Anyone can experience hair loss at any age, even teenagers. There are many possible causes for hair loss in the teenage years. Hair loss can indicate an underlying illness, poor nutrition, a hormonal imbalance or side effect to a medication. Hair treatments, such as chemical straightening, bleaching and coloring, can cause the hair to break off or temporarily fall out, according to TeensHealth.
Telogen Effluvium
Normally, 100 to 150 hairs are shed from the scalp each day, according to the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Telogen effluvium is an increase in hair loss in response to an underlying condition. Many factors can trigger telogen effluvian, including physical stress from surgery, high fever, chronic illness, thyroid disorders, liver or kidney failure, and inflammatory bowel disease. Serious emotional stress has been reported to trigger hair loss. Zinc and iron deficiency, extreme diets and vitamin D deficiency are known dietary triggers for telogen effluvium. The condition resolves when the underlying cause is treated.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a disorder that causes sufferers to experience a compulsive desire to pull out the hair, explains an article in the April 2007 "American Journal of Psychiatry". It commonly begins around the age of 12, and is usually chronic. Trichotillomania results in obvious hair loss from the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes and causes psychological distress. Patients are secretive about the behavior. Some patients report that pulling out the hair relieves stress. The disorder tends to run in families, and researchers have identified a gene that may cause vulnerability to it. Trichotillomania sufferers are treated with a combination of behavioral therapy for habit control and antidepressant medications.
Ringworm
Ringworm of the scalp, or tinea capitis, is not caused by a worm, but by a very contagious fungus. Ringworm is spread by coming into direct contact with someone who is infected, or by sharing combs, brushes, hats and clothing, the University of Maryland Medical Center says. It can also be caused by household pets, particularly cats. Signs of infection include an itchy scalp with pus-filled sores, black dots and round scaly lesions that may be inflamed. Areas of the scalp will appear bald due to hair broken off near the scalp. Antifungal medication taken by mouth and medicated shampoos treat the condition.
Medications
Certain medications may have the side effect of hair loss, TeensHealth says. Lithium, a drug used for bipolar disorder, and Accutane, a drug used for severe acne, can cause hair to fall out. Thinning hair can occur from amphetamines, which are often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many types of chemotherapy medications used to treat cancer also cause hair loss. Hair lost due to medication normally grows back when the drug is discontinued.
Traction Alopecia
Hair loss in teens can result from scalp damage due to traction alopecia, according to the fall 2001 issue of "Dermatology Insights." Traction alopecia causes hair loss when tight braids and ponytails worn continuously damage the hair follicles. Hair extensions also pull the hair and damage the follicles if kept on for long periods of time. Traction alopecia kills the hair follicles and results in permanent hair loss.
References
- TeensHealth from Nemours: Hair Loss
- "The American Journal of Psychiatry": Lifting the Veil on Trichotillomania
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Tinea capitis - Overview
- "Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine": Diffuse Hair Loss: Its Triggers And Management
- American Academy of Dermatology: Dermatology Insights: A Closer Look At Teens and Skin
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