Synobia

[Synobia]

Good Day I am from South Africa and I have a four year old who was diagnose with alopecia when he was six months old where he had no eyelashes and eyebrows and no hair at that time. I went to dermatologist and nothing helped. So in time his eyebrows and eyelashes has grown back and has never again fallen out but only the head has no hair, so what does that tell me? I went for a second opinion and the paediatrician told me he is very health and all I can do I wait for hair to grow as he is on no medication.

[Amy_AUK Partner]

Dear Synobia,

It is not uncommon for hair to return in one area of the body but not in others. Many people with alopecia have eyebrows and eyelashes but no scalp hair. It's often referred to as 'Alopecia Totalis' (total loss of hair from the scalp). 'Alopecia universalis' is the name given when eyebrows and eyelashes are lost too. Many people will have different degrees of regrowth throughout their life whilst others will remain at the same level of hair growth.

The challenging thing about alopecia is not being able to predict what will happen. Treatment options are very limited and any treatment options that might be available would not routinely be offered to children as young as 4 years old.

The important thing for young children with alopecia is to confidence is instilled in them from the beginning. Lots of reassurance that they're fine just the way they are. It's natural for parents to search of answers and a cure but many adults who have had alopecia since childhood tell us that they wish their parents had not spent years at various different medical appointments. I'm not sure if there are any support groups or charities for alopecia in South Africa but meeting other families affected by alopecia can be really helpful.

Please say hello to your little boy from us and let him know that someone in the UK with alopecia sends their best wishes to him.

Kind regards,

Amy (Alopecia UK)

[Synobia in reply to Amy_AUK]

Thank you so much for your respond Amy I am praying everyday hoping for the hair to grow back. And yes we building his confidence everyday, and the way he loves playing with my hair. I am in a town called East London in the Eastern Cape South Africa and here we don't have any groups meetings or support groups with this condition. I don't think people around here knows what it even is. People keep asking my why I cut his hair like that. I wish I could be in contact with people that knows how I feel and maybe start an awareness program or something. Its been hard for me coz I have a daughter and son who is fine and little Jordan has been starting to ask why he doesn't have hair and it makes me so emotional. I am grateful that I could talk to someone.

Thank You