Experiencing Hair Loss From Temple Area and Nape'

Name: Jack

Question: Hi, I am currently 17 and have noticed slight thinning at my right temple alongside slight recession whereas my left temple has only receded a little, I had noticed this when I was 14 and since then it has progressed little... I also noticed that the sides of my head this refers to the area that is connected to the side burns has thinned a bit on the left and not on the right side...

I have also noticed that the nape area of my head tends to excessively lose hair when I due a stress test pull to see if I will lose any hairs. However this has been the case for a couple of years now and I worry that it will worsen, what can I do to counteract said developments.

Answer: Hi, Jack. We cannot diagnose the cause of your hair loss just from what you say here, however, if you are losing hair from your nape this will not be male pattern baldness as genetic hair loss only affects the top of the scalp from hairline to crown.

It may be possible that you have Telogen Effluvium which causes temporary shedding from all over the scalp and is often stress-related. This can present on its own or alongside other hair loss conditions and tends to take around three months to become noticeable, lasting no longer than six months. In its chronic form, this can last for at least six months.

Another consideration in relation to your hairline is that it is simply a maturing hairline rather than a receding hairline but a specialist would need to assess you in order to provide a confirmed diagnosis. Once the reason for your shedding has been established, an appropriate hair loss treatment course can be put together, if needed.

There are two clinically-proven Male Pattern Hair Loss treatments - one topical (minoxidil) and one oral (finasteride 1mg) which are both MHRA licensed and FDA approved for this purpose. You should also be aware that finasteride 1mg is only available to medically-suitable men aged 18 and over.

You mention doing a 'stress test' - we are assuming that by this you mean either the 60 second test or a pull test. It is worth noting that the guidelines for pull tests were revised recently as the amount of hairs that come out was noted as being far too high and could have led to false assumptions of a hair loss condition when, in fact, it was simply regular shedding.

As before, we recommend having a professional consultation - either in person or online, whichever is best for you - in order to get to the bottom of what exactly is causing your hair fall. This can provide you with the personalised information you need to decide how you feel most comfortable moving forward, as well as putting your mind at rest.