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  Discussion on Lack of hair on face
Author Message
Member:
indigo

Posted on Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 - 3:00 pm:

I have a paint mare with a bald face that does not seem to grow much hair in the white areas. Even in the winter, she has patchy hair growth on her face. Her non-white areas are normal, but in the summer she is almost bald where she is white. I keep sunscreen and a flymask on her year-round and this helps quite a bit.

My current problem is with her foal. The filly she had this year is almost totally white. I believe she is a maximum splash overo, as she has pink skin. I am very concerned that this filly is going to be semi-bald over her entire body when she sheds out. She has already started shedding on her face and chest and there is almost no hair present in the shedded out areas. I am trying not to panic, as I know that often when babies first shed they ARE somewhat "bald" in areas until the summer coat grows in, but I can't help but be concerned. Right now I am keeping them up during the day to try to prevent the baby from turning into a crispy critter!

Am curious if Dr. O (or anyone!) has ever heard of such a thing as this?

Thanks!
CC
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 7:32 am:

I am not sure I know what you are asking CC. Yes many horses with lots of white skin dorsally are going to need extra considerations in a strong summer sun. And yes the face is almost always the worse effected because the hair is lighter and thinner on the face. But I have never seen a bald (or semi-bald) white horse.
DrO
Member:
erika

Posted on Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 9:09 am:

I would imagine that several bad sunburns might scar the skin and leave them bald. I see fly sheets that have UV protection. Maybe that is a solution for the foal.

Or maybe a ticket to Maine?
Erika
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 5:25 pm:

Don't panic, CC.

Though sunburn may be a consideration, it would surprise me to see this near "baldness" transfer from the face to the body.

I have a bay Arab whose face hair gets extremely thin, and somewhat bald during the summer months and I think it is more due to sweating and perhaps just extreme shedding out in self defense to avoid fungal problems.
Member:
indigo

Posted on Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 5:40 pm:

The mare very little hair on her face year round, even in the winter when the sun is not harsh. She grows a long winter coat everywhere except her face. This is not from her rubbing it, sweating etc-- she simply does not grow much hair on the white areas of her face. The rest of her body (dark areas/dark skin) are normal. Even when kept inside, with a flymask etc she grows little to no hair on her face. She may have a small patch of hair here and there, but the rest of her face is bald-- as in, all you see is pink skin, there is no hair at all-- hence my concern that her almost all white foal might have the same issue on her entire body, since the mare only seems to have this condition (?) on her face.

Hopefully you guys are right and the foal wont have this problem over her entire body. I should know soon, as she is starting to shed. :-)

CC
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 7:30 pm:

Hello CC,

Do you have a photo of mare and foal that you could post? That might help us understand the situation better.

I suppose if you have inadvertently created a hairless horse, you can market her as hypoallergenic....
Member:
muffi

Posted on Friday, Jun 26, 2009 - 4:32 am:

I Use SPF 60 every morning on my horses White Muzzle. I didn;t once and he got something that looked like a sun rash or a mild burn. I only do it in the summer and only on his Pink Muzzle. ?? might be worth trying. I use the unscented stuff
Member:
npo33901

Posted on Thursday, Jul 2, 2009 - 2:33 am:

What is SPF 60 ? One of my horses has also pink muzzle and gets sunburned . I am using olive oil and sometimes baby sunscreen .
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jul 2, 2009 - 8:08 am:

Hello Fame,
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and is a rating system for sun screens. SPF 60 is a very high rating.
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Thursday, Jul 2, 2009 - 11:54 am:

I wouldn't use olive oil; most oils will actually intensify the sun. When I was a teenager my friends and I would rub oil all over ourselves to get browner.

I like the sunscreens labeled "for sports" or "active wear" because they are water proof and last a lot longer. I get big bottles of the stuff at Walmart. They also make a stick version that easy to apply.
Member:
leslie1

Posted on Thursday, Jul 2, 2009 - 5:13 pm:

I use the waterproof 50 spf baby sunscreen.
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