young hair loss

My daughter is currently 16 years old.  She started experiencing hair loss when she hit puberty (approximately 11 years old) as well as fairly serious acne.  She has had numerous blood tests to check for various hormonal issues, but to date, no definitive diagnosis — everything appears within normal range.  Oral contraceptives have greatly improved the acne but have not helped at all with the hair loss.  Her hair loss has now stabilized (does not appear to be getting any thinner); however her hair is very thin on top (you can clearly see through to her scalp and there is no way to do a “comb over” — just not enough hair).  The hair on sides and back is fine (normally thick).

My question is:  Is she old enough to consider a hair transplant?  I’ve read that it is generally preferred to be 25 years or older (???), however I am concerned that female hair loss is a serious social burden that will be especially difficult through the remainder of her high school and college career.  I’d really like to be able to help her now.
Thanks,
Janet
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Dear Janet:

Thank you for your letter. Hair loss can be difficult to deal with at any age but it can be particularly hard for a young woman. Before addressing the possibility of surgery there are some other issues that should be mentioned. Read the Story

I am 24 years old and looking into options to maintain my thinning hair.  Hair transplant surgery is something I’m pondering, but I would like to fully inform myself with information from a credible doctor/surgeon. I’ve seen some non-biased studies and I’m intrigued, so the next step would be a consultation.  Herein lies my concern.

I see you have an extensive list of experts listed on your site.  Do any of these hair transplant surgeons work for Bosley or Medical Hair Restoration?

If so, I could at least ask these questions in confidence.  If not, could you give me some contact info for a good surgeon that may not work for such a high profile practice?

Thank you,
Ryan

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Dear Ryan,

First and foremost, it is important to fully understand the hair transplant process and to assess whether or not you are even a candidate for the procedure. I’m glad you found the IAHRS since, in my opinion, the internet is an extremely dangerous place to attempt to find accurate and objective information on surgical hair restoration. Read the Story

Since I was around 14-15  years old I have experienced hair loss, I’m now 17 and still losing hair. I have attempted minor treatments through a clinic, which determined I had male pattern baldness. When I was younger (15-16), the clinic suggested a hair loss treatment, I believe it contained minoxidil, and involved rubbing it on the scalp. After a year and little change except for irritation on the scalp, I quit.  The clinic suggested a Propecia pill when I was 18, and then a hair transplant at 21. After the scalp treatment I feel I have been tricked and should not trust them. Please help answer the questions, is this the right course of treatment or is there a better alternative, and is it possible to lose hair at such a young age from male pattern baldness? – George
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Thank you for your question. Male pattern hair loss is a condition in which a pattern of hair is inherited, in which the hair is sensitive to DHT. Once puberty starts, testosterone production increases and it is metabolized into this DHT. Read the Story

My son just turned 18 and he has had alopecia since he was ten, we had tried everything. Is he to young for a hair transplant? ~Lidia
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Hello,

First, let me say that we would need many additional details to give an accurate answer to this question, so I will confine myself to an answer based on educated assumptions.  The youngest patient I have ever seen with male pattern hair loss was 14.  To have it at 10, prior to puberty, would be extremely unusual, if not impossible, so I am going to assume this is not the case.  The most likely cause of hair loss at this age would be alopecia areata so I will confine my comments to this disorder.  If there has been a problem with alopecia areata and there are several patches of hair missing, and these have been stable over a period of several years, then hair transplantation could be a good solution for your son.  Read the Story

I’m 24 years old and have been considering having a hair transplant for the past three years. I have made a few appointments to meet with doctors but I’m not sure who to believe. My first consultation was with Medical Hair Restoration. They told me that I was in fact a very good candidate for a hair transplant and that I would need 1200 grafts placed in my frontal hair line. Then I went to see Dr. Sword and he told me that I would need 800 grafts.

After doing a lot of research on the internet it seems that 800 to 1200 grafts won’t make much of an impact. Just to give you some information about myself, I was assessed as a Norwood II with above average donor hair. I have no thinning anywhere else but my hair line, and I have been taking Propecia since I was 21 with very good results. I just want to tighten up my hair line. I’ve also read that a person with my minimal amount of hair loss should not have a hair transplant since it could make me lose some of the hair that I have. If this is true why would Dr. Sword and the other person recommend that I have surgery. I guess I’m just a bit confused. Thank you for your help in this matter. Read the Story

I am 22 years old and I have a receding hairline. My father started thinning in the front in his early 50′s and has a pretty decent head of hear. My mom’s father and brothers only experience a receding hairline and never had any hair loss in the crown area. I have very thick hair but the front has receded, am I a candidate for hair restoration?
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This is an excellent question. Whether to perform a hair transplant on a young man is a very controversial area among hair transplant specialists. My approach to this situation is based on the following considerations:

1. Hair loss when you are young (e.g. early 20′s) can be especially difficult because this is the time of life when you are typically entering the job world and actively dating. Hair loss can have a significant effect on self confidence and self esteem.

2. Hair loss due to male pattern baldness is a life long progressive condition. Any treatment plan has to be based on this fact. Having a strong family history of extensive baldness in one or both sides of the family makes it more likely you will experience the same fate. This makes a hair transplant more risky. Read the Story

How young is too young to have a hair transplant? I am currently 20 years old and have lost about 40% of my hair. I just began taking Propecia which seems to be working for me so I was wondering if it were possible for me to have a hair transplant to fill in what I have lost these past 3 years?
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This is a really sensitive topic and a difficult decision to make, with very differing doctor’s opinions. The easiest and most ethical decision for the physician to make is not to treat a young patient at all. However this decision will not relieve the young patient from his suffering due to his early hair loss. In determining whether to treat or not to treat a young patient, it is important to know if he is not traumatized too much by his hair loss. This could possibly manifest in a lack of self-confidence, in social withdrawal or sometimes even in suicidal thoughts. Young men suffering from Alopecia Androgenetica are usually estimated to be much older and are also considered to be less attractive by society. Even professionally, people are judged by their appearances for a large part. Some men can deal easily with their hair loss others cannot and search for an enduring solution. I attempt to offer people who consult me the possibility to feel better about themselves. Of course I would first consider if a medicinal therapy would be an appropriate treatment for the patient. Using a medicinal therapy such as Finasteride (Propecia®) or Minoxidil (Rogaine®) could diminish further hair loss and could buy time for patients with a severe form of MPB. Read the Story

My 15 year old son has been losing hair in the shower and when he combs his hair. He feels his hair is thinning and is worried about it. We are also very concerned because he had surgery on his head when he was an infant which left a very large scar and also left his skill asymmetrical which has always been covered by hair. We are interested in finding a physician to help his hair loss and see if it is possible to have hair transplanted onto his scar. Does it sound like he would be able to have a hair transplant? What could be causing his hair loss at such a young age? Please help we need a Christmas miracle.

Your son’s situation is quite complex and needs to be carefully analyzed. Although he may be an excellent candidate for surgical hair restoration, surgical intervention can lead to a variety of problems later in life if he develops a more extensive balding pattern than what is being predicted at this time.

First off, follicular-unit grafts seem to grow quite well in many scars. Follicular-unit restoration has proven to be a very successful technique for camouflaging the adverse cosmetic appearance of scalp and facial scars. I tend to favor a much more conservative approach when placing grafts in scar tissue. Scar tissue has a significantly reduced blood supply compared to intact skin. A compromised blood supply can adversely affect healing and graft regrowth. Read the Story