To her horror, her trichologist described this patch as an auto immune reaction brought about by stress, leading to a stress related baldness called Alopecia areata. More and more young children in today’s modern world are coming up with stress related symptoms of hair such as Alopecia areata and Trichotillomania. Dr Apoorva Shah, Founder of RichFeel, lists out the various hair problems that children suffer from.

Alopecia areata: Children with this condition have a complete loss of hair in some areas of the scalp, sometimes up to two inches in diameter, without scalp redness or scaling. Another finding can be pitting of the nails in children with this condition. Why the hair falls out from the roots is still a mystery. What is known is that the condition is not contagious, nor caused by foods. This is an auto immune problem. The main cause is stress – physical or mental. In 20% of cases, another family member has been affected.  Because the hair loss can sometimes be psychologically devastating for the child, immediate help is a must. It is advisable to consult a trichologist who is qualified to tackle hair related issues and will treat the problem with specific amino acids. Oddly, the new hair may temporarily be white, but eventually the hair returns to its natural colour.

Alopecia Totalis: This is the next stage of Alopecia areata. In this, a person starts losing hair on the entire scalp.

Alopecia Universalis: This is the next stage of Alopecia Totalis. Here, a person starts losing hair on the entire scalp and also body hair including eyebrows, eyelashes and facial hair.

Pseudopelade: This is a stage which comes when the above three stages are crossed. In Pseudopelade, non-scarring Alopecia becomes scarring alopecia (the hair roots are dead and there is no chance of regrowth). In this, the skin of the scalp becomes very hard.

Trichotillomania: This is a condition in which a child actually pulls the hair out, leaving an irregular patch of hair loss with broken off hair of different sizes, mainly on the scalp, but may involve the eyebrows and eyelashes as well. The habit of pulling out one’s hair is usually practised in bed before falling asleep or when the child is studying or watching television. Interestingly, parents are usually not aware of the habit and frequently find it hard to believe that their child would pull out their own hair. Affected areas of hair loss often appear on the left side of right-handed children and on the right side of left-handed youngsters. Most cases of trichotillomania resolve spontaneously. The best treatment is to ignore the hair pulling and concentrate on why the child is anxious, nervous or frustrated. Since it is a psychological problem connected with the hair, treatment will involve counseling.

Hair problems due to poor hygiene

Lice: Lice are a very common problem, especially for kids ages 3 to 12 years (girls more often than boys). Lice aren’t dangerous and they don’t spread disease, but they are contagious and can just be downright annoying. These bites may cause your child’s scalp to become itchy and inflamed and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and even infection. For some kids, the irritation is mild; for others, a more bothersome rash with crusting and oozing may develop. It’s also not unusual for kids to develop some swelling in their lymph glands. Excessive scratching can also lead to a bacterial infection (the skin would become red and tender around the bite area).

Dandruff: Dandruff is the result of the normal growing process of the skin cells of the scalp. In a normal scalp, the process of sloughing off old cells and manufacturing of their replacements is very orderly and complete. In a scalp with dandruff, there is mass disorder and often the departing cells are not dead before leaving the scalp. Dandruff can cause either an overly dry scalp with itchy white flakes that may be waxy or greasy or dandruff can manifest as an oily, greasy scalp with scales. Dandruff is usually seasonal. It is most severe during the winter and mildest during the summer. Dandruff scales usually occur as small, round, white-to-grey patches on top of the head. Scaling can occur anywhere on the scalp, in the hair, on the eyebrows, the beard and can spread to the neck and shoulders. Dandruff is often known as ‘dry scalp’, but people with oily scalps tend to suffer the most. Since dandruff is a natural process, it can not be eliminated. It can only be managed and controlled.

Tinea capitis: Tinea Capitis or ringworm is a common cause of hair loss in children. The condition is caused by a fungus (not a worm!) that invades the hair shaft and causes the hair to break. It can cause patches of hair loss, with broken hair (black dot ringworm), scales, enlarged lymph glands, or the formation of a kerion – a large, red, boggy nodule on the scalp. There may also be mild scalp itching and scaling. Ringworm of the scalp is not dangerous. Without treatment, however, the hair loss can be considerable and some children will develop a boggy tender swelling of the scalp known as a kerion. The condition is transmitted by contact, from one infected child to another through the sharing of combs, brushes, hats, barrettes, pillows and bath towels. Minor bruising of the scalp occasionally provides an entry for the microscopic fungus. Children three to ten years of age are more susceptible to ringworm infection and boys are affected more than the girls.

Hair related problems may affect children leading to severe hair and scalp disorders ultimately affecting the confidence of a young child. Tender care, proper food habits, good hair hygiene, allowing the child to grow up normally without putting peer pressure and a regular hair check-up with a trichologist is a must for all growing children.

