Hair loss, especially for a teenager, can be an embarrassing and frustrating problem. Although the common translation of anagen effluvium is "hair loss," this condition actually occurs when something prevents normal hair growth. In these cases, the hair will not grow back until you identify and resolve the underlying cause. The problems that can cause hair loss at a young age are stress, poor hair care and health problems.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Determine the Cause of Hair Loss
Step 1. Ask your hairdresser about treatments and hairstyles
Some chemical processes can cause hair to break or fall out temporarily. These include bleaching, coloring, perms and treatments to make hair straight. The heat produced by the plates and hair dryers can also cause the fall.
Hairstyles that pull the hair a lot can cause "traction alopecia," which occurs because the follicles get damaged over time. If you experience skin pain, avoid tying your hair in tight ponytails or other hairstyles that pull the skin
Step 2. Consider family history
Ask your parents if there is a history of premature balding in the family. The most common cause of hair loss in adults - male or female alopecia - is genetic. However, a combination of genetic and hormonal factors can cause hair loss to begin in adolescence.
Recent studies have shown that genetic hair loss can be inherited from both parents, men and women
Step 3. Beware of too much lost hair
Losing hair - around 50-100 per day - is completely normal. However, stress and traumatic events (accidents, surgery, illness) can cause an excessive fall. Under normal conditions, hair loss returns to normal in 6-9 months, but constant stress can degenerate into permanent hair loss.
Step 4. Be careful not to pull your hair out
Teenagers often play thoughtfully with their hair, pulling or curling it. In some cases, these behaviors can be symptoms of a disorder called "trichotillomania," which prompts people to pull their hair out when they are nervous or distracted. Although this is often unintentional behavior, it can result in hairless areas in sufferers.
The disorder is often caused by stress. Consult a trichologist specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment
Step 5. Consult your family doctor or dermatologist to assess possible health problems
There are many conditions and diseases that can cause hair loss. Hormonal problems such as uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid disorders or polycystic ovary syndrome can interfere with hair growth. Lupus patients may also notice hair loss. [11] [12]
- Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, can deprive the body of the proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for hair production. Even vegetarian teens can lose their hair if they don't get enough protein from plant sources.
- Athletes are at a greater risk of hair loss because they are more vulnerable to iron deficiency anemia, which can then lead to hair loss.
Step 6. Pay attention to the presence of small round areas without hair
One or more of these spots may indicate a skin disease known as alopecia areata, which causes hair loss. This is an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to damage the follicles. Fortunately, it can be cured, and hair usually grows back within a year. Many people who suffer from it, however, continue to lose their hair repeatedly.
- Left untreated, alopecia areata can progress to total baldness or even loss of body hair. See a dermatologist for a correct diagnosis, which may require a microscopic examination of the hair or a skin biopsy.
- This ailment is not contagious.
Step 7. Ask your doctor about medications
Cancer chemotherapy is a medical treatment known to cause hair loss. However, many prescription medications - including some used to treat acne, bipolar disorder, and hyperactivity and inattention disorder - also report hair loss as a side effect. Diet pills that contain amphetamines can also cause hair loss. Show your doctor a detailed list of all the medications you are currently taking, both prescription and over-the-counter, to make sure they are not causing this problem.
Method 2 of 4: Better Hair Care
Step 1. Use products suitable for your hair type
You may feel overwhelmed, having to choose from the myriad of hair products on supermarket shelves. However, reading labels and finding shampoos and conditioners for your specific needs can be very helpful. If you dye your hair, for example, use products designed specifically for hair that has been colored. If your hair has undergone chemical treatments or damage, consider a "2-in-1" shampoo. Some hair care professionals recommend using a baby shampoo, which is gentler. Regardless of the cost, many brand name shampoos and conditioners offer the same benefits. Don't think you have to break the piggy bank to buy a quality product.
Beware of products that promise to prevent hair loss or regrow hair, as there is no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness
Step 2. Wash your hair following a regular routine
Wash your hair with a mild shampoo and conditioner once a day, especially if you have greasy hair. You may think that washing your hair every day can accelerate hair loss, but that's not the case. Hair follicles cannot function properly when they are blocked by dirt or oil. Regular washing will promote the health of the follicles and stop excessive shedding.
- Focus on cleaning the skin rather than cleaning the strands. Washing your hair alone can cause it to dry out, making it vulnerable to breakage and falling out.
- Apply conditioner after each shampoo to rehydrate and strengthen your hair. Unlike what you did with shampoo, avoid the scalp and focus on the ends of your hair when using conditioner. Using conditioner on the skin can lead to clogged and unhealthy follicles.
- Avoid drying your hair too vigorously with a towel after a shower - it could break and damage it.
Step 3. Protect your hair from heat
The heat produced by hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners can damage them, causing them to break and fall out. Avoid all processes that can cause heat damage: let your hair air dry and try hairstyles that fit your natural hair.
You may need to style your hair with heat for a special occasion. If you are forced to do this, protect your hair with specific products
Step 4. Avoid pulling your hair
Traction alopecia is caused by constant tension on the hair strands over a long period of time. Avoid braids, ponytails, and other tight hairstyles that put too much stress on your hair. When combing, curling or using the straightener to straighten your hair, be careful not to pull it. Use a fine-toothed comb to gently separate tangles. Also avoid pulling or combing your hair against the grain.
