Premature Baldness – Signs, Causes, and Treatment Options
Hair loss can be a nightmare for those who prioritize their appearances. It’s normal to lose hair as you grow old, but what if your hair starts losing at an early/young age?
Premature baldness is a profanity for a young individual, but there are ways to reverse it. This has become a common concern due to the higher pollution rate and several other factors, like stress, poor diet, hereditary, and other health issues. Millions of young individuals worldwide deal with this issue nowadays, and many don’t even seek professional help.
A significant issue with most premature bald patients is the lack of awareness. They don’t observe and identify early signs of premature baldness or equivalent hair loss issues, and their situations worsen.
Around 25% of men in the 18-25 age group face premature baldness, which is increasing drastically. Though women are statistically not even close to men in terms of facing premature baldness, some suffer due to this annoying issue.
Hair loss experts and dermatologists worldwide keep emphasizing that premature baldness can be prevented if treated promptly. The core intent of this blog is to educate every young individual about the early warning signs of balding starting from 18 years of age so that they can seek professional medical help on time.
What Is Premature Baldness?
Premature baldness is when an individual (mostly men) faces premature hair loss at a very early age (most likely in their 20s) and eventually goes bald. Premature baldness can be considered a type of male pattern baldness.
In this situation, hair loss starts when an individual is too young, and the severity of hair loss keeps increasing until they go bald. In most men, premature baldness starts with hair thinning in different portions of the head and takes a severe form eventually.
That’s why diagnosing the condition initially and starting the necessary baldness treatment procedure to stop the progression is essential.
Signs and Symptoms of Premature Baldness
Premature balding is not an overnight thing; it takes considerable time for an individual to go bald. As you detect the early signs of balding at 18, it’s possible to stop the progression of this issue.
The signs of premature baldness are similar to those of general hair fall. An adult man may lose around 50-100 hairs daily, which is considered normal.
However, certain signs appear as the process of premature balding takes place. We are going to discuss these signs in detail.
Your Hairlines Start Receding
This should be considered one of the most vital signs of balding in the 18 age group. This symptom is associated with early male pattern baldness as well. As your hairlines start receding, the sides and frontal part of your hair become thinner. Though the thinning process goes on slowly, it’s recognizable if you pay attention.
The hairlines from the frontal part of your head keep going away from your face. Your forehead becomes wider; the same happens with the sides of your head.
It’s also possible that the hairlines of your sides and frontal head will gradually create an ‘M’ shape as they keep thinning.
Hair Thinning Starts in the Temples
Thinning temples can be a crucial indicator of balding at a young age. The hair on your temples won’t recede easily due to general hair fall issues. When that happens, you must take it as a warning sign.
Hair Thinning Occurs All Over Your Head
Thinning certain portions of your hair is normal, but what if hair thinning starts all over your head? Well, it’s one of the primary signs of balding from 18 years of age. It’s completely normal to experience hair fall at 18. But if the hair on your head starts thinning, pay attention to the sign and seek a hair loss expert’s help.
Hair Thinning of the Top Head
The hair on the top of your head is less likely to thin in your 20s unless you have an underlying condition. It’s also an indicative factor of early-age hair loss. If you’re encountering this issue, wasting further time will only deteriorate your condition. It’s time you should seek a hair loss treatment specialist immediately.
Bulges of Hair Keep Falling Out
Did bulges or hair fall out from your head a few times lately? It’s not normal in any way and is also an evident sign of early-age hair loss.
So, these are the most usual early signs of balding at 18. If you’ve noticed any of these early signs recently, it will be wise for you to seek expert hair loss consultation.
What Causes Premature Baldness?
Healthy hair is the source of confidence for most men. Excessive hair falls at 18 can take away your night’s sleep. But not every man facing premature baldness is responsible for their issues.
Genetic issues and hormonal problems play pivotal roles in triggering premature baldness. Also, certain underlying conditions may be responsible for extensive hair loss. We will discuss the most common factors behind premature baldness to raise awareness in men.
Hereditary Issues
Most young men inherit hair fall problems from their ancestors and go bald at an early age. This is the most common reason behind premature baldness, as you have no control over your genetic features. You’re already at risk if you have a family history of premature balding or other hair fall issues.
