19 year old male, hair loss?!?!?

All that you need to know and do about your hair loss.

19 year old male, hair loss?!?!?

by Nick Barnes
(San Antonio, Texas, United States)

I just moved down to Texas from Idaho for school, about 3 months ago, and I've noticed my hair has gotten really thin, and I've been losing a lot of it every time I take a shower, and when I wake up it's on my pillow, but what I have been noticing even more which scares me, is that my hair shafts themselves feel really thin. Like they aren't thick and rich shafts, they feel like baby hair almost (not quite), and it seems to keep thinning.

I have another problem as well. I all of a sudden became impotent?!? What in the world?? I've never been sexually active? Could these 2 be related? Does this sound like TE? I am really confused, and I've been to a doctor who said that it's probably just the environment, but that's stupid, because a normal person doesn't react in such a way to the environment where his/her bodily functions all of a sudden just shut down do they? What's going on?

My scalp is itchy too. I take showers regularly, but I am reluctant to wash my hair, because every time I do I keep losing hair, and it feels really thin, and I definitely don't have as much as I did even a month ago! What the heck is going on? Has anybody had this happen? I've been under a lot of stress, but it was because my hair was falling out. So I don't think stress actually induced the thinning of my hair. But maybe? I don't know what to do. Could it be a hormonal imbalance? What are the chances of actually getting my hair back? When I do the hair pull test, I notice that the ends of the hairs are white feel like they barely are even attached to my scalp.

I am so lost, I've spoken to a herbal doctor and he said that it could be excessive DHT? If DHT is the case, (It's not genetic in my family, there aren't any bald family members) would I have a chance of regrowing my hair since I am still pretty young? Lastly, it doesn't look like I have lost a lot of hair just by looking in the mirror, but I can tell by the way it feels; it feels extremely fine and not very dense at all, and even the lady who cuts my hair mentioned it. (She had hair all over her hands after she shampooed my scalp) So I am really lost. My hair has always been really thick, and grew fast and has always been healthy. And it's thinning all over and not in any particular spot.

I'm really sorry for the length of the story, but I just want to make sure I have mentioned everything.

Editor’s Comments

Hello there Nick, welcome to the Surviving-Hairloss.com community and thank you for sharing your story about sudden hair loss. As I am not able to really diagnose your condition, I'll try my best to help answer some of your questions. Sudden hair loss is not related to DHT because Male Pattern Baldness is a gradual process and does not occur in a few days.

One of a few factors in losing a huge amount of hair is usually related to excessive stress physically or mentally. As your condition happened coincidentally 3 months after you moved to Texas, what I think is that you are facing an environmental change that you may have yet adapt. Changes in weather, time zone, diet and an abrupt change of your normal lifestyle can have an impact on your health so it’s really a possible cause of your sudden hair loss. Different environmental especially dry weather can also have an affect on irregular sebum production, leading to an oily scalp.

You might also be having a lot of stress while planning and arranging for moving down to Texas and that can be relatively stressful too. Saying goodbye to close friends and things that you missed back from you where came from can also be a burden to you emotionally. In some cases, stress itself can be directly related to your temporary ‘impotency’ and it's actually quite common. But sometimes, it might just be a psychological reaction.

Another possible reason for your hair loss as well as oily scalp is hormonal changes in your body as you are approaching your adulthood. This stage is also temporary and your hair loss and oily scalp will subside through time.

What I can say that you should observe your current hair loss situation for a few weeks by counting the amount of hairs that you lose per day. If you are still losing more hairs (>100) after 2-3 weeks, consider seeing a doctor to get a full medical check up. If your hair loss is reducing to its normal levels at (50-100 hairs a day) then you shouldn’t worry too much about it. It can just be a case of Telogen Effluvium.

Try sleeping early, reduce stress, cut down on oily food and exercise frequently. That way your body’s momentum will strengthen and it will help with your hair loss. Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and junk food too. I don’t really recommend any kind of medications for your case unless your situation gets worse. All the best to you.

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19 year old male, hair loss?!?!?

