What Causes Hair Loss In Teenage Girls And How To Stop It?

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Hair loss in teenage girls is not a common occurrence. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) states that losing about 50 to 100 strands of hair per day is a natural occurrence (1). However, it is not the same for teenagers. The most common causes of hair loss during teenage years include genetic factors, underlying medical reasons, or hormonal imbalances. It should be noted that most of the causes of hair loss or baldness in teens are temporary and will go away either on their own or with the help of treatment. Read on to know more about the causes, treatment, and prevention of hair loss in teen girls.

Natural Ways To Prevent Hair Loss In Teenage Girls

A healthy diet and hair hygiene can help you have healthy hair. The following measures may help prevent excessive hair loss (2) (3):

• Eating a well-balanced diet could help keep the hair roots healthy. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, iron, and protein may help strengthen hair.
• Be gentle when combing, brushing, or washing hair. Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner. Harsh hair-care products may damage the hair by causing split ends and breakage.
• Gentle massage with nourishing oils, such as coconut oil, may help in hair restructuring and strengthening.

• Use hairstyling treatments, flat irons and curlers sparingly to avoid long-term damage to your hair.
• If you want to color, perm, chemically straighten, or relax your hair, visit a professional salon instead of doing it at home.
• Try drying hair naturally and limit the use of blow dryers at high heat. It may help prevent hair damage and hairfall.
• Do not pull hair too tight in braids, ponytails, or pigtails. These may strain the roots of the hair, thus causing hair to fall.
• Avoid twisting or pulling on it, as these habits can weaken fragile strands and lead to more hair fall.
• A gentle scalp massage improves blood circulation to the hair follicles, which may promote hair growth.
• Managing stress may also prevent excess hair fall, also called Telogen Effluvium.

Additionally, regular exercise and good sleep habits can enhance overall health and contribute to healthy hair.

Possible Causes Of Excessive Hair Loss In Female Teenagers

Hair loss in teenage girls can be distressing and may result from various underlying factors. Understanding the reasons behind excessive hair shedding can help in finding the right solution. Some of the common causes of hair loss in teenage girls could be:

1. Adolescent androgenic alopecia: This occurs due to high levels of androgen hormones, including testosteroneⁱA vital male hormone required for the development of male genital organs and secondary sexual characteristics , which is produced by adrenal glands in females. The condition occurs due to a genetic predisposition. The defective genes cause a surge in the production of androgensⁱGroup of hormones responsible for male reproductive system development at puberty causing follicle damage. The increased level of hormones impact the hair-growing capability of the hair follicle, thus eventually causing hair loss (4) (5).

Zeyara Khan, a blogger, shares about her hair loss journey before she was diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia. Recalling her experiences, she writes, “Around 14, I started losing my hair… At some point, my hair loss became apparent to me. I could see hair loss patches in the frontal area and crown. Once I noticed the hair loss, I went to see a doctor. The doctor did not find any specific problem and told me it probably was teenage stress and would grow back naturally… At age 16, I accepted whatever genetic or hormonal reasons caused my hair loss and baldness. I had to accept the bald patches and the fact that the hair may never regrow or regenerate again… Twelve years later, in my 30s, I thought it might be time to see a specialist… This doctor diagnosed me with hereditary hair loss, “androgenetic alopecia,” so-called female pattern hair loss (i).”

2. Infection: Certain fungal infections such as tinea capitisⁱA common fungal infection affecting the skin and hair of the scalp or scalp ringworm may cause hair loss in children and adults. The symptoms include hair loss in patches, bald spots, and itchy or red scalp (6).
3. Trichotillomania: It is a psychological disorder in which there is a strong urge to pull one’s hair. It occurs in adolescence and adults (7). A joint study by researchers from The University of Chicago, US, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, US, and The University of Cambridge & Cambridgeshire/Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, U.K , surveyed 10,169 adults aged 18 to 69 years, revealed that the average age of onset for females with Trichotillomania was 14.8 years (8).
4. Traction alopecia: The hair loss pattern occurs when hair is pulled tightly. Tight buns, braids, ponytails, and other similar hairstyles may lead to the condition (9).

