Teenage Hair Loss

As a rule teenagers do not suffer from hair loss but there are many cases where this has happened. Even teens that have hair loss issues in their family usually do not experience teenage hair loss because it usually occurs much later in life. The first step to managing hair loss in teenagers is to discover the cause. This should be done quickly if you want to prevent hair loss and permanent damage.

One type of teenage hair loss that is seen is alopecia areata which is the same type of hair loss that that can often be found in adults. The teenager might notice small round patches of baldness which occur suddenly. If this condition is caught and treated early there is a good chance that the hair loss can be reversed. There are medications that can be provided by your doctor but you need to seek medical attention quickly.

Another type of teenage hair loss is called tinea capitis which is also known in lay terms as ring worms. This is a type of fungus that will cause teenagers to lose their hair in patches. Fortunately this is a condition that can be cured with treatment. It is especially important to get treatment for this condition because it is contagious. There are anti-fungal shampoos which will effectively treat this condition but regular shampoo will not stop the condition from spreading.

Teenagers today tend to wear some extreme hair styles such as hair extensions, spikes, excessive coloring, hair weaving, bleaching, and tight hair styles. This can lead to a condition known as traction alopecia. There are many things that can lead to this condition so if the teenager is experiencing hair loss you should look at the way they are treating their hair. Discontinuing extreme hair treatment will usually restore healthy hair growth.

In rare cases teenager hair loss will be due to male pattern baldness. This is a condition that usually appears much later in life but it can appear in teens. Hair loss treatments can be used to treat this condition but they are limited in their success. Your doctor may have some recommendations if your teen has this condition. They will usually not want to do anything radical at such a young age.

Hair loss in teenagers can be devastating for the teen so the best option it to start treatment as soon as you think there might be a problem.