Is it normal to go bald in your 20s? Many young men face hair loss and wonder what is wrong with their hair and why they start shedding at such a young age while their friends still have plenty of hair.
Why do some guys go bald in their (early) 20s? Here is everything to know!
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Is it normal to go bald in your 20s? Androgenic alopecia is the bad guy!
Androgenic alopecia, also known as male baldness, is hormone-induced hair loss. Androgen is a male hormone similar to testosterone. This hormone causes hair loss on the top and the front of the head because the hair in those areas is sensitive to it. The hair in the crown and the back of the head are genetically resistant to androgen, so it rarely falls.
The first symptoms of androgenic alopecia are receding hair line and hair thinning. Some men face it in their late teen years or early 20s, while most experience it in their late 20s or early 30s. The American Hair Loss Association found that 25% of males started male pattern baldness before reaching 20.
Androgenic alopecia schedule mostly depends on genetics: a guy with a family history of early baldness has more risk of shedding at a young age.
The symptoms of androgenic alopecia
Here are the most common symptoms of androgenic alopecia:
- The hair starts thinning gradually on the temple and vertex (top of the head)
- Bald spots appear on the top of the head while the temple becomes bald.
- Ultimately, the temple-area bald areas and vertex expand and form a large bald spot.
The Hamilton-Norwood scale measures the different stages of androgenic alopecia. It counts seven stages. The time between every step varies from one person to another. For some, hair loss is sudden, while it takes years for others. The baldness is complete when the man reaches the 7th stage of the scale.
Is it normal to go bald in your 20s? The causes!
Aside from androgenic alopecia, there are many other causes of hair loss. Stress can cause telogen effluvium, a hair life cycle disorder. A traumatic event brutally leads many hair follicles to enter their rest phase, the telogen phase. It causes massive hair loss. This impressive hair loss is not permanent: the hair follicles start over their natural cycle and start producing new hair a few months later.
A poor diet and nutrient deficiencies can also cause telogen effluvium or slow hair growth leading to bald spots.
Is it normal to go bald in your 20s? How to prevent it!
There is nothing to do to stop androgenic alopecia. Some medicines, such as Minoxidil or Finasterid, can block DHT production.
DHT is a male hormone responsible for hair loss. However, those medicines have severe adverse effects such as sexual dysfunctions, mood swings, and depression. DHT is beneficial for men’s bodies, and inhibiting it can cause severe damage.
However, going bald can be hard to live and take the guys’ self-esteem down. The best way to get their hair back without endangering their health is to undergo a hair transplant.
Hair transplant surgeries use the hair from the side and the back of the head as they are not sensitive to androgen: the doctor harvests them and grafts them on the bald area. It exists many hair transplant methods. The one offering the best results is DHI.
At Hair Turkey, we only perform DHI hair transplants. Our doctor is a specialist in this technique, and we believe all patients have the right to the best results. Feel free to contact us to discuss your hair project with our hair advisor team!
