Why is my 10 year daughter's hair falling out in patches in the front of her head?

Hello Anonymous,

Welcome to EmpowHER. Thank you for reaching out to our community for an answer.

Have you spoken with your daughter's pediatrician? Have you considered scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist?

One possible cause is alopecia areata, which is the sudden appearance of round or oval patches of hair loss. These patches are completely slick bald or smooth without any signs of inflammation, scaling, or broken hairs. They appear literally overnight, or sometimes over a few days.

Alopecia areata is thought to be caused by the body's immune system attacking the hair follicles. At any given moment, about 1 in 1,000 children has alopecia areata. About 25% of these children will also have pitting or ridging of the nails.

Trauma to the hair shaft is another common cause of hair loss in children. Often the trauma is caused by traction, such as consistently worn tight braids or pony-tails or by friction like rubbing against a bed.

Regards,
Maryann