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Alopecia areata of only eyebrows and eye lashes
My 9 year old daughter has had hair loss of her eyebrows and eyelashes. She does not have any hair loss on her head or anywhere else on her body. We have tried different creams from the pediatric dermatologist and nothing has helped. We are grateful she hasn't lost any head hair and my daughter does not seem to care about the the loss of her eyebrows or eyelashes...Yet! Has anyone else just had a loss of eyebrows and eyelashes only? They seem to start to grow back sparsely and then all of a sudden they are gone again. Very frustrating!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kimmer on
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Hey! My daughter is 12 and lost all of her top eyelashes and most of bottom. No other hair loss. I just found this site and really just figured out this is what she has. I did find an article that discusses the rare cases of eyelash only:
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/07t0791x
She doesn't seem too bothered, but looks like going to be chronic issue and need to figure out options (eyeliner, false lashes)... I can't even find a doctor that treats this.
I think the worse thing was that everyone tried to say it was hair pulling, but she insisted it wasn't and there really wasn't any signs it was... I'm happy to have a reason that doesn't make me think she's lying.
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My daughter who is 10 lost her eyebrows back in May - same situation as your daughter's (looks like they start to grow back then fall out again). At first no other hair loss and the dermatologist put her on a Retin A cream which seems to actually be making her eyebrows grow back in. Now we are noticing that her eyelashes seem to be breaking off in the middle but not sure if it is from rubbing her eyes to the irritation of the medication on her eyebrows. So far no loss on her head and I'm hoping it stays that way. She can handle not having eyebrows but I'm not sure how she would react to losing her hair. I also put coconut oil on her eyebrows to help keep them from getting dry. Have you found any other cases of people just losing eyebrows and eyelashes?
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No not yet... we've been trying probiotics and castor oil...look like getting some growth now but I get worried about them falling back out; drive her crazy wanting to look at her lashes. It's stressful enough being a young tween/teen but this makes it harder.
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I'm doing the same thing - always wanting to look at them or check on them. I think she just wants to not worry about it but I find I can't help it I need to see if progress is being made. I think I'll try the castor oil and we also have an appointment with a naturopath to see if there are any other remedies that are a bit safer to use!
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Hi! First I want to say sorry for my bad English, hope it's understandable! I'm experience almost the same thing with my 11 years old daughter. Almost exactly 3 moth ago I discovered that she had two little spots with no eyelashes on her left eye. Since then almost all of her upper eyelashes are gone. I think the eyelashes on the right eye has started to fall off and it's a matter of time before the first bald spot appears,
We went to the dermatologist but she just said it could be stress and that we would come back if it continued to spread. But I just know it's not stress...
I recognize myself in wanting to take a look on the eyeslashes to see whats going on but my daughter didn't like it so I stopped but it's not easy.
I think my daughter is handeling the situation pretty well but I don't how she will react if it continuous to spread. My husband and I have been talking about testing the gluten-free diet with our daughter.
I'm very glad to have seen your post because it made me feel less alone with this situation.
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Hi. I replied to this thread awhile back and it doesn't seem to be here. Anyway, have you had any luck with the eyelashes. <y 11 year old daughter has had this condition since she was 7. I have been to every kind of doctor...ped, eye, derm, psych, etc...all with the same answer. "Yep she has alopecia. Nothing we can do for it only on eyelashes." I just can't get past it because it seems so rare. There just has to be something causing it or something that can help. Wondered if you have had any luck since Oct?
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I get so frustrated with doctors. I went to a pediatric dermatologist and she just said it was her pulling or auto-immune and nothing was offered as solution or follow up... she literally just prescribed some antifungal cream for totally u related fungus on her back! Ugh!
Then I took her to new family doctor about some stomach stuff that I thought could be anxiety and mentioned the eyelashes which she basically ignored and gave no help.
Her lower lashes are almost normal, but upper lashes only have a few hairs in the corner.
Daughter doesn't seem bothered at this time so unless : until she wants to pursue more, I'm trying to let it go. She's getting good grades and seems well adjusted (for a 13 year old) and I've been assured no life threatening cancer or something happening...