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Jun 01, 2010
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me again update
by: mitch

I actually buzz my own head now and then shave the sides with a razor about once a week. If Im not doing that I wear a hat I usually do wear a hat anyways especially when it sunny or in the winter because of extreme weather, but if you buzz the top of your head and then shave the sides it grows in looking normal or if your starting to go bald it might work better for you than me. My hair is thin on top but if its longer than the sides it looks more normal because its a lighter shade when there the same length, but I buzz the top and shave the sides to make it the same "shade" and it definatly looks healthier I use regular thicking shampoo. SHower after you work out or all sweaty and shower evryday or every other day but its alright evrynow and then to give your hair a break and let it rest and not take a shower but for the most part wash it. 2...Just make sure you get new razors often and buy a reasonably nice buzzer I got mine for ten bucks it comes with all the exstention. I also exersice alot by running stretching and pushups situps sometimes a run two miles 3 or 4 times a week. But Im leaveing for the basic training soon so thats why. But nutrtion wise fruits and vegtables have natural sugars in them way better for you than candy and bullshit. I love steak and shit like that and fish like tuna. Pees and tuna mix it excellent choice in iron and protien. And I take multi vitamins drink monsters and Gatorade and alot of water.make sure you drink milk and get daairy in there have a nice breakfest. when it comes to bread and stuff baked foods really are not the best thing for you cause there kinda of calories without anything your body really uses I do eat bread but Im trying to cutt down on that crap. Anyways I have a girlfriend now hope this helps Mitch.

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Jun 01, 2010
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Submitted by: mitch

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I actually buzz my own head now and then shave the sides with a razor about once a week. If Im not doing that I wear a hat I usually do wear a hat anyways especially when it sunny or in the winter because of extreme weather, but if you buzz the top of your head and then shave the sides it grows in looking normal or if your starting to go bald it might work better for you than me. My hair is thin on top but if its longer than the sides it looks more normal because its a lighter shade when there the same length, but I buzz the top and shave the sides to make it the same "shade" and it definatly looks healthier I use regular thicking shampoo. SHower after you work out or all sweaty and shower evryday or every other day but its alright evrynow and then to give your hair a break and let it rest and not take a shower but for the most part wash it. 2...Just make sure you get new razors often and buy a reasonably nice buzzer I got mine for ten bucks it comes with all the exstention. I also exersice alot by running stretching and pushups situps sometimes a run two miles 3 or 4 times a week. But Im leaveing for the basic training soon so thats why. But nutrtion wise fruits and vegtables have natural sugars in them way better for you than candy and bullshit. I love steak and shit like that and fish like tuna. Pees and tuna mix it excellent choice in iron and protien. And I take multi vitamins drink monsters and Gatorade and alot of water.make sure you drink milk and get daairy in there have a nice breakfest. when it comes to bread and stuff baked foods really are not the best thing for you cause there kinda of calories without anything your body really uses I do eat bread but Im trying to cutt down on that crap. Anyways I have a girlfriend now hope this helps Mitch.

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May 29, 2010
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Why me?
by: Anonymous

I'm 19 and just finished high school, with very visible hair thinning and fallout. I noticed earlier (about 18) that I was losing hair rapidly and tried numerous things to remedy the situation over my last year of school. I had first noticed after my girlfriend dyed my hair black for a party, that my hair went from a Justin Bieber-like haircut to a stage my fringe would grow only from the crown, with two obvious gaps either side, revealing forehead. However before then I had pretty thick hair!

The obvious answer to the problem I thought may have been stress, completing school and anticipating uni acceptance for next year. But now that's all over I seem still stressed, and still losing hair. I also work a lot, shifts during the day and later shifts during the night, often finishing at 10pm/11pm. Thus getting to sleep by midnight, so I have an irregular sleeping pattern caused by irregular working pattern.

My hair is oily and I don't use conditioner, only shampoo each night. I've tried numerous shampoo's to deal with the problem but there seems to be no difference. My hair is no longer long, but instead flat, oily, thin, and takes an incredibly long time to to grow out. That's why I seldom have a haircut, maybe every 4/5 months? And I've noticed it unevenly grows out, so that the back grows long and is fairly thick but the top, the crown and my sides barely grow at all, regardless of
time.