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You’ve tried everything – lotions, potions and pills – but nothing seems to stop that receding hairline. Don’t you wish there was something you could do once and for all and get back your crowning glory? There is one sure-fire solution and that is hair transplantation – a one day procedure that will do away with your baldness permanently. Dr Akshay Batra, Senior VP, Trichological Society London and Director B Perfect answers some common queries about hair transplantation.

How does hair transplantation work?

How it works is we take hair from other areas of the head which has more dense growth like the back of the scalp and transplant it in the balding region, thus creating new hair. After hair transplantation, you can get your own natural hair growing back on the scalp – permanently.

Is hair transplantation safe?

There are absolutely no side effects. The procedure is so comfortable (under local anaesthesia) that you can watch TV, read a book or talk to your friends on the phone while it is underway.

When can I see the results?

Though you can see the transplanted hair immediately after the surgery, it would take around 9-12 months for it to grow to your hair’s normal length. That is when you would be able to appreciate the actual results.

 How do I maintain the transplanted hair?

You do not need any special maintenance for the transplanted hair. It can be washed, combed, oiled, cut and styled normally giving natural and excellent aesthetic results.

 Is hair transplantation expensive?

It is a lifelong investment for your self-image and self-confidence. In order to bust the myth of it being an expensive procedure, B Perfect has introduced a special offer of hair transplant for only Rs 70,000 for unlimited number of hair and using the latest microscope – without any hidden costs.

To learn more about procedures to stop hair loss click here. 

www.drbatras.com

1. Telogen effluvium: It is a condition triggered primarily after a stressful episode such as surgery or a car accident. The body sends the hair follicles into a kind of hibernation, after a few months new hair start to grow, therefore pushing out the old hair shaft. This may lead to hair loss in clumps. Almost 70% of hair loss has been seen. The good news is that your hair will eventually return to its normal thickness, although it might take a few months.

2. Alopecia Areata: This is a condition where your immune system, attacks your hair follicles; causing hair loss in patches or complete baldness. The good news is that on application of corticosteroid creams and medication, the degradation of the hair follicle can be brought down, allowing new hair to grow back.

3. Trichotilomania: This condition is characterised as an emotional disorder where the person has the irresistible desire to pull out their own hair. Experts believe it is caused due to the lack of neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. People suffering from this disorder know they should stop, but cannot. In order to treat this disorder psychotherapy, teaching different habits, how to control the urges and in some cases anti- depressants are also prescribed.

 Video Source: Health Guru

Their three-pronged approach of Homeopathy, Trichology and Technology is a winning combination that has brought a smile to many suffering patients.  Clinical research on the homeopathic remedy Thuja has been conducted recently and has shown its beneficial effects in hair loss cases as a DHT inhibitor; but at Dr. Batra’s, they have been using this remedy for more than last 25 years in hair loss treatment. 

Trichology expertise: 

The unbeatable advantage of Homeopathy combined with the expertise of London-trained trichologists is available at Dr. Batra’s. The head of Trichology department at Dr. Batra’s – Dr. Akshay Batra and Dr. Ushma Batra are India’s first Trichologists from The Trichological Society of London. Dr. Akshay Batra is the first ever Asian Trichologist to get the honor of being the Vice President of the Trichological Society of London. 

Additionally, each of their doctors providing hair treatment is personally trained by Dr. Akshay Batra so that only the best services are rendered to the patients. The physicians closely assess your case using advanced diagnostic technique like Folliscope (video microscopy) and thereafter provide you with customized treatment options. The treatment goes beyond eliminating disease – it restores equilibrium, builds your defenses against illness and promotes lasting good health.

Advantage of Technology:
Technology has also been put to its best use at Dr. Batra’s where they offer Swiss Polarized Rays (SPR) therapy (based on the Nobel Prize winning Piler Light Therapy) for cases of hair loss. A Swiss technology to start with, this is proven to have a beneficial effect on hair and scalp disorders. In addition, Low level Laser Comb is also made available for the patients to establish better circulation in the scalp thus controlling the loss of hair and augmenting hair growth.

Nutritionist experience: 
At Dr. Batra’s our nutritionists from London also lend their expertise by carefully charting out dietary dos and don’ts for our hair loss patients. These dietary tips have been clinically verified time and again and are derived from the vast experience of treating a large number of patients over more than 35 years.

Special formulations for patients:
Specially formulated Dr. Batra’s shampoos have the right pH of 6.5 recommended by the New Zealand Dermatology Society. Many of the existing patients report good results with continued use of the same. Derived from natural products, these are very gentle on the scalp and yet very effective in treating hair disorders. 

So, if you are suffering from hair loss, treat early and control hair loss before it gets too late! Get a consultation with your nearest Dr Batra’s centre. And the best time to do it is now with  limited period offer of Consultation and hair health test worth Rs 1700 for Rs 250. Click here for details on the hair loss offer.