Causes of Hair Loss in Female Teenagers
Hair loss among teenage girls is generally rare, especially given that significant hair thinning among females usually occurs later in life. For perspective, a person normally loses about 50 to 100 hairs a day. For hair thinning to be noticeable, a person would have to consistently lose much ore hair than that over the course of many years.
The hair restoration surgeons at our New York, NY practice offer plenty of options for hair loss treatment. Let’s go over the common reasons or hair thinning among teenage girls and offer a quick overview of the treatment process.
Early Female Pattern Hair Thinning
Female hair thinning can begin before a female reaches adulthood. However, it would need to be significant for the hair loss to be noticeable. Unlike men, women lose hair from all over the scalp, meaning the the thinning tends to be harder to detect even if it is occurring.
Overstyling and Traction Alopecia
Tight ponytails, brains, and heavy extensions can place a great deal of stress on the scalp and your hair follicles. Additionally, bleaching, dying, straightening, and perming can all lead to scalp problems as well. Too much pulling and too much styling can make hair thinning and even bald patches more likely.
Poor Diet
A healthy diet means your body functions just the way it should. An unhealthy diet lacking in certain vitamins and nutrients, or one that’s heavy ion process foods, can result in hair loss and thinning.
Anemia
Somewhat related to the issue of diet, iron deficiency in young girls can also contribute to hair loss. If you suffer from anemia or it runs in the family, be sure to eat an iron-rich diet and take supplements as necessary.
Stress
Being a girl today can be difficult. Combine social pressures with the realities of adolescence as well as changing hormones and you have a recipe for stress. Unfortunately, stress can contribute to hair loss and hair thinning.
Certain Medications
Medications have side effects, and some may be less desirable than others. As it turns out, many teens take prescription drugs to help treat acne, depression, and mood disorders. Sometimes these drugs can cause hair loss as a side effect.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own hair follicles. This leads to bald patches in portions of the scalp. It’s estimated that 1 in 50 people will experience some degree of alopecia areata at some point of their life.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder in which a person compulsively pulls out his or her own hair. This condition affects roughly 2.5 millions people, and is most common in children between the ages of 9 and 13.
Treating Female Teenage Hair Loss
There are many options for treating female hair loss, many of which involve proper diagnosis of is cause or causes. During a visit to the practice, we can discuss your situation and offer solutions that will help promote a healthy scalp and a full head of hair.
Learn More About Treating Hair Loss
For more information about treating female hair loss and improving the density of your hair, be sure to contact our team of hair restoration specialists. We will help diagnose potential causes of hair thinning and go over all of the best options for treatment.
