5 year old white hair

[Anonaeee65]

Just found a white hair on my daughter whose 5. I have seen it/another one a few times now but I just assumed maybe a thread or something else so dismissed it. I’m looking at one now and it’s white and is a strand of hair. Do I need to worry? Tried calling doctor since this afternoon but as usual not getting through

[quote Anonaeee65]@anothernewtop no actually I don’t. I’m not medically trained hence calling daughter and was trying to get some support on here whilst waiting.[/quote]

You must know of other symptoms of illnesses you just googled?

Anyway my point was if your child has no sign or symptom of being unwell the chances are they are not unwell.

I think asking advice is a good idea as as you've indicated they can occur due to genetic conditions which will cause an issue.

Does your GP have an e consult service? You can use this to ask and send a photo and gp will decide on next step.

9 times out of 10 these things are nothing but I have a child with a degenerative genetic condition and I'm glad I pushed hard over the little things that weren't right because it meant we got answers. (Not saying there's anything here but I do believe in asking professionals when you aren't sure yourself!)

@Anonaeee65 do the doctors you use have an online booking system?
Mine does since the start of covid maybe check their website

Ok, I was probably a bit harsh but I am absolutely flabbergasted by people encouraging you to see the GP for a single white hair in a child! What an absolute waste of the GPs time!

You'd be better off asking for some medication and CBT for your anxiety!

@ProbablyGryffindor @Inthesameboatatmo @itsgettingwierd

Thank you. No they don’t have online booking. I just phoned my pharmacist whose really lovely and he said it could be a vitamin b12 deficiency which he’s probably right about. He suggested I get a blood test done and if doctor still difficult to get hold of to go privately abs get one. Thank you everyone so much. Mumsnet is a mixed bag just like life! you get the lovely people and the a!!holes who like being nasty and vile.

Thank you. I’m gonna log off now and relax till I get hold of doc!

@LaLaLoopsi

Ok, I was probably a bit harsh but I am absolutely flabbergasted by people encouraging you to see the GP for a single white hair in a child! What an absolute waste of the GPs time!

You'd be better off asking for some medication and CBT for your anxiety!

No one is suggesting seeing a GP. They are suggesting asking for advice.

My dd used to get them infrequently when she was about that age. Tbh I may have gave it a little 'oh look at that' kind of thought, but nothing more.

She is 12 now has a a thick lush Bush of brown hair.

CBT might help with your temper too

@Anonaeee65: you sound like a thoughtful & caring mum! Hopefully a doctor can give advice if anything to watch for but its probably nothing

I had 1-2 white hairs by age 12-15, but no graying until around 40, and a clean bill of health, its probably nothing

If it is something its more likely to be Vitiligo or however you spell it than anything sinister. I have it on my arms but a friend has it on her scalp which causes white patches of hair

Check if your practice does e consults- a lot do now and they're very easy to do.

My daughter had this and it never appeared again or I couldn't find it and it's not multiplied

@Anonaeee65
Hello OP, I’m actually glad you posted this as I noticed the same white strand of hair in my daughter, age 9. I also wondered if there was an underlying cause so thank you for updating.

If you have the nhs app you can message your doctor, they get back to you within 48 hours (weekdays) they can either give you reassurance or arrange blood tests etc. It really is probably nothing, my blonde dd had a single dark hair, I think mutant strands are a thing!

Isn’t it known as a Mallen streak?

It’s really fine. One of my longest friends has had a little cluster of white blonde tucked near the nape of her auburn head as long as I’ve known her (since we were 7!). Just one of those things.

I have had a large white patch since childhood and believe mine is linked to vitiligo. I have a halo mole too. My daughter has vitiligo on her leg.

My DD,19, has had about 3 white hairs since she was about 2. They haven’t multiplied and as far as I’m aware not caused my a medical issue.

A blood test, go privately for a white hair?

Some people on here are being dicks. Ignore them! I would also ask the GP but unless there was anything else of concern along with the white hair I'd be inclined to mention it as a 'by the way' when next there with her. Has she ever bumped her head there? Could it be a damaged hair follicle (I don't even know if that's a thing!)

I've always had white hairs amongst the blond ones since childhood. i don't have any medical problems. I'm 59 now.

Just seen update, sorry. See your spider senses weren't off. Glad you are going to get a blood test. Vitamin deficiency very easy to fix if that.

[quote Anonaeee65]@anothernewtop no actually I don’t. I’m not medically trained hence calling daughter and was trying to get some support on here whilst waiting.[/quote]
I am medically trained. One or two individual white hairs are not only nothing to worry about, but they are incredibly common. Hair is never uniform, and variations in colour often includes individual strands of white or grey, even in childhood. There really is nothing at al to worry about.

What you have been googling - and they are all relatively uncommon conditions - really requires visible patches of grey or white hair or significant "salt and peppering".

What you are seeing is the hairs equivalent of variations that you see on skin and nails - perfectly normal because nature does not "colour in" people in a uniform way.

@LaLaLoopsi - you’re so nasty!!