Top 10 reasons for Hair Loss in your 20s and 30s

You’d agree that the 20s-30s are the most happening and eventful period of a person’s life, right? Juggling between work, family, colleagues, and thousands of other duties can lead to stress and hair loss. No wonder you have started seeing those patchy bald spots and thinning. It is essential to realize that hair is not only about what you apply topically but a plethora of factors that can lead you to hiding those pesky patches.

 

Come, let’s delve into the most common reasons of Hair Fall in today’s fast paced era:

 1. Crash Diets:

• Our 20s is the time of life where you want to look your best. Therefore, in order to lose weight and look slender we start eating little to nothing at all.
• What we don’t realise is that food is energy and hair needs energy to grow. If we lack enough of that energy, we are stripping our hair off necessary vitamins and nutrients causing deficiencies.
• So, we must focus on eating a balanced diet enriched with carbs, protein and fiber to take care of our health internally.

 2. Stress:

• Living with stress is the new normal for us. No matter how good your genetics are, stress can completely destroy your hair follicles.
• Not only career and work but personal life, overthinking, scrolling Instagram reels late at night can increase cortisol levels.
• Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss where hair sheds quickly over a short period of time. It usually occurs a few months after your body experiences physical or emotional stress.

 3. Hormonal Changes:

• Postpartum hair loss is when you experience a lot of hair falling out a few months after having a baby.
• This happens due to hormonal changes during and after pregnancy.

 4. Genetic/ DHT related Hair loss:

• Hormones also play a part, with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) being a major player. DHT is made from testosterone and is found in hair follicles, skin, and the prostate.
• As we age, hair loss tends to kick in during our 20s and 30s, but for women, it's usually more noticeable after menopause.
• Hair loss patterns differ between men and women. For guys, it often starts with a receding hairline and bald spots, while for ladies, it usually begins with thinning hair along the crown of the scalp.

 5. Wearing tight hairstyles, use of helmets:

Wearing a helmet doesn't directly cause hair loss, but certain factors related to prolonged helmet use can contribute to hair-related issues. Here's how:

• Traction Alopecia
  Cause: If a helmet fits too tightly or is worn for long periods, it can exert constant pressure and pull on the hair. Over time, this pulling can weaken hair roots and lead to a condition known as traction alopecia. Also, constant friction between helmets/headgears and hair can result in uprooting of hair from the roots.
• In women, traction alopecia can result in wearing tight hairstyles like ponytails, buns, braids, cornrows, or extensions messing up your hair in the long run. The constant pulling can weaken your hair roots, leading to hair loss, especially around your hairline and temples.
• These styles can also make your hair break off, get thinner, and look patchy, even if your hair follicles are still hanging in there. All that tugging can also cause inflammation in the scalp, causing redness, pain, and scarring that could disrupt your hair growth.
• If you're rocking heavy extensions or weaves, you're adding even more stress to your poor hair, which could lead to bald spots. To keep your hair looking good in the long haul, try not to wear tight hairstyles too often, opt for lighter extensions, and give your hair a break every now and then to help it grow healthy and strong.

 

 6. Underlying medical conditions:

• Losing your locks can be a real nightmare but it's not always just bad luck. Hair loss can actually be a sneaky symptom of a bunch of different medical issues.
• For example, cancer treatments like chemo and radiation can be real hair-raising experiences, literally, as they target those fast-growing cells and cause some serious shedding. Thyroid problems can also mess with your mane, whether it's making your hair thin out or turning into straw.
• Getting those hormones in check can help get your locks back on track. And let's not forget about the importance of a balanced diet - low levels of iron, vitamin D, biotin, or protein can leave your hair feeling weak and shedding like crazy. But fear not, a few dietary tweaks or supplements can usually get those strands back into shape.
• Then there's the hormonal havoc wreaked by conditions like PCOS, which can make your hairline start to look a little sparse. Autoimmune disorders like alopecia areata or lupus can also be culprits, attacking your hair follicles like they're the enemy. Even chronic illnesses like celiac disease can sneakily lead to hair thinning by interrupting with nutrient absorption.

But hey, once you get that stress under control, your hair should start to come back to life.

 

 7. Poor lifestyle and self care habits:

 Bad lifestyle habits like smoking, drinking, hitting the bed at late hours, poor food choices, not oiling and moisturising the hair and scalp, keeping scalp dirty and not washing it for days can result in poor scalp flora and hindered hair growth.

 8. Environmental Conditions:

• As the seasons change in phases, so does our hair and its quality. The humidity in summer pollutes our scalp environment, generating excessive sebum and attracting dust clogging hair follicles.
• In winters, lack of moisture causes dryness and dandruff and in the autumn and fall months, it's more typical for hair to do the same.
• It has also been noticed that change to a different city or environment and use of hard water for the washing of hair is also a huge reason for hair to dramatically shed due to the sudden change of environmental conditions.

 9. Low quality hair care products:

Most commercial haircare products available in worldwide markets are infested with harmful ingredients, some of them as harmful as containing dangerous carcinogens. From shampoos to oils, unfortunately, we are accustomed to using synthetic and adulterated products marketed as ‘natural’. Far from the truth, these gimmicks should be understood by consumers as motivation to be choosy with what they wish to apply to their skin and hair and only choose real and transparent brands.

 10. Side effects of medication:

Certain drugs, thyroid medications, blood thinners, vaccinations and contraceptives can have adverse effects on hair health. Even the most commonly prescribed active for hair loss conditions ( specifically in androgenetic alopecia) , minoxidil, can result in dramatic shedding once use is discontinued.