When you think of hair loss, do you generally think of it as happening only to the older generations? Well, it might be time to think again. Hair loss appears to be on the rise among younger people, including millennials — the generation born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s. Global stressors and other external factors could be causing this, but the figures may also be growing due to heightened awareness and greater understanding of the issue.
Causes of Hair Loss in Younger People
Anecdotal evidence from China suggests there could now be more instances of hair loss at a younger age. Approximately 40% of study participants in their 20s were aware of receding hair, while 25% stated their family or friends pointed out the hair loss to them.
However, this evidence isn’t in line with any other medical literature, suggesting that the results could be anomalous. But even if you discount this research completely, there’s no escaping the fact that a number of factors can cause people to start losing hair long before they reach their 40s, including:
Global issues such as conflict and pandemics
Longer working hours due to costlier living expenses
Reactions to medications
Genetics
Lifestyle choices such as diet, smoking, and drinking
The first two points on this list are especially important — the increased stress of global events can have a surprising impact on hair loss.
How Stress Affects Hair Loss
Stress doesn’t automatically cause hair loss — the expression “pulling your hair out” isn’t necessarily accurate, although some disorders, such as trichotillomania, actually do cause people to pull their hair out involuntarily.
What stress can do is interrupt the hair growth cycle. Hair goes through periods of growth, resting, and shedding. High levels of stress adjust hormone levels in the body. This can cause hair to go directly from the growing phase into the resting or shedding phase, meaning it falls out much quicker than it should. This may also cause more hair fall at one time. Waking up to fallen hair on the pillow can be alarming and confusing, as it will often occur months after a stressful incident.
This type of hair loss is called ”telogen effluvium.” It can happen at any age, so millennials who are busy and dealing with any number of external stressors could be more susceptible now than in previous years.
Millennials Are Becoming More Proactive at Dealing with Hair Loss
One of the reasons we could be seeing higher numbers of young people with hair loss is that the stigma surrounding baldness or thinning hair is finally starting to fall away. Young people aren’t as embarrassed about hair loss and are more willing to seek help. This is great news — the more people who seek help, the easier hair loss becomes to talk about. Also, in time, more treatments and options become available for those who need them.
If you’re suffering from hair loss, Genesis II can help. Book a free consultation with our team, and we’ll walk you through the available options.
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