Can puberty cause hair loss?

[tkband3]

DD2, 12, has started losing excessive amounts of hair when she brushes and washes it. It's starting to upset her, as she can feel the difference in her ponytails etc.

She started her periods six weeks ago and had her second one exactly 4 weeks after the first. It was quite heavy (for a second period) but nothing untoward - it did last 7 days though.

She also has coeliac disease, so could be lacking in some vitamins, although she eats healthily and her two sisters, also coeliac, seem fine. She's just had routine bloods done which we haven't had the results back for - these will have included thyroid function tests.

I'm going to make an appointment with the GP for next week (we're on holiday at the moment) but my googling is pointing me towards puberty or perhaps thyroid issues being the problem. Just wondered if anyone else had similar experiences and if there is anything I can do to help her.

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Is she underweight? Puberty shouldn't cause hairless but malnourishment or undernourishment might cause it.

I would suggest a general blood test to identify any possible nutritional deficiency and maybe include dihydrotestosterone levels, a male hormone which might cause hairloss

Anemia can cause hair loss...

I'd get her iron levels checked. If she''s just started her periods and they're heavy, and she's coaeliac, which might affect absorption, I would definitely look at nutrition first. The amount of hair loss when I brush is usually a sign I'm low on iron.

Thanks for the replies. She's not underweight - just had annual check up with paediatrician where she was weighed and measured and he was happy with her from that perspective, although she has always been on the skinny side.

I hadn't thought of anemia...she had bloods done as part of her annual check up so I'll chase those results up. We're at the GP next week.

The reason I wondered about puberty being the cause is that I lost a fair bit of hair during pregnancy and thought it might be a similar hormonal thing. (Also clutching at straws.)