Age and Hair Loss

Hello sir,

I really respect your advice and in the past your forum has been very helpful for me. I do have one question however, and that has to do with regard to age and hair loss.

Currently I have a full head of hair, but for the past 2 years now, i have had some frontal recession and a thinning of the crown. Neither of these has progressed for the past two years. Since I am 22 however, does that mean with absolute assurity that I have inherited aggressive balding since I am only 22, despite the fact my hair has not gotten any worse?

Male pattern balding (MPB), androgenic hair loss, and genetic hair loss are terms used to describe the SAME thing. If you have miniaturization in the crown, then I suspect you have genetic patterned hair loss, and that means that it will probably kick in to another phase of the hair loss process sooner or later. Finasteride (Propecia) may slow down the appearance of the next hair loss cycle, but first get a good doctor and then a diagnosis before you commit yourself to a lifetime of this medication.

Genetic hair loss can start as early as the teenage years. The degree of hair loss — from small frontal recession to full baldness — is difficult to predict at such early age. There is no way for me to diagnose your hair loss without a proper exam, but genetic hair loss at the age of 22 is a good possibility. With regard to your frontal loss, be sure you understand the difference between the progression of a mature hairline and balding.