Losing My Hair at 22

by Ali
(UK)

Hi I am a 22 year old male one day I woke up to a beautiful day in the month of January 2008 I was getting ready to go out whilst I was styling my hair with black and white hair wax I noticed that so much hair fell out and they were all stuck to my hands at first I was little worried and forgot about it but as time passed it got worse and worse.

I went to the doctors and he told me that your hair will fall out but its temporary and it will stop and new hair will grow, but my hair still fell out so I went again and done some blood tests and they all came back normal. I have been going through stress (job related) and also I do suffer from hay fever. Furthermore I also did visit a dermatologist and he said to me that there is nothing wrong with my hair but to be honest I know my hair best they have gone so thin from all over the scalp (with no patches) I have tried the finger pull test and I have noticed hair pull out easily and do have white bubbles at the end. , also my hairline is starting to push back and my hair are going thin from the temples. But to be honest that doesn’t really bug me.

There is no history of balding in my family especially not from my father’s side there is some from my mother’s side but only receding hairline not from the crown. My father is 56 and on the Hamilton-Norwood scale II my brother is 26 and on Hamilton-Norwood scale III he takes it from my mother’s side because all my uncles (mother’s brothers) are on Hamilton-Norwood scale III and in their in their late 40’s and early 50’s..

My hair line is like my father’s with a cows lick on the right and widows peak in the middle so I hope that my hairline stays like my father’s but apart from that I am not too fussed. What I am really fussed is about my excessive hair loss they are all over my pillow, when I style them they fall out, when I wash them their all over the bath, there is no volume left in my hair I am so gutted. Would it get better and would my hair stop falling out? Would they grow back because now it’s November 2008 and my hair are still falling out.

I heard that stress also triggers it but my hair falling out is more stressing then anything so would it carry on and not stop if I am stressed or would it stop normally even if I am stressed. Also I heard you can take some tablets like Rogaine and etc but if I start these tablets do I have to carry on taking them all my life because I hate tablets.
I will really appreciate your advice just to let you know I am from south Asia Pakistan/Iran.

Editor Comments

Dear Ali,
Hairs with white hair bulbs at the end are referred to Anagen hairs as opposed to Telogen hairs. Anagen hairs are hairs that are still in the growing phase. If you are seeing a lot of white bulbs from the hairs, then it’s a sign that you are facing Anagen Effluvium.

Anagen Effluvium usually occurs after an insult to the hair follicles that prevent its growth. One of the most common causes of this condition is related to certain medications or combined medications that you are taking. Other factors like stress, allergic reaction and exposure to pollutants can also trigger this condition.