Are Millennials Losing Their Hair Earlier?

Hair loss can be difficult for anyone but has typically been associated with advancing age. Imagine being only in your 20s or 30s and experiencing it! Millennials, those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, are noticing that they are beginning to lose their hair much earlier than their older siblings. What could be the cause for the premature receding hairline? Of course genetics can always play a big role in hair loss, but let’s take a look at a few other possibilities.

Stress

Stress is a well-known potential cause of hair loss. There are a couple of types of hair loss due to high stress:

Telogen effluvium – If you are consistently stressed, your body can begin to cause irregularities within the hair cycle, which can cause your hair to shed. Significant stress can push the follicles into the resting phase, causing the hair growth to stop.

Trichotillomania – The irresistible urge to pull out your hair could be way to deal with negative feelings (tension, loneliness or frustration).

Alopecia areata – Hair loss is caused because the body’s immune system is attacking the hair follicles.

There are a number of reasons millennials are under stress, including school, work, relationship problems and emotional stress.

Nutrition

Your diet can directly impact the health of your hair. A poor diet, with a lack of the right nutrients (including vitamins A, C, D and E, zinc, iron and protein) may slow down hair growth and potentially cause hair loss. With the more popular adoption of a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, particularly among millennials, an individual may not be getting enough protein and iron (which meat is a great source of) and could be a factor in hair loss. Eating a balanced diet and including supplements of iron and protein (if vegetarian/vegan) is important for healthy hair.

Hairstyle

Many of the popular hairstyles among millennials could be a contributing factor to hair loss. Excessive bleaching and coloring of your hair can cause hair breakage. Styles such as high ponytails, tight braids (cornrows) and man-buns, can also cause your hair to break and lead to hair loss.

What can I do about it?

Signs of hair loss, especially in millennials, can often be stopped! You can do this by lowering your emotional stress, eating a balanced dit and being aware of the stress your hairstyle can be putting on your hair. If, after altering your lifestyle to a healthier one, you are still losing your hair, NeoGraft may be the right option for you. The NeoGraft FUE method is a minimally invasive procedure in which hair follicles are taken from the back of your head and placed in the thinning or balding areas on the top of the head. For additional information about the benefits of the NeoGraft procedure, please check out our blog post.

Feel like you are prematurely losing your hair? If you’re ready to regain your confidence and get a fuller, healthier head of hair, contact us to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Broadway. This Denver-area, board-certified plastic surgeon and hair transplant specialist will help you to determine which treatment may be best for you. Call 303.680.8989 or email info@broadwaymd.com.