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When a young man begins to notice that his hair is falling, he tends to panic, confused, and often assume there’s nothing that could have triggered the tide of genetics coming up to meet him.
However, there are various causes of hair loss in young males that most people do not know about, and that is what we’re going to address in this article, so you understand why you’re losing your hair, and also how to halt it.
Hair loss is mostly believed to be something that only older men suffer from, but it’s equally prevalent in young men, even men under the age of 25.
Surprisingly, boys as young as 15 sometimes start to notice the signs, such as thinning hair or the development of a “widow’s peak.” But provided they understand the reasons for hair loss in men under 25, there are always effective ways for young men to maintain their hairlines.
Furthermore, it may also amaze you to know that hair loss in young men can be more common than it first seems. Undeniably, losing your hair can be stressful and frustrating at any age, let alone if you’re going bald at 15, 20, or even 25.
According to Medical News Today:
Now, if you’re a young man and experiencing thinning hair, you have perhaps inherited this type of permanent hair loss.
However, losing hair is no longer a modern concern, but trichologists are gradually becoming more of a trend than scarcity. And the way we live our lives has more to do with this hair loss condition than genes or plain bad luck.
Causes Of Hair Loss In Young Males
Photo Credit: WebMD
However, the fact remains that no one goes bald by sudden. While some men might have lost a bunch of their hair by the time they clock 50, it has to begin at some point.
Additionally, male pattern baldness is hereditary, but your dad or granddad cannot always be used as a yardstick to determine how your hairline will map out.
Some indication is also showing that hair loss is becoming more predominant in younger men, and there are some possible reasons for this (more about this in a second).
In our media-driven and image-obsessed world, it’s very possible that more men are beginning to notice the early signs of hair loss sooner than later, as compared to the generations before us.
Typically, a maturing hairline is very normal for young men in their teens and early 20s, however, thinning above the eyebrows and at the temple, areas can lead to the appearance of a high forehead.
This is primarily when most young males begin to border about their receding hairlines. They may equally start to notice excessive shedding when showering or combing, something that the earlier, less image-conscious generations could have missed.
That being said, here’s a look at some of the different causes of hair loss in young males.
1. Smoking and Hair Loss
If for nothing else, you need to quit smoking if you really care about your hair. This is because the carbon monoxide you inhale while smoking stops the transportation of oxygen and other vital nutrients from the blood to hair follicles. In other words, nicotine limits the blood vessels, further obstructing fresh hair growth.
The health problems connected with smoking are undeniable. Apart from the fact that it increases your chances of cancer and heart disease, there are equally various theories suggesting that the nicotine in tobacco can increase the aging process, and cause premature hair loss.
By inhaling those harmful chemicals into the body, your hair follicles could be starved of vital nutrients, leading to the hair falling out.
Furthermore, the carcinogens in tobacco are said to impede hair growth, thereby increasing the chances of temporary hair loss. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, smoking can also speed up the aging process which can consequently increase the chances of sagging skin, wrinkles, and possibly early hair loss.
Similar to smoking, excessive intake of alcohol is thought to be one of the leading causes of hair loss in young males. While average drinkers can hold on to their hair, habitual consumers are at high risk. Alcohol is said to suck the body of its iron supply, thereby hampering the absorption of zinc.
Aside from that, too much intake of alcohol equally causes dehydration, preventing the body from absorbing essential nutrients. Since hair is nearly one-fourth water, excessive consumption of alcohol will undoubtedly leave it brittle.
Therefore, if you’re young and noticing some unusual falling of your hair, you should examine your intake of alcohol. If you’re a regular guzzler, you should minimize it, or even stop it for some time to monitor the effect. Also, if you smoke, it’s advisable you stop it.
2. Stress and Balding
Dr. Ferrari noted that stress is thought to be one of the major causes of hair loss in teenage males and females.
According to Dr. Ferrari:
For most men, the years spent as a teenager can be incredibly stressful. With the high pressures of education and the excessive volatility of work in today’s society, it’s not difficult to see the reasons for hair loss in men under 25.
According to Marc Glashofer, MD, a dermatologist in New York City:
Although stress might not always be a root cause of hair loss in young men, it can undeniably boost the chances of a rapid hair loss in men by fastening the process.
Therefore, maintaining a calm mental frame of mind and a healthy diet is very important for fighting the signs of aging such as hair thinning in young men.
In addition to that, making some simple changes in your lifestyle such as drinking a glass of water every hour (strands consists of minerals, which water alone can refill), getting about 7-hours of sleep every day, and always eating protein-rich foods can result in about 80% change.
