Skip to content

What Causes Hair Thinning In Young Males?

What Causes Hair Thinning In Young Males?

We often hear that hair thinning is a sign of aging. But what if it strikes you in your early 20s or 30s? Male hair loss is very common, and men tend to lose hair faster than women. However, the current generation of young males is also experiencing hair loss (medically known as alopecia) very early in their lives. Let’s take a deeper look at the causes of thinning hair in young males and the best ways to manage them!

What are the Causes and Symptoms of Hair Thinning in Young Males?

Though around 85% of men lose hair by the time they turn 70, around one-fourth of them begin losing their hair when they turn 21. There can be several reasons for hair thinning in young males. Some of them are discussed here:

  • Hormones

The male pattern of baldness is known to occur due to genetic reasons. An increase in DHT or dihydrotestosterone (derived from testosterone) shrinks the hair follicles. An imbalance in the levels of DHT can interrupt the growth cycle of hair. Research states that hair follicles of young men under 25 are more sensitive to DHT. It results in longer rest periods of hair follicles that prevent the hair from growing.

  • Autoimmune Disorders

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune cells attack hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. A few other autoimmune diseases associated with this condition are lupus and dermatomyositis. In the case of alopecia areata, steroid creams and medications can help restore hair growth, but hair loss may recur.

  • Genetic

Male pattern baldness also called androgenetic alopecia, has a strong genetic link. It usually appears as an M, V, or U-shaped pattern and begins as a gradual balding at the crown. Though balding usually begins mid-adulthood, many young men may experience this during their teenage or early adulthood. If you have a close family member with male pattern baldness, you are more likely to develop it.

Symptoms of Hair Loss in Young Men

Young men experience hair loss symptoms similar to those of older men. Here are the first signs of hair thinning in young men:

  • Gradual thinning of hair on the top of the head
  • The recession of the hairline
  • Patchy bald spots
  • Slowly progressive hair loss that results in complete balding

Hair Loss: Why It's Happening to Millennials?

Earlier, hair loss was often equated with increasing age. However, more millennial men are complaining of hair thinning and increased hair loss.

According to 2018 research conducted in China, the current generation is losing hair earlier and going bald sooner than the generation before them. Neurological factors like hectic lifestyles, stress at work, study, or home, sleeplessness, and irregular lifestyle habits and patterns have been cited to be the causative factor in over 60% of hair loss cases. Apart from the reasons discussed above, here are a few other factors leading to a more frequent occurrence of hair loss in millennials:

  • Stress

Youngsters today lead very hectic and stressful lives. Stress is omnipresent in the lives of millennials from a young age and can result in the development of hormonal imbalances and autoimmune diseases, both of which add to the increase in hair loss. 

A significant amount of stress, especially when chronic, pushes a large number of hair follicles into the resting phase. After a few months, you may notice hair fall when you wash or comb your hair. Stress-related hair fall is also called telogen effluvium. Stress management techniques can help bring out hair follicles from this resting phase and regrow.

Here’s how stress can lead to hair loss in millennials:

  • Your hair goes through four stages of growth: anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen before it falls off. It is normal to experience a loss of 50 to 100 hair every day.
  • Stress interrupts the hair's normal lifecycle by moving it out of the growth (or anagen) phase quickly.
  • When the hair enters the catagen and telogen phase prematurely, they fall out in large numbers.

There is plenty of evidence that the current generation of millennials has more stress than their previous generations and finds it challenging to find effective stress coping mechanisms.

  • Diet

Another essential factor that may be a major contributor to your hair loss is diet. The growing trend of crash dieting can contribute more to hair loss. Severely reduced protein consumption and deficiency of nutrients like zinc, vitamin D, and others can promote hair loss.

Men undergoing sudden weight loss or a marked decrease in protein intake may notice hair thinning and loss. Over-supplementing nutrients like vitamins A and E, selenium, etc may also result in hair loss. It is best to undergo blood tests to find the root cause of hair loss before treating it.