My family (both sides) all have thick hair - grandparents, uncles, etc. But out of all the family my Dad is the only one with similar symptoms, though started with a receding hairline in his mid-20's. I've seen Doctor's, naturopath's and I've only been recommended Zinc powder (as Dad and I are extremely deficient :/) but given time the only good that Zinc seems for is the Placebo effect, giving me hope than doing anything good in the long run.

I also tried Rogaine but with little luck.
And "Buzz-cut"?, it just showed further my receding hairline!

And while everyone (myself included) that suffers from this life change, asks, "why me?" I can't help but sneer at guys my age & older than me that have stylised hair, straighten it daily without any effects, and/or dye it/gel it often. Even though I'm told statistically 2/3 will experience balding, even at a young age. Well I fail to see it...
As a result my life has become a destructive cycle of stress and self-consciousness; I don't eat properly/enough, I don't have a regular or enough sleep; I hate going into town because I feel I'm being stared at, as well potentially running into old school peers that prefer in conversation to look at my head as opposed to my face.

I'd just like some simple remedy other than diagnosing it as MPB; treating it with voodoo recipes, using expensive Rogaine, or buying dodgy laser tharapy products that are supposed to stimulate the follicle.

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May 29, 2010
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Submitted by: Anonymous

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I'm 19 and just finished high school, with very visible hair thinning and fallout. I noticed earlier (about 18) that I was losing hair rapidly and tried numerous things to remedy the situation over my last year of school. I had first noticed after my girlfriend dyed my hair black for a party, that my hair went from a Justin Bieber-like haircut to a stage my fringe would grow only from the crown, with two obvious gaps either side, revealing forehead. However before then I had pretty thick hair! The obvious answer to the problem I thought may have been stress, completing school and anticipating uni acceptance for next year. But now that's all over I seem still stressed, and still losing hair. I also work a lot, shifts during the day and later shifts during the night, often finishing at 10pm/11pm. Thus getting to sleep by midnight, so I have an irregular sleeping pattern caused by irregular working pattern. My hair is oily and I don't use conditioner, only shampoo each night. I've tried numerous shampoo's to deal with the problem but there seems to be no difference. My hair is no longer long, but instead flat, oily, thin, and takes an incredibly long time to to grow out. That's why I seldom have a haircut, maybe every 4/5 months? And I've noticed it unevenly grows out, so that the back grows long and is fairly thick but the top, the crown and my sides barely grow at all, regardless of time. My family (both sides) all have thick hair - grandparents, uncles, etc. But out of all the family my Dad is the only one with similar symptoms, though started with a receding hairline in his mid-20's. I've seen Doctor's, naturopath's and I've only been recommended Zinc powder (as Dad and I are extremely deficient :/) but given time the only good that Zinc seems for is the Placebo effect, giving me hope than doing anything good in the long run. I also tried Rogaine but with little luck. And "Buzz-cut"?, it just showed further my receding hairline! And while everyone (myself included) that suffers from this life change, asks, "why me?" I can't help but sneer at guys my age & older than me that have stylised hair, straighten it daily without any effects, and/or dye it/gel it often. Even though I'm told statistically 2/3 will experience balding, even at a young age. Well I fail to see it... As a result my life has become a destructive cycle of stress and self-consciousness; I don't eat properly/enough, I don't have a regular or enough sleep; I hate going into town because I feel I'm being stared at, as well potentially running into old school peers that prefer in conversation to look at my head as opposed to my face. I'd just like some simple remedy other than diagnosing it as MPB; treating it with voodoo recipes, using expensive Rogaine, or buying dodgy laser tharapy products that are supposed to stimulate the follicle.

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May 19, 2010
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21 goin on 22 goin on hairless.
by: Anonymous

So I noticed my hair start falling out when I was 18. I am almost 22 and I see that my hair line has risen and I am getting the widows peeks. The baldness gene runs on both sides of my family, but it not only skips a generation but it doesn't happen till someone in in their 30's, or 40's. It was just strange that I went from long thick manageable hair to thinning damaged hair.