Also read: These Are The 11 Primary Causes of Hair Loss in Young Females
3. Nutrition and Hair Loss
This cannot be said enough…nutrition is critical for hair growth. According to Dr. Shah, “no other part of the body grows at the degree of half an inch per month, aside from the bone marrow, so you have to feed it.”
Ideally, the relationship between human hair and food is pretty simple – hair consists of a protein known as “keratin.” Therefore, it’s vital that you add an adequate amount of protein in your diet.
A low-protein food compels your body to reserve the available protein for other aims such as the rebuilding of cells, thereby denying hair of it.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology:
Fortunately, there are a lot of fantastic sources of protein around us today, including eggs, fish, and meat.
Dr. Shah equally confirmed that paneer, spinach, walnuts, almonds, milk, and tofu are hair-improvement foods. Green tea equally great because it helps to blocks out Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the hormone that causes hair loss.
Meanwhile, apart from the ones mentioned above, here are 17 other Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Sources, if you don’t eat meat or animal products.
Related Reading
4. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
Image Source: theidleman.com
According to Medical News Today, “dihydrotestosterone also known as DHT, is an androgen that is a product of the male hormone testosterone, and the primary cause of 95% of hair loss in male pattern baldness.”
Typically, the amount of DHT present in men’s body is more than that of women, which explains why they suffer more from hair loss. Moreover, DHT kills the hair follicles in men by hindering them from receiving the nutrients they need for survival.
Good enough, topical creams such as minoxidil:
Men’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam
Or oral medications like finasteride (Propecia) can tremendously stop hair loss or even cause some to grow back. Additionally, surgery to transplant is equally an excellent option. Whichever way, don’t forget to consult with a dermatologist before anything.
Reasons For Hair Loss In Men Under 25
5. Hypothyroidism
According to Wikipedia, “hypothyroidism is a disorder of the endocrine system in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone.”
In other words, hypothyroidism is the medical language for having an underactive thyroid or low thyroid gland. This little gland, which is located in your neck produces hormones that are essential to metabolism in addition to growth and development.
When the gland is not pumping out enough hormones, it can lead to a lot of health issues including hair loss. Your doctor can perform some tests in you to figure out the real cause.
Furthermore, according to the Mayo clinic:
You may hardly notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism at first, like weight gain and fatigue, or you may just attribute them to aging.
However, as your metabolism keeps on slowing, you may develop more clear symptoms and signs such as fatigue, constipation, dry skin, depression, thinning hair, etc.
The good thing, however, is that synthetic thyroid treatment will solve the problem. The moment your thyroid levels comes back to normal, so should your hair.
6. Trichotillomania and Hair Loss
In other words, Trichotillomania causes people to pull out their hair excitingly. According to Dr. Glashofer, “It’s like a tic, the person is continuously playing with their hair, thus pulling it out.”
Regrettably, this repeated playing and pulling of the hair can typically deprive your head of its natural protection – hair. Trichotillomania usually starts before the age of 17 and is 4X as common in women as in men.
Interestingly, some antidepressants may be a practical solution, and behavioral modification therapy is equally another excellent option for fighting it. However, always see your doctor for more professional advice.
7. Excessive Weight Loss
Dramatic weight loss is a form of physical shock that can lead to thinning hair. This could still happen even though the weight loss might be eventually good for you.
Basically, the weight loss itself is probably stressing your body, or your poor eating habit in the quest to lose weight can consequently lead to mineral or vitamin deficiencies.
Aside from that, loss of hair, as well as noticeable weight loss, may equally be a symptom of an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia.
According to Dr. Hammonds, “sudden weight loss seems to traumatize the system, and you will experience hair loss for a period of 6-month before it corrects itself.”
That being said, below is also a video that explains more about the reasons for hair loss in men under 25:
Conclusion
It’s a fact that men have more chances of losing their hair than women, mainly because of male pattern baldness. But hair loss and thinning hair are equally common in women, and no less disheartening.
In many cases, there are numerous ways to treat both male and female hair loss that are super effective (like the ones we mentioned here). It all depends on the exact cause.
While it’s normal to lose between 50 -100 strands of hair per day, according to trichologist Dr. Apoorva Shah, severe hair loss – medically known as alopecia – is a sign that something is indeed wrong with our body.
As a reaction to an incident of severe physical or mental stress, the body typically sheds hair after a gap of 3-months.
For example, if you’re suffering from food poisoning, the malabsorption of nutrients during this time can result in hair loss in the next few months.
In any case, the fact is that there are many causes of hair loss in teenage males, and it’s always proper to know precisely why you’re losing your hair before going with any treatment. However, you should still see your doctor before making any decision regarding your health.
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