  • Too much hair care

Today’s millennial men are more hair aware than most generations before them. Looking and feeling good is integral to your nature and societal demand, leading to greater maintenance and treatments. Excessive use of chemicals to bleach, colour or style your hair is another major contributing factor to increased hair loss.

How to Stop Hair Fall?

It is natural for you to panic and lose confidence when experiencing hair fall. If you are experiencing hair fall or notice your hair thinning in specific patches on your head, you should visit a dermatologist. To treat hair fall effectively and to help them regrow, identifying the cause is essential.

Here are a few male hair thinning treatment options that are commonly used:

  • Medications: Two popular medications that you can use for treating and stopping hair fall are minoxidil and finasteride. Both of these are prescription medications.
  • MinoxidilMinoxidil is a popular medication used in treating hair loss. This medication is available in liquid and foam forms. You can apply it directly to the scalp to treat male pattern baldness.This drug increases the blood flow to the scalp and stimulates hair follicles to stay in the growth or anagen phase of the hair lifecycle. Several studies worldwide have proven that minoxidil helps improve hair growth, even in men experiencing male baldness.
  • Finasteride: Unlike minoxidil, finasteride works by blocking the production of DHT (the hormone that causes male pattern baldness) or stimulating hair growth. Existing research states that using a typical finasteride dosage can reduce serum DHT levels by over 70%.
  • Hair Care Products: Your dermatologist may recommend shifting to gentler hair care products that stimulate hair follicles and protect them from the harmful effects of DHT. You can choose from a wide range of medicated or non-medicated hair loss prevention shampoos and hair oils that may contain other components like ketoconazole (which has antifungal properties to treat dandruff), herbs like Saw Palmetto and other actives.
  • Nutritional Supplements: If your dermatologist suspects your hair loss to be a consequence of nutritional deficiency or an excess of them, they will prescribe a few blood tests to confirm. If you are deficient in nutrients like vitamins A, E or biotin, your doctor will prescribe suitable supplements to stop hair growth and stimulate follicles to grow new, healthy hair.
  • Avoiding Chemicals and Heat Treatments: In most cases of hair loss in men, dermatologists recommend discontinuing chemicals and other heat treatments on hair and scalp to reduce their physical and chemical stressors. If you are experiencing hair fall, it may help to avoid salon treatments until the condition is under control and your hair loss has stopped. 

Can Hair Loss Be Reversed?

The worries of most men experiencing male pattern baldness do not end at ‘how to stop hair loss?’. One of the most common questions young men have regarding hair loss is, “can it be reversed?’ To answer this question, dermatologists and trichologists diagnose and grade your hair loss pattern into one of the seven stages as per the Hamilton-Norwood scale. 

Hair loss is treatable for men who fall between stages 1 to 4 and can be reversed with appropriate measures. If you fall under stages 5 to 7 on the Hamilton-Norwood scale, a hair transplant is the best option for you.

Since several factors contribute to male pattern baldness and hair loss in men, we at Traya Health believe that hair fall can only be treated by creating a customized solution for the specific type of hair fall the person has. The root cause of hair fall must be addressed before treating it to see positive results. We offer doctor-backed solutions to individual patients since the one-size-fits-all approach cannot work for hair loss treatment.

Takeaway

Though most men are usually prepared to lose hair as they age, it can come as a shock when they begin losing chunks of their hair or notice a rapidly receding hairline in the prime of their youth. We understand how distressing it can be to lose your crowning glory early in life.

We believe that hair loss treatments must be customized for each individual after evaluating the causative factors. The earlier you seek medical treatment, the better the effect and results. 

Need help treating your hair loss? Visit our experts for more information and effective treatment today!

