Hair and Scalp Disorders in Children below 2 Years: An Unremarked Sphere

CONTEXT: Hairs contribute significantly to our appearance and are mirror to many systemic diseases. Hair and scalp disorders in children are associated with profound psychological effects arising from concerns of chronicity, severity, and contagiousness, in addition to cosmetic outline. Studies have documented children below 2 years as the most common age group affected by hair and scalp disorders in the pediatric population; however, to the best of our knowledge, none has been carried out exclusively on this age group, so far. AIMS: To determine the pattern of hair and scalp disorders and their underlying etiologies in children below 2 years. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Observational and analytical. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients, aged 0–24 months presenting with complaints of hair and scalp disorder, to the outpatient department of dermatology of a tertiary care hospital in North India, constituted the study population. RESULTS: The most common disorder was seborrheic dermatitis (SD) 56%, followed by transient neonatal hair loss 22%. We also came across interesting cases of plica neuropathica (PN) 4%, trichotillomania 2%, and traction alopecia 6%, apart from a list of other disorders noted. The most common age group was 0–6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Hair and scalp disorders vary greatly with different demographic areas. In this region of the world, we came across cases of PN due to religious practices. SD was the most prevalent disorder as seen elsewhere. Trichotillomania noted in such a young child was not as a mere habit (as popularly believed), rather an act of anger. Hence, with this study, we want to emphasize the role of detailed history and examination, besides outlining the spectrum of disorders in this age group.