as iron and b12. And check the actual results yourself because the nhs thresholds are very low. Good luck

Thank you I will ask for them bloods. She is vegan although does take a multivitamin due to this so hopefully a simple deficiency is the cause.

Fingers crossed for your daughter OP 🤞