Teenage balding is less common than in adults but can be caused by many of the same factors as adult hair loss. Many of the same reasons for adult hair loss are reasons adolescents lose their hair: illness, genetic predisposition and malnutrition. The exact cause of balding in teenagers determines the treatment required and whether the condition is temporary or permanent.
Genetics
Hair loss is a genetic trait. According to the UK's Great Ormond Street Hospital's resource Teens First for Health, it's the most common cause of hair loss. If you have the gene for male-pattern baldness, also called androgenetic alopecia, you could notice your hair begins to thin during your teen years--though most people don't begin to bald in earnest until adulthood.
Illness
A host of different illness can cause you to lose your hair during adolescence. Chemotherapy treatments for cancer harbor the side effect of temporary hair loss. An autoimmune skin disease called alopecia areata can lead to balding as well, because your immune system attacks the hair follicles, making hair fall out. According to TeensHealth from Nemours, both children and adults can be diagnosed with alopecia, which may mean you could spent some of your teenage years with bald patches. Fungal infections can also damage your hair follicles and contribute to hair loss. Lithium-based medications to treat bipolar disorder may also carry the side effect of hair loss.
Malnutrition
Malnutrition can cause an adolescent to experience hair loss. Two reasons for malnutrition that are not unusual in teenagers are being a vegetarian and having an eating disorder. TeensHealth explains that younger people who are vegetarians don't always eat enough protein, a nutrient that's very important to hair growth. Iron deficiency is another nutritional concern that can cause a teen to shed hair. Certain types of eating disorders can lead to malnutrition and precipitate hair loss in some adolescents. London-based hair sciences organization The Trichological Society points out that though anorexia nervosa and bulimia can affect people of all ages, the most concentrated age group to be diagnosed is teenage girls. During the severe calorie restriction or purging that is characteristic of this class of eating disorders, you're likely to suffer from malnutrition because your body doesn't absorb enough essential nutrients to keep all of your body's processes working smoothly.
Trichotillomania
A psychological illness called trichotillomania may be the cause of your teen's balding patches. This condition is a compulsive behavior, in which a person pulls his hair out. Teens are more susceptible to compulsive behaviors due to peer pressure and self-esteem issues of unrealistic body image. People who are diagnosed with trichotillomania can be treated through therapy with a mental health professional.
