RSS FeedHair Loss Starting at 20. What to Do?Posted by doctorhasson on January 25th, 2010
I am turning 20 in a couple of months and have been experiencing hair loss for a year now. My temples are slowly receding and my hair is becoming flimsy and thin. My hair loss is at a point where it is only really noticeable to myself and I comb my hair in a way that hides it. I have hair loss on both sides of my family with the most extreme form being type Va. What can I do at this point to help my deal with the hair loss? I will need a transplant one day, but right now I still have hair on my head, although I can tell its thinning and I will eventually lose it. Is there any way that you can predict a patients hairless while they still have enough hair not to be considered bald? I don’t want to wait until I am completely bald to fix my hair. — M.S.
Thanks for the question, M.S. It is difficult to predict the eventual state of your hair loss. You may follow the pattern that other family members experienced but it isn’t necessarily the case. The best course of action at your age is to see a doctor about a prescription of finasteride. Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) slows or stops thinning in the mid-scalp and crown and may also promote some regrowth in those areas. It is only occasionally effective for slowing hair loss in the hairline. After taking the medication for a couple of years, a hair transplant doctor will be in a better position to know whether surgery is a good option for you. For now, you’ll have to wait and see.
— Victor Hasson, MD.