But seriously wish there was more actual concern and help out there :(
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We get the same answer: "Nothing to do, just wait and see what happens...Come back if it spreads to more places than the left upper eyelash". So we just wait even if it is very frustrating not knowing what will happen. But my daughter seems to take this ok right know. Sometimes she gets a little bit sad and want her eyelashes to be "normal" again. So we listen, talk to her and after that she feels better. The last time we went to the dermatologist I wanted them to take som tests for minerals and vitamins and the result showed she was a little bit low on iron. So now we give her extra iron and D-vitamin and a month ago she started eating gluten-free. I'm not sure if this will do anything with the regrowing of her eyelashes but we'll give it a try. Right now she has some little tiny eyelashes-hairs growing on half of the eye but I'm afraid to be too positive about it since this have happened two times before and then suddenly most of them are gone again.
Next week we also have an appointment with the child endocrinologist. My daughter goes there every six moth to control her thyroid gland. Right now it look normal but because she has thyroid antibodies they want to control her.
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Please post once you get results from endocrinologist. That's the one Dr we haven't tried. I did have a blood test show she had elevated levels of IgA but so what? They can't do anything about it. It just shows she has an autoimmune situation. She was tested for celliac but the allergist said she would be experiencing other issues not just eyelashes. I have learned never to get too excited over regrowth because they do drop out at a middle stage which is the symptom of AA. She has always had a bit of eczema which also goes hand in hand. She did go through almost 8 months of getting them all back last year. I was hoping her hormones were maybe kicking this thing into gear but then it went back to bad. We've had many months of nothing. If her eyes are ever itchy I cringe bc I think any lashes she has will come out with the slightest rub. But I'm more concerned than she is. It is just she is hitting that age where girls start to wear some make up and people start to notice.
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I'll see if we can get the results with numbers/levels because here where we leave the doctors just tell us if the results or normal or not.
I totally understand about you getting cringe if your daughter eyes are itchying. I feel the same way. This alopecia thing has been very difficult for me. It has been harder for me than it has been for my daughter. But I expect it to be harder for her if the alopecia continuous to spread. I feel I have to be prepare for that and help her in the best way I can. I read something here at this site that I liked very much because I recognized myself in this mother's thoughts. Is the post written by Annie. http://www.alopeciaworld.com/forum/topics/how-to-discuss-aa-with-ch...
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So since I wrote this first post one of my daughters eyebrows has grown back completely. We haven't done anything different, it he just came back on its own. She also grew bottom lashes on that side but the top lashes didn't grow. The top lashes are either totally bare or teeny little stubs. They don't get any longer. The other eyebrow grew in half way. She has the half closest to her nose but the outer half is just random stubs of haiR and there are no lashes on that side. The last couple months the hair on her head on the side where there is half a brow is getting very thin and brittle and short. I can see her scalp. It is just the front half section. I emailed her ped dermatologist so pics and she said this doesn't sound or look like AA. She thinksyou daughter is pulling it. I really don't think she is though. She runs her fingers through her hair on that side but never pulls from what I see. We go back to the dermatologist on Feb 20 so well see what they say. My daughter is struggling with sucking her thumb and then the free hand she runs through her hair. She never has her hands around her eyebrows or lashes. And I cringe too when she says her eyes are itchy because the eyelashes and brows tend to come out then. She takes Claritan for allergies and she gets the purple shiners under her eyes if she misses a dose. I don't know if allergies have anything to do with AA or not. My daughter still doesn't care what her hair looks like but it bothers me. I try not to let it show. She used to have all one length hair but it now looks like she has wispy, frizzy, uneven, random bangs. Still so frustrating!
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Permalink Reply by Terri on
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Hi Wendy,
This is a good reference for hair loss. I hope this information is helpful to you.
http://www.americanhairloss.org/children_hair_loss/causes_treatment.asp
The vast majority of children suffering with hair loss do so because of the following conditions. All of these conditions should be easily diagnosed by your pediatrician or by a pediatric dermatologist.
1. Tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) is a disease caused by a superficial fungal infection of the skin of the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes, with a propensity for attacking hair shafts and follicles. The disease is considered to be a form of superficial mycosis or dermatophytosis. Several other names are used when referring to this infection, including ringworm of the scalp and tinea tonsurans. In the US and other regions of the world, the incidence of tinea capitis is increasing.The tinea capitis infection is the most common cause of hair loss in children.
Children with tinea capitis usually have patchy hair loss with some broken-off hairs visible just above the surface of the scalp. The patches of hair loss are usually round or oval, but sometimes irregular. Sometimes the hairs are broken right at the surface, and look like little black dots on the scalp. Sometimes gray flakes or scales are seen.
Diagnosis: The diagnosis is suspected primarily based on the appearance of the scalp. A Wood's lamp test may be performed to confirm the presence of a fungal scalp infection. Wood's lamp is a test that is performed in a dark room where ultraviolet light is shined on the area of interest. No scalp biopsy is necessary for the diagnosis.
