What can be done for my granddaughter's Alopecia?

Hello @jhm02 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry to hear how your granddaughter is feeling due to her hair loss. I'd like to start by asking if she has been diagnosed with Alopecia or she has been experiencing hair loss without a diagnosis?

She has been diagnosed with Alopecia Shehasnot been tested for vitamin D levels

@jhm02

Were you given causes of her hair loss?

Last year my then 16 year old granddaughter was losing a lot of hair. She was using hair dye and bleaching her hair a lot!! also she used a hair straightening iron and often pulled her hair tight into a ponytail.. and sometimes did cornrows. All can damage the hair. She stopped these things .. other than ponytail, but not tight like she used to..and her hair has returned.

Other causes can be medical such as the thyroid and other hormones, poor nutrition and stress.

I hope things improve for your granddaughter as they have for mine. She wore hats and scarves for a few months. They had a choice of online or in-class school with Covid-19 being so bad. First semester she did online.

ZeeGee

My 3and half year old granddaughter has alopecia totalis. She did not have hair at 2and half was diagnosed and started topical steroids she finally grew a full head of short hair but lost it all after stopping the steroid cream. Tried cream again and didn’t help so dermatologist put her on oral steroids. After a couple months she still just has a little peach fuzz. Does anyone know of other successful treatments for this? Is stem cell rx available? Do you know of any Drs that have extensive experience and good successes rate of treatment. We are desperate to try and find help for her somewhere in the United States

@mpb how difficult and sad for your family to have a child who loses hair. Am I correct that you live outside the USA? Is there a large medical facility near you where your grandchild might see a specialist? Has your grandchild had a full medical workup to rule out any diseases that may cause the hair loss?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20372926
You may also want to read this information from the National Institutes of Health:
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/614/alopecia-universalis
I added this site about hair loss and treatment at Mayo Clinic. How long has your grandchild been on oral prednisone?

@mpb I haven’t heard from you and i hope everything is going well for you and your grandchild. I found this article on children and prednisone. It talks about what to watch for and how to give it and possible complications.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/prednisone-medication-information-2633522
I would love to hear from you!