Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can experience hair loss. Fortunately, most hair loss that occurs early in life is temporary. However, men in their teens and early twenties who are experiencing a receding hairline and thinning crown might have a a permanent form of hair loss called male-pattern baldness, or adrogenetic alopecia, according to MayoClinic.com.
Types
Temporary forms of hair loss include alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, traction alopecia and anagen effluvium. Permanent forms of hair loss include male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness and scarring alopecia.
Symptoms
In alopecia areata, small, round bald patches appear on the body. Although the patches are most often found on the head, they can also form in the beard, on the eyebrows or anywhere else hair grows. Telogen effluvium causes excessive shedding and an overall thinning of the hair, according to MayoClinic.com. Traction alopecia occurs as a direct result of excessive hairstyling. Breakage or visible loss normally occurs where the hairstyle created the most tension, such as along the braid lines in corn rows. Anagen effluvium occurs most commonly after cancer treatments and can involve the whole body.
Male-pattern baldness starts with a receding hairline and thinning crown. In the advanced stages, the entire top of the head balds, leaving a ring of hair around the base of the head. Female-pattern baldness causes a diffuse thinning, leaving the front hairline intact. Complete baldness is not common in women. Scarring alopecia occurs where scars or trauma are present on the scalp.
Causes
Several internal and external factors can cause hair loss, including heredity, scalp infection or trauma, autoimmune disease, extreme emotional or physical shock, some medications and medical treatments, illness, cosmetic procedures such as permanents and dye jobs, and inadequate nutrition.
Medical Treatment
All new cases of hair loss should be evaluated by a medical professional, especially if the onset is rapid and early in life. Once a doctor determines the exact cause of the hair loss, he can prescribe a treatment course. Common treatments for hair loss include treating the underlying cause, steroid injections, topical steroids, minoxidil, finasteride and hair restoration surgery.
Male-Pattern Baldness
Men in their twenties who have history of hair loss on both sides of their family are likely losing their hair because of male-pattern baldness, a permanent, genetic condition. In this condition, the hair follicles shrink and become shallow within the skin, resulting in thin, weak hair growth. Eventually, the affected follicles stop growing hair. Although the condition is permanent and incurable, some medications, such as minoxidil and finasteride, help slow the progression of the condition and stimulate new hair growth, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
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