I’m pretty sure my DD(9) has alopecia- help

[alopeciahelp]

DD lost her bottom eyelashes on one of her eyes about 3 months ago. There are currently no eyelashes growing back. I was concerned but she was rubbing that eye a lot in the days before it happened so I thought maybe she’d accidentally lost them. But now she has at least two bald spots that used to have hair, one is close to the front and noticeable. I’ve booked a gp appointment but can they do anything if it is alopecia? I haven’t said anything to her yet about the bald spots but I’m really panicking that she’s going to lose all of her hair/eyelashes.

God, don’t dick around waiting for supplements or shampoos. Don’t take advice from the internet. Get her to the doctor. This is likely the result of a medical condition and she needs to be seen asap.

What has the GP said?

Oh OP, what a worry. Are you sure she isn't pulling at her hair or eyelashes? This is something my niece does in private as a stress response. It could also be fungal?

If it is alopecia, or a symptom of some deficiency or illness, you will deal with it and support her.

If you had read the thread you will see OP has booked an appointment but hasn't seen the doctor yet.

The OP has already made a GP appointment!

Try not to worry, @alopeciahelp. There are some things that can be done, including steroids, which can be really helpful especially if it is just a one-off episode. There are also immunotherapy-type drugs just coming in to use, which can help.

The GP will be able to refer your daughter to a dermatologist who can consider these treatments.

Any particular reason for being rude? I assume you’ve never missed anything when reading before?

@Francesteini noticed to spots yesterday and have booked her a gp appointment but it’s non emergency so is two weeks away.

@FeelingSadToday1I don’t think she is, I’ve certainly not seen eyelashes or clumps of hair anywhere. I’ve read that children that pull their hair out, you usually find the hair somewhere but I’ve not found any- unless that is false.

Thank you @MyThreeWordsthats good to know that there’s possibly stuff that can be done if it is that.

There is good info about treatment options here (you need to scroll down a bit):

https://www.alopecia.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/treatments-for-alopecia

When they say 'there is no cure', that sounds a bit scary at first, but what they mean is that no treatment will erase the underlying auto-immune disposition to episodes of hair loss. There are effective treatments that can bring episodes to an end and allow the hair to regrow.

Not every treatment works for every person, but you and the dermatologist will find a way forward.

Another thing to mention is that, for some people, episodes of loss are very infrequent. I think I am right in saying that some patients just have a single episode of hair loss.

Even without treatment, many forms of alopecia are 'self-resolving', in the sense that the hair will grow back by itself, and remain unless and until there is another episode. The patches may stay very small, or unfortunately they may get larger.

xx

Thank you @MyThreeWordsthats very helpful.

unfortunately when I brushed DD’s hair after school, I saw one I didn’t see last night that was quite big- bigger than a £2 coin