Half of the men in the world experience hair loss by age 50. About 70% of men will lose hair as they get older. And 25% of bald men see first signs of hair loss before age 21. “Recent advances offer a lot of hope in both treating and preventing different types of baldness,” says dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD.
Hair loss, also called alopecia, can start at almost any age as you enter adulthood. You can start losing your hair as early as your late teens and early 20s. But you might have a full head of hair with almost no thinning or balding until well into your 50s and 60s. There's a lot of variation from person to person.
The majority of people will experience some degree of hair loss throughout their life. Most people begin noticing hair loss during adulthood. But less commonly, some people start losing their hair as teenagers. Hair loss can be difficult for anybody, but especially if you're younger.
It's a common misconception that only older men lose their hair, but going bald can actually occur from any age. 16% of men between 18 and 29 have experienced hair loss, so balding in your twenties isn't all that rare.
To sum up, if you have an X-linked baldness gene or your father is bald, the chances are that you will get bald. Moreover, if you have some of the other genes responsible for baldness, you are even more likely to lose your hair.
The bottom line
In 95 percent of cases, balding is due to androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness, which is a hereditary condition. It can affect men of all ages, and may even start before the age of 21. Although you can't prevent male pattern baldness, there are ways to slow down hair loss.
Hair loss in your 20s and 30s
Few people expect hair loss to happen as early as their 20s or 30s. But the good news is hair loss during these decades is usually caused by a specific trigger that, when addressed, will likely stop the hair loss. Three of the most common triggers are stress, dieting, and hormonal changes.
Although we usually associate hair loss with middle age, it's quite common to begin to lose hair before the age of 25. In fact, research shows that approximately 16 percent of men between 18 and 29 years of age are affected by moderate to extensive hair loss.
Here's the truth: You can't change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it's genetics, and no product will completely alter that. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.
If the reason for thinning hair is genetics, it will not grow back on its own. To grow back a healthy, full head of hair, you'll need to take action, and that involves reviewing different hair loss options.
If you want to prevent hair loss, you can also prioritize a diet high in healthy proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and fresh fruits and vegetables. If you're trying to prevent baldness, you can take vitamins such as iron, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin C, and zinc.
Some options include medications such as Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) and minoxidil (Rogaine, Ioniten), laser therapy, and hair transplant surgery. If you're concerned about going bald, be sure to speak to your doctor or dermatologist.
Can hair loss be cured or reversed. There is no cure for hair loss. Some hair loss is temporary and the hair will grow back. For those experiencing male pattern baldness, treatments like Finasteride and Propecia can help halt hair loss and in some cases stimulate regrowth.
If you're a man, you got your X chromosome — which either has or does not have the variation of this gene that promotes baldness — solely from your mother.
A receding hairline is indicative of male pattern baldness and sometimes results in a widow's peak hairline. However a widow's peak is not in and of itself a sign that you're going bald– even kids can have them.
Although most people associate male pattern baldness with men in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the reality is that hair loss can start at any age, including in your mid to late teens. In fact, research shows that around 16 percent of males aged between 15 and 17 are affected by some degree of male pattern baldness.
NHS states that 25% of men suffering from male pattern baldness (MPB) start losing hair before they reach the age of 20-21. Moreover, it affects around 50% of men by the age of 50. Alopecia Areata, another type of hair loss, which causes bald patches on the scalp, is very prevalent in people at the age of 15 to 29.
Hair loss during adolescence can mean a person may be sick or just not eating right. Some medicines or medical treatments (like chemotherapy ) also cause hair loss. People can even lose their hair if they wear a hairstyle (like braids) that pulls on the hair for a long time.
It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men. Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness.
Among the many myths about the causes of balding — such as wearing hats or exercising strenuously — you can add the myth that hot showers cause hair loss. Hot water can't cause hair loss. However, boiling water could result in hair loss, by burning or scalding your scalp.
Unlike widespread hair loss, thinning hair doesn't necessarily cause baldness. It does, however, give the appearance of sparser spots of hair on your head. Thinning hair typically happens gradually, which means you have time to pinpoint the causes and figure out the best treatment measures.
One very good medication to reactivate dormant hair follicles is minoxidil. Applied regularly to the scalp, minoxidil can re-grow hair that has completely stopped growing. The only caveat is that once you start taking it, you'll have to keep taking it indefinitely.