Daughter's hair is falling out

CharUK

"Honestly, Truly"
My daughter (she's a young adult)has been experiencing continuous itchy scalp and hair breakage to the point of bald patches.

She's very distressed about this and the doctor said it's tension on the hair (she usually has crotchet braids or normal braids) but this doesn't make sense to me, its only in the middle. I have attached photos.

I want my daughter referred to a dermatologist to have her scalp inspected.

When I applied plain water to see if this helps (l'll add some tea tree as well) I was gently massaging it in and little bits of hair covered my fingers, but no bulbs, so this is more breakage.

Any advice would be gratefully received.
 

CharUK

"Honestly, Truly"
Sorry, the pics wouldn't attach!
 

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NaturalEnigma

Well-Known Member
I would stop doing the crochet braids and any extensions or styles that causes too much tension. I did crochet braids back to back for a year. My armpit length hair went to ear length. Crochet braids reek havoc on hair. I think it’s the crochet hook and the tension of the extensions on the braided hair. Give her hair a break. Maybe wear wigs for a couple of months and wash and condition weekly.

I suggest weekly protein treatments with moisturizing treatments to get the hair health back and a shampoo that has mint that tingles and provides a cooling soothing sensation for the scalp to help with the itching. I would also oil the scalp. Maybe look for a good growth oil for the scalp.
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
Hair loss in the middle sounds like CCCA (Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia). If it's breakage then I guess it's something different but it looks like she's lost hair at the root. Otherwise I don't think we'd see her scalp so clearly. I don't have a treatment plan for you but I know a dermatologist would tell her to stop wearing braids and doing anything that adds stress to the hair. Basically no perms, braids, or anything we normally do to style our hair.
 

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member
There’s no harm in seeing a derm, but if the doctor already said it’s tension related, then it’s likely tension related (I assume that the doc would have checked for underlying medical issues). It’s better to be breakage/hair fall from tension, and not a serious scalp condition. But I have seen many women in denial about their “protective styles” being the culprit of their hair loss, until they have suffered permanent damage. Don’t do that. Encourage your daughter to stop with crochets and box braids, and any style that causes tension. Also, I can’t imagine any advice that a derm would give, for any scalp condition, that wouldn’t also include avoiding tension.

Your daughter’s hair loss & breakage is concentrated in the center, but I see breakage all over. Her hair overall is in bad shape. In addition to the tension, she has likely been neglecting her hair while in those styles... I personally have big chopped for less. It’s been my experience that once the hair has suffered a certain level of damage, no protein treatment in the world will reverse it. Only scissors will do. I would big chop, and go forward with a simple routine of a weekly wash, deep condition, and leave in. And then moisturize and massage scalp with a growth oil every other night. If she is uncomfortable wearing her natural hair out (or a twa), a regular, non lace front wig, that does not glue down, and can come off at anytime can be worn.
 

CarefreeinChicago

Well-Known Member
This is exactly what my hair looks like but I haven’t worn any braids or anything in years and the dermatologist can’t see me until July and I thought it was the migraine medicine breaking my hair out.
 
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