Why isnt my daughters hair growing

Hi Guys,
Hi Ladies,

I have posted on here before about my little girls lack of hair but I am really starting to worry now and not sure what to do or even if there is anything I can do.

My little girl is 4 and a half, 5 in Dec and still has very little hair. Her hair is as short as you would generally keep a boys hair and although it is quite thick on top she is no hair at the front where you would normally have a fringe and none at the back so there is no length at all. It has started to go curly but she only has half a curl so it tends to just stick out.

We have trimmed her hair once in the hope that it grow quicker but it doesnt and now I am reluctant to keep cutting the little bit of hair she has.

I tell her all the time that her hair is beautiful but she desperately wants long hair now as all the other girls in her class have long hair. She even puts t-shirts on her head now so that it hangs down at the back and then says she has long hair. She spends ages looking at her herself in the mirror with the t-shirt sleeves dangling down pretending that she is waving her hair about. It sounds funny but I am starting to get really upset about it, mainly for her.

We went to a party yesterday and a little girl who is normally one of her best friends said she couldnt be best friends with her anymorebecause she doesnt have long hair or hair that you can put bobbles in. What do you say to that???

I have booked an appointment at the doctors tomorrow. Have always put this off before but I hate the thought of children saying things to her at school. She simply doesnt understand why they have long hair and she doesnt.

Other than her lack of hair she is a very healthy little girl, very active, always on the go and her finger and toe nails grow well as we are always cutting them.

We have loads of lovely hairbands and small clips although most clips wont stay in her hair as there isnt enough hair to clip back and it ends up hanging off the end of a strand of hair and hurting her.

Just at a complete loss now. People keep telling me her hair will grow and it will come all at once but I have heard that for years now.

Sorry for the rant but the older she gets the most desperately we want her hair to grow.
xx

Firstly don't worry if your daughter hasn't reached the age of two yet; baby hair can be very fragile and all the tossing and turning that babies do can have an impact on the growth and thickness of your baby's hair.

If the child is older than two and you think the hair isn't growing well, then the issue could be one of the below:

1. Genetics

If you or your husband's family have slow hair growth then your child may have inherited the trait. Some people's hair grows faster than others.

2. Split ends

There is no scientific proof that removing splitting ends "makes" hair grow faster but there is a lot of empirical evidence to suggest this is true. If the ends are looking rough, uneven or messy cut them off!

3. Not getting relevant nutrients

A lot of protein, iron and zinc is needed for healthy hair grow. Ensure your child is getting plenty of fruit, vegetables, grains and some meat. Obviously, if you're vegetarian there will be no meat in your diet so a lot of protein will come from beans and other grains. Here are specific foods you should be looking to give your children more of for good hair growth:

• Eggs (a good source of iron)
  
• Peas, beans, lentils
• Asparagus, spinach and other leafy greens
• Peanuts
• Corn
• Broccoli
• Yoghurt
• Oranges, strawberries and other citrus fruits
• Water! You child's hydration should come mostly from water not juices.

4. Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland in the neck controls many of the body's metabolic function by realeasing the thyroid hormone, thyroxine. You have an underactive thyroid (or Hypothyroidism) if you produce too little of this hormone. One of the symptoms is poor hair growth, hair loss and/or thinning.

5. A fungal infection

A fungal infection such as ringworm (not caused by a worm despite the name) can cause hair loss or lack of hair growth. If you see a doctor they can have the child tested for this condition and prescribe an appropriate antifungal cream. The doctor can also diagnose other scalp conditions such as scalp psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis.

6. Styling and regimen

Excessive brushing, combing and styling could lead to breakage. Try styling the hair in such a way that it doesn't need to be changed every day; wash and condition every 7 to 10 days.

When you style the hair massage the scalp for a few minutes to stimulate the roots and go for a style that doesn't cause stress around the edges.

You might also like: Tips on Caring for your Kids' Natural Hair

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