Hormones
From puberty through adulthood, the changes occurring in a girl’s body can be overwhelming. Not only are they maturing physically, mentally, and emotionally, but these changes are caused by a surge of hormones that can further intensify their development.
As hormone levels naturally rise during the teenage years, this is also when hormone-related conditions emerge. These can include the following: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, and lupus—all known to cause hair loss (or even excessive hair growth).
Stress
The physical and emotional changes that teenage girls experience can cause stress that may go unnoticed. This can lead to hair loss and even baldness, or to actions that cause it (such as anxiety-induced hair pulling).
One of the more interesting factors in stress-induced hair loss is oxygen deprivation in the dermal papilla. The dermal papilla is a structure at the base of the hair follicle that contains bundles of blood vessels.
These blood vessels are responsible for delivering nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles.
When you are stressed, shallow breathing is a common phenomenon. As a result, less oxygen is taken into your body, and therefore less of it reaches the hair. This means your hair is deprived of an essential component, and it also means less waste (CO2) is removed from the scalp.
Medications
From premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) to severe acne and depression, there are several conditions that may require teenage girls to take prescription medications.
While these medications can certainly help treat one problem, they may cause unpleasant side effects, such as increased hair loss.
Of course, essential medication should not be discontinued without your doctor’s approval. However, it is worthwhile to discuss the side effects you are experiencing with your doctor, as they may be able to help.
Poor Nutrition
Unfortunately for many teenagers, eating a healthy and balanced diet is not their strong suit. While most will get through their teenage years unscathed and without long-term effects, a significant deficiency can lead to problems at that time, including hair loss.
Traction Alopecia
Usually caused by excessive hair styling, Traction Alopecia is a common (but completely reversible) type of hair loss among teenage girls.
Essentially, traction occurs when hair is pulled back into tight hairstyles or excessively styled using chemicals or headwear (such as helmets, headphones, and masks).
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes bald patches (usually round) on the scalp and other areas of the body where hair growth occurs.
This form of hair loss can appear in men and women at any age, but is likely to flare up during periods of stress or hormonal changes.
As an autoimmune disorder, the development of AA depends on many factors, including: genetics, environment, hormonal imbalance, and immunology. This is why certain individuals may be more susceptible to AA.
As you can imagine, the stress and hormonal changes that occur in our early years make these years the perfect time for AA to flare up.
Undiagnosed Medical Condition
While this is not the most likely cause of hair loss in teenage girls, it is important to consider if you have ruled out the factors mentioned earlier.
In short, a variety of medical conditions can indirectly trigger hair loss.
These include various diseases (such as polycystic ovaries and thyroid dysfunction), physical conditions (including lupus and anemia), and even mental conditions (such as anorexia and anxiety). If left untreated, these conditions can lead to damage to the hair follicles and trigger further hair loss.
How to Treat Hair Loss
It can certainly be tempting to treat hair loss with one of the over-the-counter medications that target hair loss sufferers. However, it is not advisable to use them, especially at such a young age.
While many people will see positive results with these treatments, the results will quickly disappear after discontinuing use. If you start using them now, it means a lifelong dependency.
Treating Hormonal Imbalance
During a period of hormonal fluctuations and growth, it is a very real possibility that hormonal imbalance is at least partially responsible for your hair loss.
Fortunately, there are ways to treat such an imbalance (both natural and through medications) that can stop hair loss.
Improving Nutrition
One of the best things you can do for your body—including your hair and scalp—is to improve your daily diet. This means adding more nutritious foods and focusing on eating well-balanced meals.
The typical Western diet can be very harmful, both to the body and to the hair.
The best way to make this change is to start slowly.
For example, replace your sugary breakfast cereal with fruit and protein (eggs). Alternatively, cut your carbohydrate portion in half at each meal and add vegetables instead.
Avoid Excessive Styling
Perhaps the easiest tip on the list. Obviously this is beneficial for girls suffering from Traction Alopecia, but it can really benefit anyone experiencing thinning.
When we talk about excessive styling, we mean not only tight hairstyles, but also avoiding heat such as hair straighteners, or other chemicals.
While hair loss at any age can be devastating, it can be especially difficult for young teenage girls. Fortunately, early hair loss can be stopped in most cases.
The most important thing is proper diagnosis, in order to receive appropriate treatment. Therefore, it is important to consult a professional who can properly diagnose the cause of hair loss and suggest appropriate treatment for your type of hair loss.
While the treatment methods described here can help with hair loss in many cases, it is important to know that they will not necessarily help every type of hair loss, and therefore if you see that the hair loss continues, it is advisable to consult a trichologist.