Hair loss can be extremely disheartening and upsetting, especially if it starts while you’re still young. It can make you feel like you’re aging prematurely or make you wonder if others perceive you as less attractive. It might even cause you to worry that you have some underlying health problem. You might look in the mirror for many reasons and be less happy with the reflection staring back.
Your changing appearance might feel unsettling even if you haven’t lost much hair yet. You might be wondering if there’s something you could be doing to stop it from happening. The good news is that starting a hair loss treatment regimen is never too early. The earlier you start, the better your chances of maintaining or regrowing some or all of your hair. Here’s how and why to start hair loss prevention early.
Topical Medications
One popular hair loss treatment, minoxidil, is designed to regrow lost hair. It’s available as both a foam and a liquid solution, which you apply twice daily directly to the scalp. In order for minoxidil to work, you have to use it consistently for several months. It’s also important to keep applying it twice a day, even after you start seeing results. Up to two-thirds of men with balding say they see positive results when they use minoxidil correctly.
Minoxidil can’t completely cure hair loss but can certainly delay the progression of male (or female) pattern baldness. Research has also shown that it’s more effective for younger people with a shorter hair loss history. In other words, the sooner you start using minoxidil, the more effective it could be. That said, if you’re younger than 18, check with a healthcare provider since it isn’t FDA-approved for minors.
Oral Medications
Finasteride, typically a prescription pill, prevents the hairline from receding, controls thinning, and encourages regrowth. It may be a little better at preventing hair loss than regrowing hair, which is why it’s often used in combination with minoxidil. As with minoxidil, it’s approved for men ages 18 and up and is most effective when used early. It should not be used before puberty, as it can interfere with normal hormone development.
Finasteride works by stopping your body from producing an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme interacts with testosterone, converting it into dihydrotestosterone, a male sex hormone widely responsible for male pattern baldness. The earlier you start using finasteride, the sooner it can block DHT and prevent future hair loss. Some doctors say finasteride is more effective for men in their 20s or 30s than in older men.
Lifestyle Changes
Whether or not you try medications or other hair loss treatments, your lifestyle also plays a role. Factors like stress, obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption can all contribute to premature hair loss. On the other hand, consistent healthy behaviors like a balanced diet and regular exercise may slow its progression. Dieting and going to the gym won’t bring back lost hair, but they may help keep it from falling out.
To stave off hair loss naturally, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get enough protein. Certain vitamins and other dietary supplements, like biotin, may help keep hair thicker and healthier. Maintaining a healthy weight is also correlated with a lower likelihood of male-pattern hair loss. Getting enough sleep, exercising, and incorporating stress-reducing techniques like meditation may also make a big difference.
Hair Restoration Surgery
There are other options in cases where hair loss is too advanced or follicles are too damaged to see results from medications. One common route is hair restoration surgery, a hair transplant. There are two main types of hair restoration procedures: FUE and FUT. That’s follicular unit extraction and follicular unit transplantation, respectively. During a FUE transplant, individual follicles are removed from one part of the head and inserted in another. In a FUT transplant, a large strip of skin and follicles is removed before reinsertion.
Even with hair restoration surgery, you still need to do it sooner rather than later to see the best results. People whose hair loss is too advanced might not even be candidates for restoration since they don’t have enough donor hair. Hair can be transplanted from other body areas and inserted in the scalp. But body hair transplants are more likely to fail than transplants from the head. In other words, early action is your best bet.
Better Late Than Never
If you’ve already noticed substantial hair loss and you feel you’re late to the bandwagon, don’t fret. There’s still time to prevent further hair loss and encourage regrowth. Some treatments are effective and approved for people up to age 65. Hair restoration is also a good option for many people who’ve experienced significant hair loss.
That said, if you’ve only lost a bit of hair and are unsure when to start, now could be the time. Keeping your hair follicles healthy now is usually more effective than restoring their function later. Treating and preventing hair loss now could make a big difference in your appearance, self-esteem, and confidence.
