Why is My Hair Thinning Rapidly?'

Name: 

Sebastian

Question: Hello, I'm a 20 year old (soon 21) from Sweden that's experiencing crazy shedding, it started a couple of months ago pretty much out of nowhere. My brother that's 26 has 0 hair loss and my father who is 53 now has never lost a strand of hair pretty much, and yet here I come and start losing hair like crazy. What has made me the most paranoid too is that when I drag my fingers through my hair on the side of my head, above the ear, I also get a lot of hair? That's not even characteristic for androgenic hair loss right?! I mean in that case I should mostly lose hair on my vertex/temples etc.

Answer: Hi, Sebastian. Your hair loss could well be due to a temporary condition called Telogen Effluvium or, if it has persisted for more than six months, Chronic Telogen Effluvium.

These hair loss conditions generally present around three months after the trigger incident. This can be a side effect of medication, diet, stress - emotional or physical such as an illness or infection, smoking, dehydration, rapid weight loss or lack of sleep - the list goes on...

The best way to tell is if the hair is shedding from all over your scalp - including the sides and the back - then it is likely to be a temporary condition that can right itself naturally once the underlying cause has been dealt with. Telogen effluvium treatment can also be used to accelerate this process.

If the hair loss is only from the top of the scalp and/or around the hairline then this is almost certainly male pattern hair loss. Unfortunately it is possible for this condition to skip generations or for the gene to be present in some people but not active. This means they can pass the gene on to their children but whether or not it remains dormant or becomes active in them is pretty much a genetic lottery.

Genetic hair loss can be exacerbated or triggered in those with the gene by a number of things including dietary imbalances, illness, stress and smoking. It can also be activated following - or during - a bout of one of the temporary hair loss conditions listed above.

There are clinically-proven treatments for male hair loss that can produce significant regrowth results. First though, we recommend you receive a personal consultation and diagnosis to determine the precise cause of your hair fall.  If you would like a personalised diagnosis, and treatment recommendations if necessary, as you live in Sweden you can complete a free online consultation and one of our specialists will be in touch with you.