Natural Cures for Hair Loss in Children

| Modified on Jun 04, 2024
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While hair loss is largely considered an adult condition, it can just as easily affect children. Just knowing it is a fairly common childhood condition isn’t enough to calm your fears or your child’s anxiety about hair loss, though. We have a variety of natural treatment options, however, that will help you and your child deal with the condition. Apple cider vinegar, biotin, and coconut oil are three of the best options for treating hair loss in children naturally.

What Causes Hair Loss in Children?

The most common cause of hair loss in children is alopecia. The condition is one in which the body’s immune system actually attacks the hair follicles causing a significant loss of hair all at once. A number of factors may contribute to this condition including insufficient nutrition, infection, allergic responses, and stress.

Are There Other Conditions that Cause Hair Loss in Kids?

In addition to alopecia areata, a number of other causes may contribute to hair loss. Many children experience common fungal infections known as tinea capitis or scalp ringworm, which may cause hair loss. Additionally, traction alopecia causes hair loss due to the hair being pulled too tightly while trichotillomania is hair loss that results as a child pulls or twists his or her hair repeatedly.

Are There Any Natural Remedies I Can Try?

No matter the cause of your child’s hair loss, you can treat it naturally. While different treatments are more effective for different conditions, three of the most universal treatment options include apple cider vinegar, biotin, and coconut oil.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar functions in two main ways to restore hair loss. First, this slightly acidic liquid works to restore an alkaline state in the body. As the pH is restored to a more functional level, infection is remedied as is the normal growth process of the hair. Second, apple cider vinegar delivers important nutrients to the body to restore the most optimal nutritional levels in the body.

2. Biotin

Biotin is a vitamin that is responsible for growing health hair. When taken as a daily supplement, biotin helps regrow lost hair and restore the nutrients present in the body.

3. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil also has dual purposes. It is a natural antifungal and anti-inflammatory agent. As such, it helps eliminate infections that contribute to hair loss as well as reduce inflammation in the immune system that may be causing the hair loss.

Dealing with child hair loss is a difficult task, but these treatment options can help. Try one of our suggestions or add yours to our reader contributed database of cures below!

Additional Pages of Interest:

Hair Loss in Women
Hair Loss in Men


The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Fungal Hair Loss in Children

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Posted by Cindy (Queens, New York) on 08/29/2013

Two years ago my son was diagnosed with a bacteria fungal infection and was prescribed gresiofluvin, that worked but after a couple of months stopped working. Went to a diff. Derm. , who prescribed an alcohol based solution with a cream for the bumps and diagnosed him with alopecia then his hair started to grow back but then started to fall out again. Now I'm trying auroplus shampoo and terbisil kids tablet and cream with little progress. What suggestions do you have since my son will be starting grade school next year and am afraid he will get teased.

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee, Usa)
08/29/2013

Dear Cindy,

I am guessing your little boy is 4 or 5? Does he still have the bacterial/fungal infection? And is it on his head? Some things I would try for mine would be tea tree oil, diluted in coconut oil (1 t. tea tree to 1 T. coconut oil) topically. Also, if you could get him to drink nettle tea (or nettle/peppermint tea) that is purifying to the blood and also nettles are good for the hair.

You might also look into Castor Oil Packs on this website. It is helpful to so many conditions and would be a safe thing to try on your little one.

GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) (a drop in orange juice each day) would be a safe and easy thing to try.

Hope you find relief for your little guy soon!

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Alana
(Bc Canada)
05/15/2015

I was diagnosed with areata alopecia some time ago and was wondering what to do to restore the area that has been affected? Thank you

Replied by Noelle
(Minneapolis, Mn)
05/16/2015
★★★★★

I used to keep getting Alopecia circles at the name of my neck, which I would try to hide with my hair. I believe this was one of Ted's remedies, but I can't seem to find it now. The recommendation was to use Lecithin for Alopecia. I don't remember whether it was the choline or inositol (sp?) in Lecithin which does it. He said non-GMO soy lecithin granules work best, but if you can use Sunflower lecithin if you are sensitive to soy.

Anyway, my patches resolved themselves within two weeks, after I had been struggling with them for two years. I would mix two tablespoons of lecithin granules and three tablespoons of ground flaxseed in a bowl and add enough water to make a thick cereal (thin cream of wheat consistency). Then I'd eat it at breakfast followed by a big glass of water. Do this 5 days on, two days off, until the hair comes back, then do it three times per week. After a while you can ease off to occasional use, or whenever you need it.

Replied by Megan Bowles
(Arizona, Phoenix)
05/24/2015

My son has no alopecia. My concern is that his hair is thin and very slow to grow. It's been 10 months now since he had a haircut but his hair has not reach the tops of his ears yet. It's a little rough but shiny. We had him shaved twice already since his 1st birthday. He is already 3 years old by the way. He still drinks his milk and vitamin supplements regularly. Can I use any of the remedies for alopecia to improve the condition of his hair?

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
05/26/2015

Dear Megan,

I have known of toddlers and preschoolers who had very slow hair growth that ended up with a head full of hair by school age. It is possible that your child's hair growth will pick up naturally.

At the same time, if I were concerned about my child's hair growth, I would do some of the following:

Use shampoos that do not have SLS in them. You could even just use baking soda to wash his hair. 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 drop of tea tree essential oil, and 1 Tablespoon of water to clean the scalp, once or twice a week.

It sounds like you are making sure he has a nutritious diet. You could add some gelatin to his diet - there are many healthy jello recipes that use natural unflavored gelatin, which is good for hair, skin and nails.

Milk Kefir and nettle tea are two things that are helpful to a variety of conditions and they are both mild to the system. As with anything, it is best to start with less and increase the amount if it seems to suit the person.

Let us know how it goes for him!

~Mama to Many~

Replied by sandybeach
(Kingsley, MI)
12/28/2021

My youngest lost every stitch of her hair on her whole body, within approx 4-5months, at the age of 7. We went to over 2 dozen, mostly western, medical doctors and specialists to no avail. It's "only autoimmune", "steroid needling", "low grade chemotherapy now before it's too late". Needless to say, at 11yrs old, she's still completely hairless.

It has to be gut imbalance, or malnutrition, maybe even parasites - as she is a very picky eater, quite thin and has eczema. We haven't really tried anything yet as she is strong willed, and so far has loved not having hair, and feels she's "more evolved" than the rest of us :0) "But it would be nice if people would stop asking me if I was sick, or how my cancer treatment is going." :0(

May I ask, are all these recommended treatments topical?
Thanks

mmsg
(somewhere, europe)
12/29/2021

Sandybeach, look into Castor Oil. I should think that internal would be better in this case, BUT only drops at a time so as not to cause diarrhea.

Gary
(Kitchener On)
12/29/2021

Hi Sandybeach,

The best way to grow our hair back is

1- wet scalp with 1 cap of Lime juice

2- rub 1 cap of Blackseed Oil

3- wash off after 5 min.

4- do this twice a week for 1 month

I have done this myself and it works.

Happy New Year.

Gary

gordon
(london)
10/31/2022

Hi, How much is a 'cap'? What if I do not wash it off? It will not work? Thank you

John
(texas)
06/04/2024

Hi Gary,

Which brand of black seed oil did you use?

This remedy will not work if one does not wash it off after 5 minutes?

Thank you