Preschooler with silver/gray?

[masa_inn]

DD has dark blond hair. I was braiding it the other day and found a streak of silver.

What is it?? Should I report myself to social services for poor parenting skills; or it's a purely genetic thing? Do you think it will progress?

[Anje]

It might be worth mentioning to a doctor. I don't know whether premature graying is a sign of anything (deficiencies?), but it couldn't hurt to check.

Some people do gray out really early. My DH grew up near a family where all the kids were salt and pepper in high school and went completely white in college. In that case, it was clearly genetic. (On a positive note, in a situation like that, the possibilities for dyeing hair funky colors are enormous!)

[masa_inn]

Yep, I think I will discuss it with her Dr.

I just remembered that my step son (DD's half-brother) has a silver patch, too; and as far as I remember he already had it in 12 or in his very early teens.

[lemonmelon]

I know some people who have had silver hairs either on their head or other places as young children and it was not a health issue at all.

I remember I knew one person, who's brother had one long white eyelash which would grow out at least 2cm and need to be cut each month! I think it might be more of a purely genetic glitch. If you're worried, talk to a Dr but I think it's fairly common! :)

[white line]

When I was born I had a patch of hair the size of a dime that was white. Apparently the nurses went crazy(loved it), never seen anything like it. The rest of my hair was light but not white. Over the years the rest of my hair has darkened, but not that section of hair. It just has no pigment. I have no other white/gray hairs. The result is I have a white line of hair (stripe) down my head. My parents have always thought it was "cool". Occasionally they still ask if I have it when its hidden in my hair. When I've colored my hair in the past, it will take color, just not grow with any. It is probably totally natural.

[linda g]

My daughter has had a silver patch of hair since birth. It is very visible, since she is a brunette!

She also has a few areas of skin with no melanin (very white skin), and the patch of hair is probably another of those spots. I forgot the name my doctor told us for the condition, but it is harmless.

[GoddesJourney]

I've had a couple here and there since I was about 11 or 12. I had quite a few more a few years ago that were stress related but they've gone back to normal now. I have a friend that has what is a localized albinoism. I can't remember the name of it. Basically, you can have a patch or multiple patches anywhere on your body, including your eye, that is just albino. He has a spot on his eyelid so the eyelashes are white in one section. I think he also has one somewhere back on his head, so he has a tiny spot of white hairs. I knew a couple of other people in school with patches like this, so I don't think it's all that uncommon.

[jeanniet]

My son had a few random silver hairs when he was very young (3 or 4). He has very dark hair, so they were pretty noticeable. I mentioned it to his doctor, but she wasn't worried because he was otherwise healthy. He's 14 now and as far as I can tell the hairs are all normal now (he won't hold still long enough for me to really look--boys!). I would just bring it up at the next doctor's visit, but don't be too concerned unless you see other symptoms that worry you.

[C_Bookworm]

My nephew is 7 and has some gray hair. Took him to his pediatrician, who said it could be B12 deficiency, a thyroid disorder, skin pigmentation disorder, or reaction to a virus. Turns out it was a reaction to a virus, his anti-bodies were attacking what it is in the hair that causes color (Sorry, don't remember the name) He also has some vision problems because of it.

[naereid]

I think white patches in hair could be due to vitiligo.

[sweet*things]

My DD is strawberry-ish blonde, but a signifcant portion of her underlayers are a weird translucent silvery color.

I doubt it's anything to worry about, probably just a genetic anomaly.

[invisiblebabe]

Often, ashy blonde colors look silvery/grayish in some lightings, and dark blonde hair can have a lot of natural different color highlights in it. So it could be that, too. :)

[GRU]

I had a patch of hair on one temple, not quite a centimeter across, that started growing gray hair back when I was around 13-14yo. We never did figure out what caused it -- I hadn't ever had an injury there or anything, it just popped up all of a sudden.

Of course, my temples on both sides have since gone gray.... but thanks to my good friend Henna, they are strawberry-blonde now.

[jera]

I think white patches in hair could be due to vitiligo.

I agree. It does sound like vitiligo. Can you check the color of the scalp under the graying hair to see if it's whiter than the surrounding skin?

I knew a girl in school who had a white patch in her eyebrow. Her scalp and hair were dark though.

[masa_inn]

I agree. It does sound like vitiligo. Can you check the color of the scalp under the graying hair to see if it's whiter than the surrounding skin?

I knew a girl in school who had a white patch in her eyebrow. Her scalp and hair were dark though.

Nope, her scalp is normal color under the graying area; and these hairs aren't white, they are total "old" silver.

