Hair Loss in Young Teen Male

Dear Doctor,
I have this very close friend who is 15 years old. He is suffering from hair loss and has been since about the age of 11. I’ve talked to him about it many times and he says that the amount of hair he loses after showers is unbelievable. Even when he runs his fingers through his hair strands come out. I really would like to do what I can to help him, he has trouble talking to people so I’m basically the only one who can help. He also gets made fun of at school sometimes and no one likes to be teased. I’ve read up on different causes of hair loss but nothing really is directed to younger teens. Please help me help him.

Young men as young as 13 can have genetic hair loss. He needs to see a good doctor, get his hair and scalp mapped out for miniaturization and find out if he is genetically balding. Assuming it is genetic hair loss, then the drug that is best to hold on to his hair is Propecia. He must get help and get proper management; the price of premature balding is too grave a consequence for denying the problem.