Step 5. Style your hair when it is dry
Wet hair has a tendency to stretch and break when you pull it. If you want to braid or roll your hair in any way, wait until it is dry.
Step 6. Reduce your exposure to chemicals
Be careful if you regularly dye your hair or treat it with other chemicals. Chemical processes such as perming or those that make hair straight can damage and weaken the follicles, leading to breakage and hair loss. Prolonged exposure to chemicals in swimming pools can also have a similar effect.
- If possible, avoid chemically treating your hair.
- In the pool, wear a cap to protect your hair. Use swimwear-specific products to rehydrate your scalp and hair if you swim regularly.
Method 3 of 4: Making Changes to Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
The right diet will give you the vitamins and minerals necessary for hair health. On the other hand, unbalanced diets (such as extreme vegetarian diets or those followed by people with eating disorders) often lead to falling. To avoid this problem, make sure your diet includes adequate intake of the following nutrients:
- Iron and zinc: these minerals, found in lean red meats, soy and lentils, promote the action of the follicles.
- Proteins: Meat, fish, legumes, nuts and yogurt promote cell growth and hair healing.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish such as salmon promote hair strength and shine. Other benefits include depression reduction and better heart health.
- Biotin: This B vitamin, found in eggs, is important for the healthy growth of all cells, including hair.
Step 2. Complete the diet with vitamin supplements
Some vitamins, such as D, promote hair growth and health, but are difficult to take with food. So consider taking supplements. Take a supplement with vitamins B, D, E and magnesium once a day to ensure you are getting all the essential vitamins and minerals.
While there is no direct correlation between vitamin supplements and hair loss prevention, these products will help you maintain the hair you have and its good health
Step 3. Address the stressors in your life
Hair loss can be linked to prolonged stress or very traumatic events, such as accidents or surgery. In these cases of "telogen effluvium", you may lose half or three quarters of your hair and see strands come off when you wash, comb, or run your hands through it. This is usually a temporary condition that returns to normal in 6-9 months, but can become chronic if you don't address the source of stress. Once stress is dealt with, hair usually starts growing again.
- Engage in an activity that reduces stress, such as yoga, meditation, or running. Make time in your days for the things you enjoy, and focus on bringing calm and peace back into your life.
- If stress becomes unmanageable, talk to a psychologist or therapist for help releasing tension and recovering from stress.
Method 4 of 4: Medical Treatments
Step 1. Take over-the-counter hair loss medication
Over-the-counter medications, such as Regaine, offer good results with constant use, but are aimed at stopping hair loss and not promoting hair regrowth. In very rare cases, however, regrowth occurs. You may notice shorter and less thick regrowth than normal, which will slow down if you stop taking the drug.
Step 2. Talk to a dermatologist if you exhibit extreme symptoms
Rapid hair loss at a young age should be promptly treated by a professional doctor. Hair loss in an unusual shape, such as lots of spots or a fall in a limited area, can also be a symptom of a serious problem. You should report pain, itching, redness, peeling and other abnormalities, as well as hair loss accompanied by weight gain, muscle weakness, or excessive cold or fatigue, to your doctor right away.
- The dermatologist will study your medical history and perform a hair and skin exam to diagnose the causes of the fall.
- It may also require other tests, such as a blood test, a microscopic examination of the hair, or a skin biopsy, to rule out the possibility of disease.
Step 3. Provide your dermatologist with detailed information
During the physical exam, the dermatologist will ask you a series of questions. Be prepared to share the following information:
- Do you only lose hair or do you also lose hair on the rest of your body?
- Have you noticed a trend in hair loss, such as the receding hairline or less thick hair behind the head, or instead the fall is uniform?
- Do you dye your hair?
- Do you use a hairdryer after a shower? If so, how often?
- What kind of shampoo do you use? What other products, such as gel or hairspray, do you use?
- Have you recently suffered from illness or a high fever?
- Have you been very stressed recently?
- Do you have nervous habits, like pulling your hair or scratching your scalp?
- Do you take any medications, even over the counter?
Step 4. Ask for a prescription for medications that can treat androgenetic alopecia
A dermatologist can prescribe finasteride (marketed under the name Propecia). It is available in pills to be taken every day. The purpose of the drug, however, is to stop the fall and not to promote regrowth.
Propecia is a drug that is only prescribed to men because it can put women at serious risk of fertility
Step 5. Talk to your doctor about changing drug therapy if needed
If hair loss is a side effect of a medication you are taking for another health problem - such as acne or ADHD - your doctor may be able to change your therapy.
- Never stop taking a drug, as it may worsen your underlying condition.
- If you suffer from ailments such as diabetes or thyroid problems, treating these diseases in the best possible way should reduce or prevent hair loss.
Step 6. Ask about corticosteroids as a treatment for alopecia areata
If your dermatologist diagnoses you with this autoimmune condition, ask about corticosteroids. These powerful anti-inflammatory drugs suppress your immune system and treat airy alopecia. Your dermatologist may administer these to you in three ways:
- Local injections: steroid injections directly into hair-free areas. Side effects include transient pain and temporary depressions in the skin that usually fill on their own.
- Pills: Side effects of oral corticosteroids include high blood pressure, weight gain, and osteoporosis. Because of this, pills are rarely prescribed for alopecia and only for short periods of time.
- Topical ointments: ointments or creams that contain steroids can be rubbed directly on the hair-free area. They are a less traumatic treatment than injections, which is why it is often prescribed to children and adolescents. However, this is a less effective solution.