Improper Dietary Habits
Like every other aspect of your life, the health of your hair is strongly connected to your dietary habits. Inadequate intake of essential nutrients and vitamins can lead to premature hair loss. A balanced diet can help you reverse your hair fall issues to some extent if malnutrition is the reason behind your hair fall problems.
Thyroid Problems
Imbalanced thyroid hormone production in your body can affect your hair health adversely. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism cause hair loss if not managed timely.
Telogen Effluvium
It’s normal for hair threads to fall out in the Telogen phase, but many hair threads fall out at once when Telogen Effluvium takes place. People start panicking as too many hair threads suddenly fall out. Ongoing stress or physical illness are the common triggers that cause Telogen Effluvium. Managing the triggering factor can help you get rid of this issue.
Alopecia Areata
This autoimmune disease is alarming and a key factor behind early-age hair loss. The immune system of an individual with Alopecia Areata targets the hair follicles of a particular area in the head. As a result, the hair threads of that particular area fall out at once, creating a bald patch.
Dihydrotestosterone
It’s a bi-hormone that derives from testosterone. If baldness is in your genetic pattern, your hair follicles will become sensitive to Dihydrotestosterone eventually. This bi-hormone causes your hair follicles to shrink and ultimately leads to hair fall.
So, these are the most prevalent triggers behind early male pattern baldness and premature balding. Hair loss diagnosis is a critical factor behind your baldness and the first step to cure.
How To Treat Premature Baldness?
Once you face any warning signs of balding or major hair loss at 18, you should immediately approach a hair loss expert for treatment. DHI International medical group is a global leader in the hair restoration and hair transplant industry. In this segment, we will discuss the most beneficial treatment plans for premature baldness.
There are two conventional methods to treat premature baldness- medications or hair care products and hair transplantation. If your issue is caused due to an underlying condition or hormonal imbalances, you must visit a professional hair loss specialist.
After the initial check-up, the doctor will prescribe medications to fix your problem. Based on your condition, the doctor may ask for blood tests or other diagnostic tests before prescribing medication.
If your problem doesn’t get resolved with medication and other hair loss treatments then hair transplantation is what the doctors would opt for.
Does Hair Transplant Procedure Become Successful Before an Age of 24 Years?
Hair loss is a progressive condition, and finding the trigger behind it in an individual is also complicated. Consequently, predicting the type of baldness one will develop in their 20s is nearly impossible.
So, a hair transplant before 24 may or may not be successful for an individual but may vary from case to case. Though there are no age restrictions related to hair transplants, you should proceed only if your doctor suggests it.
How DHI- Direct Hair Implantation Technique Will Help in Premature Baldness?
The efficiency of the DHITM – Direct Hair Implantation technique in helping patients with baldness is acknowledged worldwide. DHI international medical group possibilities to make you look new with the help of the world’s most advanced hair transplantation technique.
The best part of the DHI implanter is that it gives the surgeons complete control over the angles, depths, and directions of the implanted hair. This makes it possible to implant grafts exactly how you want. As a result, the implanted hair looks way more natural.
Another essential side of the DHITM technique is that it is also a friendly choice for people with long hair. Also, it is possible to implant 12,000 plus follicles for a complete transformation, in a single session using the DHI implanter. The DHI technique ensures a 97% graft survival rate. Alongside, there are no risks of infections because, in DHI medical group, all procedures are performed as per exhaustively documented protocols accredited with UK CQC and ISO and all the DHI clinics follow sterile facilities and safety protocols religiously.
The utilization of sophisticated and top-grade instruments (extractor and implanter) makes the entire process safer. The Direct Hair Implantation process is accomplished while strictly adhering to the standard protocols.
If you have premature baldness, the DHITM technique can help you get hair implanted precisely how you want, with an astounding graft survival rate. DHI has a wide range of hair loss treatments for people who are suffering from premature baldness and looking for hair loss treatments. Also, DHI medical group offers post-implant care to ensure that patients don’t suffer in any way.
Wrapping Up
Premature balding may seem fearsome to a young adult who’s all about fashion and looks. In reality, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Convenient treatment plans are available for premature baldness.
As long as you don’t ignore the early signs of balding at 18-24 years of age mentioned above and seek treatment at the initial stage, you need not worry. Try to follow healthy dietary routines and avoid stress to retain decent hair health. In case you need hair transplantation, DHI technology is there to make you exactly how you look.
This content is written and reviewed by Dr. Sanjeev Paria and Dr. Sambhav Upadhayay.