As Medical News Today notes, the medical term for all forms of hair loss anywhere on the body is alopecia. Hair loss is common in adults, with up to 50 percent of men experiencing it as some point. When thinning hair occurs in adolescents, however, it is often a sign that something is wrong internally, notes the KidsHealth website. There are a number of factors which can be the cause of this hair loss.
Medical Causes
As Medical News Today states, most hair loss is causes by an imbalance of hormones. Medications and sickness can be responsible for this imbalance. Chemotherapy drugs for fighting cancer, Isotretinoin for acne treatment and lithium for bipolar disorder are medications with connections to hair loss. Uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid disease and lupus; an inflammatory disease, are sicknesses connected to hair loss, notes KidsHealth.
Lifestyle
Poor nutrition, with a lack of proteins and iron, can cause the hair to thin. Hair pulling, whether through a disorder which urges the person to pull it, or through excessively tight hair styles can cause hair loss. This is due to hair follicles being damaged. If scarring occurs this can be permanent, notes MayoClinic.com. Hair coloring or treatments and scalp fungal infections can cause temporary thinning.
Androgenetic And Areata
Androgenetic alopecia is referred to in layman's terms as male pattern baldness, although it does occur in women too, and it can start as early as the mid teens. The pattern of hair loss and the age it occurs is thought to be due to hereditary factors. Alopecia areata, hair loss in patches, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks its own cells. It often begins in childhood, notes KidsHealth, and it not normally permanent.
Treatments
For the early stages of androgenetic and areata alopecia's you can try the over-the-counter product Minoxidil. According to MayoClinic.com if you apply this foam or lotion twice a day for several months it will help slow or stop hair thinning and, in some cases, promote regrowth. For boys of 18 or 19, try the prescription medication Finasteride. This is a pill which is to be taken daily. It can block the conversion of testosterone into DHT, a hormone responsible for genetic hair loss.
Considerations
Most causes of hair thinning in teenagers are temporary. Consult with your doctor to explain your symptoms so that they can diagnose your condition. Finasteride is only used to treat male pattern baldness and a doctor may be hesitant to prescribe it to someone so young. It should not be even handled by females as it can cause birth defects. Finasteride is also known to cause sexual dysfunction in a small number of users.
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