5. Medical conditions: Certain hormonal conditions such as thyroid issues, uncontrolled diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndromeⁱA condition where ovaries produce an unusually high level of male hormones, leading to a combination of symptoms may cause hair loss among teenage girls (10)(11)(12).
6. Drugs or medications: According to Harvard Health Publishing, hair loss can be a side effect of medications such as beta-blockers, amphetamines, heparin, and warfarin. Cancer-related medications may cause excessive hair fall (13).
7. Poor nutrition: A balanced diet for teenage girls can play a crucial role in supporting healthy hair growth and reducing hair fall. Unhealthy dieting and eating disorders (such as anorexia nervosa) during adolescence could be responsible for hair loss. It also affects weight changes (14).
8. Rapid weight loss: Losing weight rapidly due to dieting, disease, poor nutrition, or other factors is considered physical stress or shock to the body. Sometimes, it may cause temporary hair fall, termed telogen effluvium (15) (16).
9. Lack of sleep: There is a direct correlation between hair loss and lack of sleep. Inadequate sleep can put the body under extreme stress and produce more stress hormones, which, in turn, disrupt the normal and healthy hair growth cycle, causing hair loss. Additionally, releasing cortisol hormones due to the stress induced by insufficient sleep can produce more sebaceous oil in hair’s roots, causing them to thin and resulting in greasy hair (17).
10. Dehydration: Teenage girls may also experience hair loss due to dehydration, especially severe dehydration, which could be caused by certain diseases and conditions, such as anorexia nervosa (18). Hair loss may also occur due to the body’s inability to take up essential nutrients when dehydrated.
11. Others: Stress, interruption in the normal hair growth cycle, and using chemicals in hair products may damage hair and result in hair loss.

While some of these causes may be corrected by taking the measures mentioned above, some might need medical attention.

When To See A Doctor?

When natural ways to prevent hair loss do not bring a change, then it is good to see a doctor to identify the underlying cause of excessive hair loss. Based on the medical diagnosis, the doctor may recommend a treatment. Seek medical advice if:

• Experiencing sudden hair loss, excessive shedding, or hair falling out in clumps.
• Seeing bald patches or noticeable thinning in specific areas of the scalp.
• The scalp appears red, itchy, inflamed or has sores.
• Hair loss occurs with other unexplained symptoms like weight loss, tiredness, irregular periods, or extra hair growth in unusual places.
• A family history of hair loss or medical conditions like thyroid problems, diabetes, or PCOS exists.
• Struggling with trichotillomania and is unable to stop.
• Hair continues to thin despite eating well, taking care of hair, and managing stress.

Treatments For Hair Loss In Teenage Girls

While some causes are temporary and manageable with lifestyle changes, others may require medical intervention. Some of the common treatments doctors use to stop hair loss in teenage girls are:

1. Medications: According to Harvard Health Publishing, minoxidil helps in producing new fine hair growth. However, it may not work for all women (19). If it works in your case, your doctor may recommend you to use it continuously for a given period.

The doctor may prescribe anti-androgens to treat androgenic alopecia as well as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in females as their body makes more androgens (19).

2. Iron supplements: If the hair loss is due to deficiency of iron in the body, the doctor may prescribe iron supplements (19).
3. Antifungal therapy: When the hair loss is due to fungal infections, the doctor may prescribe anti-fungal shampoo or anti-fungal medicines (20).
4. Hair transplantation: Hair loss is often treatable through medications. But in severe cases, the doctor may recommend a hair transplant treatment. These procedures are surgical and invasive (21). Therefore, it may be used as a last resort, and when the benefits of the procedure outweigh the problems caused by hair loss. For this, you may have to wait for some years until the doctor thinks it is right to do the transplant.

Illustration: Remedies To Prevent And Treat Hair Loss In Teenage Girls

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