Skip to main content

1BN Kids: Broken Bones, Surgery, and Hair Loss

 

1BN Kids: Broken Bones, Surgery, and Hair Loss -Photo credit: Denise P.S. via Visualhunt / CC BY-ND

Happy Wednesday, my blessed naturals!
I wanted to talk to you all about broken bones, surgery, and hair loss. About 3 months ago, Little Sister Natural fell and broke her arm. As a result, she had to get surgery and wear a cast for about 6 weeks. Recently, we noticed that her hair broke off, especially around the edges. Plus it would get frizzy after a short time. If you’ve been following LSN’s hair journey, then you know that her hair doesn’t  frizz up easily. She also has some bald patches in the middle of her hair. I figured all of her body’s nutrients were going to the healing of her arm, but it’s much more than that. So, I wanted to share with you what I found after doing some research.

Little Sister Natural is experiencing a condition called telogen effluvium due to her broken arm and surgery. Our hair goes through growth and resting phases.Telogen refers to the phase of our hair when it is resting. Many of you have read on this site...My hair sheds so much my grandmother used to say I should’ve been bald. The reason why I haven't noticed any changes in the amount of hair on my head is because normally, the majority of our hair follicles are growing. According to WebMd, only about 10-20% of the follicles are in the resting phase.

When there is trauma or shock to your body, telogen effluvium can develop causing temporary hair loss, and this is what happened to Little Sister Natural. During that time, 70% of the hair can fall out at the same time. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, other causes of the condition can include stress, sickness, diets, childbirth, medication, thyroid conditions and more. This is why women may experience hair loss after having a baby. WebMD addressed this when they said, “Called postpartum alopecia, the sudden change in the hormone levels at birth is such a shock to the hair follicles that they shut down for awhile.” However, this is only temporary.

As far as treatment goes, most cases of telogen effluvium are resolved on their own when the hair starts to grow back. In certain cases, medical tests can be used to identify the reason for the condition. Hair growth medications may also be used to treat the condition. Little Sister Natural’s mom and dad have been working on improving her diet with more vitamins and nutrients. I will keep you all updated! 
 
Have you or someone you know experienced hair loss after surgery and/or broken bones?

Sources and Further Reading: 






Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Aborigines and Melanesians: Naturally Blonde Hair and Dark Skin

Melanesia: Solomon Island girls (photo courtesy of the -cropped-Flickr- Australian Civil-Military Centre http://www.acmc.gov.au/ ) Naturally blonde hair is often associated with white or Caucasian people. However, there are groups of dark skin people who have naturally blonde hair also. Some of these groups include the Aboriginal Australians (Aborigines) and the Melanesians. I love this fact because it goes against the idea that one group or culture must look a certain way or stay in a certain category.  The Aborigines have dark skin. Some of them also have blonde hair which tends to be straight, but can be curly. Scientists first believed they were descendants of Eurasians. In 2011, scientists found evidence against the theory from a sample of natural hair. The sample of hair, which was said to be more than 100 years old, helped scientists determine that Aborigines were descendants of Africans. The New York Times confirmed this finding: "The Abo...
Read more

Asian Hair Trend: Afro Perms

Asian afro perm (photo courtesy of www.afrohair.net) When we talk about the topic of natural hair, we often talk about African-Americans or Black people perming their hair to look more like Caucasian or straight hair. But, what about people of other races attempting to make their hair kinky or textured like that of African-Americans? Afro perms, along with other Black hairstyles have been a long time trend in Asia. Because Asian hair grows naturally straight, the afro perm gives the hair a textured look. The afro perm is not an actual relaxer or perm kit, it's the use of perm rods to make the hair curly. The beautypot.com says, " An afro perm is made by not straightening the hair. It is made by creating hair bonds that make the hair curl. The hair stylist makes the hair into a new shape, using perming rods or rollers, and allows the new shape to develop ." Preparation for afo: perm rods in Asian hair (photo courtesy of http://www.redefini...
Read more

Priscilla Shirer Shares Her Natural Hair Story and Tips on IG Live!

Actress and minister of Going Beyond Ministries Priscilla Shirer shared her natural hair story and secrets on IG Live today. After receiving numerous questions about her long thick natural hair, she decided it was time to do a video. Shirer said, "I've decided that sometimes, to a woman, hair = ministry." Shirer started getting a perm at about 13 years old. During previous years, her mother would use the hot comb to straighten her hair. When Shirer was 24 years old, she noticed a circular patch of hair that had broken off on the side of her head. After she visited a doctor and they plucked a few strands from different parts of her hair, the doctor concluded that Shirer's hair was growing in healthy. However, it was something that she was doing to her hair that was making it break off. As a result, her doctor told her to stop relaxing her hair for 6 months. While driving home, Shirer had a breakthrough. She originally had no intention of following the doctor...
Read more