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Original poster

Childhood alopecia

19 replies

rainbow616 · 12/03/2025 10:28

Hi everyone,

I've also posted on children's heath but haven't had any replies. Has anyone got any experience of childhood alopecia? We think my two year old has alopecia areata and has four bald patches on her scalp. We are waiting to see a dermatologist. We are so upset at this and just wanted to know if anyone has any stories of themselves or their own children?
Thanks ☺️

OP posts:
Original poster
rainbow616 · 13/03/2025 18:53

Anyone please?

OP posts:
quickchange25 · 13/03/2025 21:47

No experience as a young child but I had it as a teen.
I was given steroid injections and it grew back pretty quickly after that. Personally, if you can afford it, I'd at least look at getting her seen privately to speed it up.

Mine has never returned. Both my dad and my paternal grandmother each had it once.

Although not a direct cause, I believe mine was triggered by medical trauma as it happened within weeks of a particularly stressful intimate operation, my grandmothers was directly after a hysterectomy.

Original poster
rainbow616 · 13/03/2025 21:50

Thank you so much for replying @quickchange25we did find someone private who would see such a young child, but she was booked out for a long time, and she is also the derm who we are on the nhs waiting list for, so we have decided to just wait. The GP was in contact with her and she had prescribed a steroid cream, so that’s something!

OP posts:
Aussiebear · 12/04/2025 23:58

A GP should be able to help and prescribe steroid lotion while you're waiting, personally I'd book the private appointment. It's an unpredictable condition and could change or clear up rapidly there is no way of knowing

Original poster
rainbow616 · 13/04/2025 00:04

Gp wouldn’t prescribe, but has been in contact with the consultant and she prescribed it. We have finished the steroid cream now. The private consultant is the same as the nhs one that prescribed the steroid. She has a long waiting list privately as she only works Friday mornings and I can’t find anyone else who deals with children unfortunately. I have recently got the gp to send a letter to the hospital to see if they will expedite so hopefully that will be the case. Thanks

OP posts:
Aussiebear · 13/04/2025 00:15

Don't feel bad to keep badgering, hope it clears up soon

Original poster
rainbow616 · 14/04/2025 18:32

Had a call today and we have an appointment on 7th May, which I’m happy about! Just to ask @Aussiebearhave you experience with alopecia?

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fingfong · 14/04/2025 19:36

Hi there

my daughter had alopecia when she was around 3. We got a foam steroid and it worked really well. Once it had grown back in, she never had a problem again and now at 18 has a glorious mane of long blonde hair. I was sick with worry at the time, so I’m sending you my best wishes and hopefully it will grow back soon.

Original poster
rainbow616 · 14/04/2025 19:38

@fingfongthabk you so much for commenting. I really hope this is how it works out for my daughter too. I’m glad your daughter’s hair has recovered! Do you remember how much hair loss there was?

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Aussiebear · 14/04/2025 19:59

@rainbow616 yes unfortunately and it runs in my family. I've spent most of my life with it and really just live with it, it's not really a big deal for me but if my kids had a patch I'd be ringing everyone going because the worst bit is the part before living with it and that is hard for sure. Most likely it'll clear up though so don't panic but there are great support groups and podcasts as well that make a difference

WhiteRosesInMyDreams · 15/04/2025 12:15

My eldest daughter first had alopecia areata when she was about 5, she was given steroid lotion and it went away. It did return in her early teens and it progressed to alopecia universalis (she's 16 now). She's seen an endocrinologist and several dermatologists, but the best derm she's seen was via the NHS.

As Aussiebear said there are good support groups out there - I've found the Alopecia UK site helpful and several UK & US Facebook groups (AUK Parents' Chat, Alopecia Uk Peer Support, Alopecia Support for Kids). Fingers crossed your daughter will be fine and it will resolve itself soon. Keep posting if we can help at all...

Holdonforsummer · 15/04/2025 12:28

My husband has alopecia universalis which means no hair anywhere on his body, even eyelashes, eyebrows etc. It started when he was 12 - first patches and then everything fell out pretty quickly. They thought it was a result of a physical accident he’d had but about 10 years later, the same thing happened to his older brother so really it must be genetic. I know it’s really hard - and probably harder for girls - but my husband said the best thing his mum did was trying to put it all in perspective. She said to him: ‘if that’s the worst that ever happens to you, you’re still lucky’ and that has stuck with him ever since. And I adore his quirky look! Good luck, I hope your daughter’s hair grows back but if it doesn’t, she will still be fine!

fingfong · 15/04/2025 14:50

Hi @rainbow616- the first patch my daughter had was about the size of a 50p, she then got a few more and a couple of them merged in the middle of her head, which we managed to cover up by a
ponytail on the middle of her head. Her eyebrow went and I remember looking at her eyelashes one day and seeing she was starting to lose them too, but somehow it didn’t come to much. Just writing this brings back the upset I felt at the time, I was so worried a. About her health and the possible causes and b. About how she’d navigate life with a wee bald head. Luckily a friend of mine who is quite the most gorgeous sassy confident women I know is completely bald and looks incredible by owning it and having a variety of funky wigs, so that helped knowing it wasn’t the end of the world (yes I’m shallow). Also my hairdresser was reassuring. So I got my head round it, and was prepared for whatever happened, but as it was, her wee patches grew back in. I realised that so long as your child’s health is okay, everything else is manageable ! Anyway hopefully it will work out for you - the worst that happened with my daughter is that one patch grew back darker than the rest of her hair - it’s like the Mallen streak in reverse!

Original poster
rainbow616 · 15/04/2025 14:54

@fingfong thank you so much for replying. I really hope this is how it pans out for my daughter! You’re not shallow at all. I feel sick with worry. I do keep telling myself that she’s not sick and it’s just hair which does put things into perspective a bit. Thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate it xx

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fingfong · 15/04/2025 14:58

I remember feeling sick with worry too, so I’m sending you a hug. Even in worse case scenarios there are loads of options and hairdressers can do amazing things. Chin up, big kiss (very un- mumsnetty, sorry 😁)

Auroraloves · 24/04/2025 20:21

fingfong · 14/04/2025 19:36

Hi there

my daughter had alopecia when she was around 3. We got a foam steroid and it worked really well. Once it had grown back in, she never had a problem again and now at 18 has a glorious mane of long blonde hair. I was sick with worry at the time, so I’m sending you my best wishes and hopefully it will grow back soon.

Hello, do you remember what the steroid foam was please? Was it enstilar?

insomniac1 · 28/08/2025 00:34

Hi @rainbow616how is your daughter now?

Original poster
rainbow616 · 28/08/2025 07:36

@insomniac1 hey, she’s good thanks. She had four patches in total and three of them have totally covered over now. The biggest patch is still visible but has so much new hair growing in, I think in about a month you won’t notice it anymore. ☺️

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insomniac1 · 06/09/2025 21:10

Thank you so much! Glad she is doing well.

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