Hair Loss in Children

In 1983, Dr. James D. Stroud's document detailed the causes and types of hair loss in children, noting that a normal scalp has 85-90% anagen hairs and 10-15% telogen hairs, with up to 100 hairs lost daily being normal. A review of over 2,000 pediatric patients over 10 years showed that 80% of hair loss cases were due to telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and traction alopecia, with tinea capitis being the most common in children under 13. The document also covered hair breakage from styling, trichotillomania, androgenetic alopecia in adolescents, and various congenital and hereditary disorders. It described specific hair shaft defects, the need for a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, and rare conditions like "Spun-glass" Hair Syndrome and Menkes Kinky-Hair Syndrome. The importance of recognizing hair loss as a significant medical issue and providing psychological support for affected children was emphasized.