Aiden's Story

By Emily Guitierez, Advanced Hair Loss and Scalp Solutions, Frederick, Maryland

On December 18th, 2021, Aiden's life would change forever. It was evening in Medellin, Colombia, when his mother and he were involved in a tragic accident. Aiden was two years old when he and his dog were playing in the house. His mother was cooking when a pot of boiling cooking oil suddenly fell. Aiden's mother suffered burns all over her hands. The oil burned Aiden's head, neck, and down his back. A neighbor rushed them to the hospital.

The medical staff separated Aiden from his mother to transport Aiden to the pediatric burn center. Aiden spent the next 24 hours in critical condition. The doctors emphasized that if Aiden could endure the surgeries that were to come, then his chances of survival increased significantly. Aiden spent the next 90 days at the hospital receiving wound care for second- and third-degree burns.

Fortunately, with the support of his family, friends, and an excellent medical staff, Aiden was discharged and sent home for the final stages of recovery. Two months later, Aiden and his parents returned to the US, where they currently reside in Miami. They followed up care with Jackson Hospital, where they learned that Aiden's hair would never grow back due to the scarring along the left side of his scalp.

Aiden's father, Mike, was desperate to find a solution. Aiden's scars were a constant reminder of the tragedy. He felt it was his due diligence as a father to find a solution for his son's hair loss. Unfortunately, due to Aiden's young age, the doctors could not perform any transplants or laser surgeries. We are hopeful that during his teenage years and with technological advancements he may be able to benefit from another surgery. Mike then started researching wigs, which directed him toward non-surgical hair replacement.

On October 4th, 2022, I received a message from Mike inquiring about hair replacement. He previously connected with other non-surgical hair replacement techs, but some did not work with children or were not comfortable with trauma-driven hair loss. Fortunately, a colleague referred them to me. After a few virtual consultations, Aiden and Mike traveled to Frederick, MD.

The moment I saw Aiden, I felt an emotional wave. To see a young child impacted by such trauma, I knew I would do anything to help him feel "normal." My team and I started Aiden in a poly/skin hair system and medical tape. We designed it specifically for the area in need. Since they lived in Florida, we wouldn't be able to help with maintenance. We also felt he was too young for adhesive. For these reasons. we decided that Aiden’s hair system should be removed daily for comfort and longevity.

Over the next few months, Mike and I kept in touch. Aiden was having success with the hair system, and they felt it was completely undetectable. I was confident about moving Aiden into an advanced cranial prosthetic. They returned to Maryland for the parameter appointment, which uses a 3-D scanner and fiberglass mold to create a custom prosthetic.

The system was delivered a few months later. With his parents' permission, we brought in a media company to capture his story. My goal was to share his story to help other victims realize that solutions are available.

I have worked with all types of hair loss, including genetic, autoimmune, and cancer-related hair loss. But working with burn victims has a special place in my heart. I come from a family of firefighters, and I've seen firsthand the devastation to the first responders and the victims. Burn survivors with scarring alopecia will never grow their hair back without invasive procedures. That is why we, as a hair restoration industry, need to be their advocate. Unfortunately, most insurance coverages do not provide cranial prosthetics, but we were fortunate to "gift" Aiden his prosthetic. I feel confident we can be the voice that is needed for change and become involved.

There are a few ways a center can engage. There are burn centers located all over the country. I recommend contacting local center rehabilitation teams who work with victims on emotional and physical recovery. Another way is to research the local burn survivor support groups and participate in events. This is a great way to build relationships with the volunteers and survivors. Social media is a powerful tool. Look for hashtags and geotags to find others in the burn recovery community.

One of the first outlets we contacted is the Phoenix Burn Society. They are a non-profit organization that serves burn survivors, loved ones, burn care professionals, researchers, and anyone else committed to empowering the burn community. After speaking with their representatives and educating them on cranial prosthetics, they were astonished that such a thing existed. They next invited the Advanced Hair Loss and Scalp Solutions team to their podcast, "Girls with Grafts," which plays on Spotify. These some examples that help to spread awareness of burn recovery and hair restoration.

At Advanced Hair Loss and Scalp Solutions, we are still finding our footing in this community. We will continue to strive with a goal of positively impacting the lives of other survivors just like Aiden.