Treatment: Tinea capitis is usually treated with an antifungal, such as griseofulvin, which is taken by mouth for 8 weeks.Tinea capitis is also treated with Nizoral shampoo, which is used to wash the scalp 2-3 times a week. It is very important to continue the use of the oral medication and shampoo for the entire 8 weeks. Treatment failure is common when medications are not taken everyday for the full 8 weeks.
Children who have tinea capitis are not required to leave school if treatment is used as directed. Most children are not contagious when using the oral medication and shampoo.
2. Alopecia Areata 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.
With appropriate treatment, a large percentage of patients will have all of their hair back within one year -- many will have it sooner. Children with alopecia areata should be under the care of a dermatologist. About 5% of children with alopecia areata will go on to develop alopecia totalis -- the loss of all the hair on the scalp. Some of these will develop alopecia universalis -- the complete loss of body hair.
Diagnosis: Currently there are no conclusive diagnostic tests for alopecia areata. Dermatologists deduce alopecia areata by a process of elimination of other hair loss causes and the close examination of the bald patch itself. Typically, the initial alopecia areata lesion appears as a smooth bald patch sometimes within 24 hours. Some people feel a tingling sensation or pain in the affected area. The scalp is the most commonly affected area, but alopecia areata can present in any region of hair on the body. Hair pull tests are sometimes conducted at the margins of lesions. If hair is easily pulled out, it is indicative that the lesion is active and further hair loss should be anticipated. Since alopecia areata is fairly distinctive it is usually correctly diagnosed with a simple visual examination.
Treatment: There is no cure for alopecia areata and unfortunately since there is little understanding of the disease there are no FDA approved drugs or treatments specifically designed to treat AA. There are, however, several drugs being prescribed off label for the treatment of AA. These drugs are incorporated into the treatment protocols that appear to help a certain percentage of those afflicted with this disease.Keep in mind that while these treatments may promote hair growth, none of them prevent new patches or actually cure the underlying disease. Consult your health care professional about the best option for your child.
Alopecia areata is an unpredictable disease and even with complete remission it is possible for it to occur again throughout your child's lifetime.
3. Trauma to the hair shaft is another common cause of hair loss in children. Often the trauma is caused by traction (consistently worn tight braids, pony-tails, etc.) or by friction ( rubbing against a bed or wheelchair for example). It can also be caused by chemicals burns.
Another misunderstood cause of trauma hair loss is called trichotillomania, the habit of twirling or plucking the hair. Trichotillomania is thought to be an obsessive-compulsive disorder that can be extremely difficult to treat since the patient usually feels compelled to pluck their hair. The hair loss is patchy, and characterized by broken hairs of varying length. Within the patches, hair loss is not complete. Some children with trichotillomania also have trichophagy -- the habit of eating the hair they pluck. These patients can develop abdominal masses consisting of balls of undigested hair. As long as the hair trauma was not severe or chronic enough to cause scarring, the hair will regrow when the trauma is stopped.
4. Telogen effluvium is another common cause of hair loss in children. To understand telogen effluvium, one must understand a hair's normal life cycle. An individual hair follicle has a long growth phase, producing steadily growing hair for 2 to 6 years (on average 3 years). This is followed by a brief transitional phase (about 3 weeks) when the hair follicle degenerates. This in turn is followed by a resting phase (about 3 months) when the hair follicle lies dormant. This last phase is called the telogen phase. Following the telogen phase, the growth phase begins again -- new hairs grow and push out the old hair shafts. The whole cycle repeats. For most people, 80% to 90% of the follicles are in the growth phase, 5% are in the brief transition phase, and 10% to 15% are in the telogen phase. Each day about 50-150 hairs are shed and replaced by new hairs. In telogen effluvium, something happens to interrupt this normal life cycle and to throw many or all of the hairs into the telogen phase. Between 6 and 16 weeks later, partial or complete baldness appears. Many different events can cause telogen effluvium, including, extremely high fevers, surgery under general anesthesia, excess vitamin A, severe prolonged emotional stress such as a death of a loved one, severe injuries and the use of certain prescription medication such as accutane for acne.
Diagnosis: There are no conclusive diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose telogen effluvium. A detailed medical history is taken, but it usually comes down to the experience of the physician to make the diagnosis.
Treatment: In children, once the stressful event is over, full hair growth usually occurs between six months and one year.
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