Featured Blogs

Popular Posts

Related Posts

Can Calcium Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
Can Calcium Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
As a kid we've been learning to eat foods that are rich in calcium to develop good bone strength, teeth and muscles. ...
Read More
Vitamins To Regrow Your Hair Due To Postpartum Hair Fall
Vitamins To Regrow Your Hair Due To Postpartum Hair Fall
Postpartum hair loss is the hair loss that new moms have to deal with a few months after their delivery. This happens...
Read More
Hormonal Hair Loss In Women: Causes, Treatment, Symptoms, & Prevention
Hormonal Hair Loss In Women: Causes, Treatment, Symptoms, & Prevention
Hormonal hair loss is a prevalent issue among women, causing frustration and distress as it leads to noticeable thinn...
Read More
Vitamin Deficiencies That Cause White Hair: How To Prevent Them
Vitamin Deficiencies That Cause White Hair: How To Prevent Them
No one likes white or grey hair sprouting in their early 20’s. Often when this happens, people tend to hide it off wi...
Read More
Hair Loss Due To Iron Deficiency: Symptoms, Treatment, & Growth Tips
Hair Loss Due To Iron Deficiency: Symptoms, Treatment, & Growth Tips
About 57% of the Indian women population suffers from iron deficiency, mostly women of childbearing age and girls in ...
Read More
Natural Home Remedies To Avoid Hair Fall After Pregnancy
Natural Home Remedies To Avoid Hair Fall After Pregnancy
With women, the joys of motherhood are closely followed by post-delivery issues that bring in more and more problems ...
Read More
Aloe Vera Oil For Hair: Benefits And How To Make It
Aloe Vera Oil For Hair: Benefits And How To Make It
Aloe vera is one of the most beneficial ingredients for skin and hair alike. It is full of combined goodness of miner...
Read More
Vitamins To Treat Hair Loss Due To Thyroid
Vitamins To Treat Hair Loss Due To Thyroid
Hair loss due thyroid is significantly common for many individuals. This is because the thyroid gland is responsible ...
Read More

Latest Blogs

Vitamins To Regrow Your Hair Due To Postpartum Hair Fall by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Hormonal Hair Loss In Women: Causes, Treatment, Symptoms, & Prevention by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Vitamin Deficiencies That Cause White Hair: How To Prevent Them by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Hair Loss Due To Iron Deficiency: Symptoms, Treatment, & Growth Tips by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Natural Home Remedies To Avoid Hair Fall After Pregnancy by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Aloe Vera Oil For Hair: Benefits And How To Make It by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Vitamins To Treat Hair Loss Due To Thyroid by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Celebrities Who Are Affected By Postpartum Hair Loss by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Menopause Hair Loss: Causes, Treatment & Tips To Regrow Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Uses & Benefits Of Vitamin C for Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Tea Tree Oil For Hair Growth by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Get Rid Of Dandruff with Coconut Oil by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
The Most Effective Scalp Oils For Every Hair Type by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
What Is Folic Acid? How It Promotes Hair Growth by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Men's Top Hair Care Products by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Use Shatavari For Hair: Benefits And Side Effects by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Amla Powder For Hair: Benefits And Side Effects by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
The Absolute Best Hair Care Products For Women by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
9 Nourishing Essential Oils For Hair Health & Strength by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Do Biotin Tablets Help In Healthy Hair Growth? by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Use Menthol For Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Use Goat Milk For Hair Growth by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
The Best Hair Care Products To Strengthen Your Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Different Ways To Treat Hair Problems With Amla Powder by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Parabens In Shampoo: Are They Bad For Hair? by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
15 Proven Ingredients To Help Your Natural Hair: A Detailed Guide by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Minoxidil For Women's Hair Loss & Its Side Effects by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Zinc For Hair Loss, Can It Regrow Hair? by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Does Biotin Shampoo Really Work For Hair Loss Prevention? by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
6 Amazing Benefits Of Ginger For Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Benefits Of Applying Ayurvedic Hair Oil by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Benefits Of Herbal Hair Oil For Hair Care by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Improve Hair Growth With Minoxidil: Benefits & How to Use by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Black Seed Oil: How To Make And Use It For Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Do Hair Spa At Home & Its Benefits For Your Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How to Use Ashwagandha For Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Bhringraj Oil For Hair: Benefits, Effects & More by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
10 Most Harmful Chemicals Found In Your Shampoo by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Highly Effective Ways To Use Bhringraj For Hair by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
How To Use Ghee For Hair : Benefits & Side Effects by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach
Best Hair Growth Treatment by Zahra Lokhandwala, Hair Coach

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Recommended Products