1. Initial Consultation
April 2022, this lovely 6-year-old girl’s Mum consulted me since the complaint was that her daughter’s hair would not grow longer than in this photo. I asked extensive questions about the family history, diet and hair-washing frequency. I advised some alterations and wrote to the GP to request specific blood tests be carried out.
This resulted in her meagre iron store, and I immediately guided her on a low dose of iron to be taken (the GP had informed the Mother that her levels were ok).
Her school gave her a well-done certificate test carried out for her for having blood tests for her hair carried out. After four months of taking the iron, we started iron and more red meat in her diet and wanted to check on her absorption levels in September 2022. Her Mum was thrilled as she was beginning to see tiny sprouts of regrowth showing. The girl told her Mum she no longer felt she looked like a boy and started wearing pretty headbands to school. This condition is known as Telogen Effluvium, which affects the growth and falling phases of the hair. She obviously in the above photo had hair coverage; this condition would not have self-corrected.
Now Feb 2023 her iron levels are near normal for optimum hair growth, just look at the improvement of the ability to row! She feels like a princess now I am told and was very happy for me to examine her beautiful hair- I am thrilled that thanks to the parents following all the advice including the emotional support to this lovely girl- the results are clear to see. She understands now how important washing her hair frequently and eating plenty of the “good stuff” is to having wonderful “Elsa like” hair. I have asked to her one last time later this year but I expect her hair to grow at optimum speed, way past her shoulders.
I wanted this to help demonstrate that hair loss in children is so much more than patches of Alopecia Areata. I do see Trichotillomania where twisting hair around the fingers in young children carries onto pulling but thankfully this wasn’t the case for this little button!
