The average person, including teenagers, loses about 100 hairs each day, states the National Institute of Health's Medline Plus. However, for some teenagers there may be extensive hair-loss resulting in thinning areas or completely bald patches of scalp. Although more rare than losing hair in old age, there are several reasons why a teenager could experience baldness at an early age.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can affect teenagers and adults. This disease causes the body's immune system to turn against the hair follicles, causing problems with widespread hair loss, resulting in bald spots. The Nemours Foundation suggests that more than 5 million people in the United States currently suffer from alopecia areata.
Medications and Treatments
Certain medications and medical treatments can also cause baldness in teenagers. One of the most noticeable of these causes is cancer treatment which can attack the fast-growing cells of hair follicles. Other medications, such as medications for depression, can also affect the hair's growth cycles, resulting in hair loss, states the Mayo Clinic.
Trichotillomania
Psychological disorders can also have an impact on teenage hair loss, especially trichotillomania. Trichotillomania is a disorder in which a person compulsively pulls out hair on the head, body and even the eyebrows. Without behavioral therapy or other treatments, this behavior can result in noticeable bald spots on the scalp.
Traction Alopecia
The hairstyles your teenager chooses can also affect the production of bald spots. Tight hairstyles, such as buns and pony tails, can pull the hair deep down at the root, placing stress on the follicle. This can lead to a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia.
Hormones
As teenagers reach puberty, hormone fluctuations can cause many changes in the body, including problems with hair loss. This is more common with teenage girls who are using birth control pills, which can cause temporary hair loss if their use is discontinued, states the Mayo Clinic. An under-active or overactive thyroid can also cause hormonal issues which can contribute to hair loss.