Since it started I been a stress wreck and its still coverable and not really noticeable, but I notice it like crazy. IT is also strange that some days I don't notice my hair, but others it is falling out like crazy. I am currently not using shampoo right now and just thoroughly rinsing my hair. It's clean no oil, and smells fine, but it's still falling out. I am trying to eat a more balance diet, and been looking up vitamin supplements. I am kind of afraid of taking propecia, and any major dependant chemicals. I am going to look at the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha thing. Some of the out of balance thing describe the situation really wel..

May 06, 2010
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Pitta
by: DP

your hair loss and your problems are because of pitta

in traditional ayurveda (natural mind and body medicine) pitta is known as heat or fire.

You probably are experiencing being very hot, sweating, anger, stress, competitiveness. Your impotence is because of pitta

When your pitta is too high, it will cause impotency.

Look up how to balance pitta, and this will solve your problems.

Trust me, im 19 and going through the same problems. My symptoms are healing because I have been balancing the three doshas. Vata, Pitta, and kapha

dont take modern medicines, it will only make your symptoms worse. it wont solve the root of the problem, modern medicine just covers it up.

Dec 13, 2009
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Same Story
by: Anonymous

yea im 19 too and found this page looking for reasons why i could be losing my hair. I have dramatically lost hair in the last few weeks. My temple area is receding horribly but i think ive come to a conclusion that is stress with school right now because of how this hair loss came out of nowhere and the stress ive been under studying to become an engineer. I was just wondering and im sure this fellow 19 yr old is too, will stress caused hair loss at 19 be permanent or is there a chance it can come back after the stress subsides?

Dec 08, 2009
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YOOOOOOOOOOOOO
by: Mitch

Yea dude Im feeling the pain Im 19 and my hair is falling out as well. Im from new york lived here most my life. Well my hair starting falling out of the back and top when I was 17 almost 18 so its almost been two years. I use to wear hats a lot, smoked, drank, still do. My hairs getting worse though starting to get a receding hair line thats noticeable. I would say buzz your head and use thickening shampoo with apple ingredients and coco nut ingredients. Dont shave it with a razor , just dont do it!!!!!!!! But anyways I always have had thick hair but I was swimming when I was 17 and hit my head on concrete and a chunk of hair came out the back of my head around the same time I was drunk and hit the back of my head on a nail and there was a descent gash , a couple of months later my sister buzzed my head, a couple days later a kid on my bus said I was going bald and he was right ( I always hated that kid) but it progressively got worse after that. I started using shampoos with minoxidil hair sometimes grew back but always fell out. I think maybe that crap made it worse maybe if I would of used normal healthy shampoo it would of helped, but now its looking pretty hopeless I hope I'm a candidate for hair transplant :/ .

Jun 16, 2009
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Hair heading to the pnt of no return
by: Anonymous

Im 22 and I've been gradualy losing my hair since I was about 18 or so. I really don't know what to do, their are no bald people in my family. Even my grandpas' from both sides of the family have plenty of hair, and my moms brothers have nice thick hair as well. I don't have any medical conditions, and I've eaten the same way I always have. I've played sports my whole life up until freshman yr in college. My hair is really starting to thin up front and down the center; and my hair line has raised about an inch ever since I've noticed it has been falling out, I know because every time I shave I would use the head of the razor from eyebrow to hair line and notice that it keeps on raising overtime. My hair is thining all over pretty evenly to, no in just one area, although its becoming more noticable up front. I really don't know what to do. Anything I can do?

Jan 28, 2009
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38 but same results
by: Anonymous

I had friends who lost their hair very young like you did. I'm 38 and retained most of mine until now.

My hair started falling out for about the last year, it also got itchy. I also had extremely frequent urination (every 30 minutes). I went tot the family doc and he said I have prostatitis, which is a urinary bacteria of some sort. I'm starting antibiotics today.

I have no idea if this has something to do with my hair loss but I did find this article that explains some of the non-genetic reasons for hair loss:

http://tiny.cc/UrXGX

Jan 06, 2009
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DERMATOLOGIST?
by: Anonymous

I would say maybe if you went to a dermatolgist to see what they think? It wouldn't hurt, and you never know what could be causing this...it could be something bizarre that you never even thought of...

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