[abbatabba1137]

We just discovered that my little sister(11 y/o tomorrow!) has a patch about half the diameter of a pencil, maybe 15/ 20 hairs total on her scalp.
We thought at first it was because of a strange mole/birthmark thing she has in the middle of the spot, but not sure. She has had the mark since birth, but the white/silver hair is new.
It's even shorter than the rest of her hair, as if it only recently started growing in???

Curious....

[masa_inn]

It's even shorter than the rest of her hair, as if it only recently started growing in???

Curious....

No, it's the same length, almost WL.

[Lizard554]

One of my friends at school has a grey patch in his hair. The doctor said it was a form of birthmark.

[dayonea]

When I was in highschool, back in the dark ages lol A guy in my class had a small patch of white hair just above his right temple in his otherwise dark hair. I thought it was the coolest thing ever....swooon. So I think its cool! My partner has one eyelash that doesn't stop growing and I have to cut it cause he can see it and it annoys him, I think everyones body does some things a bit quirky sometimes :)

[Gypsy]

My dad was born with grays hairs and two of my kids have had silvers since before they started school.
Not too unusual.:)

[BlueMuse]

She sounds far too young for waardenburg's syndrome, but it might be worth asking the doctor if it's a possibility. My husband has the syndrome, and it's not truly a big deal (for him, his case is mild) but it can be linked to some hearing issues and depth perception problems. He developed a silvery white streak in middle school.

[Yozhik]

I knew a boy in high school who had a white, dime-sized spot in his brown hair. Apparently, it was the place of an old scar.

If the color is uniform all down the length, whatever is affecting the color change has clearly been happening for a while . . . I would bet genetic causes or a birthmark.

[Olde Soul]

I have a friend who's going completely silver at 19, and a neighbor who went white at 16. Don't think either case was health related.

[Animae]

My grandmother got sick when she was six, and from then on she had a little patch of white hairs on her right side. I remember seeing pictures of her when she was younger and thinking that it looked so cool. It inspired me in high school to bleach a streak in my hair.

[Arctic_Mama]

I had a friend growing up who had several obvious patches of white/silver, with no pigment in the follicle. It was harmless and genetic, as far as I know she isn't greying at all.

[MonaMayfair]

It's maybe just a variation in the hair colour? I remember the different colours I had in my natural blonde hair (it's red with henna now!) and I certainly had some white blonde as well as slightly darker blonde.
However, white hairs suddenly appearing can (as someone else pointed out) be a sign of thyroid imbalance. It's often the first clue to children being diagnosed as (obviously) they're less likely to have grey hairs naturally than an older person.
It's unusual, but not unheard of, for quite young children to get grey hair (as opposed to white blonde) with no health issues at all. The youngest person I've heard about going completely grey was eight years old.

[Chibbylick]

I know a family where all the children inherited their Dad's white spot of hair on their brunette heads, same size, same position on each of them. Caused all sorts of drama when the wife's BFF had a child, with the same white spot of hair... Didn't take very long before there was a confession!
Chibby

[naereid]

I know a family where all the children inherited their Dad's white spot of hair on their brunette heads, same size, same position on each of them. Caused all sorts of drama when the wife's BFF had a child, with the same white spot of hair... Didn't take very long before there was a confession!
Chibby
Oh my god! What a story! :eek:

[GlassEyes]

It can be normal, I think. I'm remembering one kid who I think had a white spot...can't remember who, but he seemed fine.

The only other thing I can think of it vitiligo, which can result in low pigmentation in parts of the hair--including eyelashes and eyebrows...and often paler skin, I believe? I'm far from an expert on it.

If you're concerned, take her to the doctor. Love LHC, but you'll get a more reliable answer there...ideally.

[klcqtee]

Definitely mention it to a doctor. Sometimes it is genetic, sometimes it's due to certain deficiencies, but it could even be caused by a heart problem (in some cases, no need to rush to the ER or anything). So long as she's fine though, I wouldn't worry too much.

[masa_inn]

Just updating: we saw the Dr; and she's fine, it's definitely not Waardenburg's syndrome. He said it's just a genetic fluke, nothing to worry about.

[BlueMuse]

That's great! I'm glad she's just fine. And hey, funky hair streaks are really pretty neat. I'm sure she might get a little teasing for it, but by and large my husband has gotten a lot of "that's really cool!" comments on his streak (especially now that his hair is almost BSL)

[Sarahmoon]

No, don't panic and go to doctors and make your doughter all stressed about it. I had a few "pigmentless" hairs at age 12 too, no big deal. Didn't get any new grey hairs until two years ago or so.
If you suddenly notice they're increasing there might be something wrong. But I really doubt it. Just relax and observe first.

[i]Edit: ok too late, you already went to see a doc. Glad nothing's wrong.