[Bamboo_RedPanda]

So, I'm only 20 years old (female) and my hair started thinning shortly after I started college at 18 years old. I used to have thick, wavy, Hermione-Granger-in-first-Harry-Potter type hair, and now it's extremely thin and this is causing bouts of anxiety about the appearance of my hair to others and how its future on my own head will be. I'm not extremely stressed, and my diet hasn't changed.

My mother has thin hair as well, but I would think it odd for hair to start thinning this much at such a young age.

What are different reasons you all think it may be?

There aren't any bald spots, just very thin (thinnest being the very back of my head where the part ends, the part of the head that often touches seats and pillows, and I'm afraid of that spot going bald).

Thank you for any help, I'm extremely concerned about it.

[-jimi-]

Extreme stress can contribute. I don't have thick hair at all, it was worst before I started treatment for hypothyroid. My hair wasn't just thinning out, it was brittle, also my toenails were paper thin.

[Travelinglady]

I suggest talking to a doc about it. I think everybody's hair thins some as they get older, but it does sound like you are young for that. Could be some deficiency.

[LucyG]

What meds are you on? They can trigger hair loss as well as a receding hairline. And based on my experience with the receding hairline, it DOESN'T grow back--or at least mine hasn't!! I have the hairline of my 80 year-old mother. This was the last straw in forcing me to go off meds to save my hair so I know how terribly upsetting hair loss is--I had nightmares about being bald!!

[Bamboo_RedPanda]

Thank you all for the responses

@LucyG I'm not on any meds, that's why this is even more alarming. I can understand genetics causing hair thinning, but at such a young age and in a female?

I'm just so worried about how my hair is going to look in the future. Worried that this might be something to look into.

Anything would be helpful.

[LucyG]

How about birth control? I think some of them cause a receding hairline as I see tons of you women with hair loss at the edges like when a man's hair starts to recede. I don't know for sure what causes it, but I suspect it's either a form of birth control, or maybe some anxiety med.

Also, have your thyroid checked.

Here's an interesting matrix showing the signs and symptoms of low thyroid and low adrenal function.

http://www.drrind.com/therapies/meta...ymptoms-matrix

[googley]

You should get your thyroid checked and get your vitamin levels checked. Those can both impact your hair growth.

[bebop]

the one thing that really pops into my mind is....are you getting enough protein in your diet?

[Bamboo_RedPanda]

@LucyG I'm on no meds whatsoever, so it's not birth control.

Thyroid and vitamin/protein levels have been considered, but I don't seem to really have any of the other signs of thyroid issues, and I'm pretty sure I'm getting enough protein, and I had been taking vitamins for a while and they did nothing for me at all.

[LucyG]

Ask your mother when her hair started thinning as it might be genetic. If that's the case, look into wigs for when it gets really thin.

I started getting gray hair when I was 21 as did my sister for what it's worth. My husband started balding at around 18. Some things you can't do much about...........

[OrangeMoira]

Genetic female hairloss, or Androgenic/Androgenetic Alopecia ("AGA"), can start in your teens. But it usually happens gradually. To go from super-thick to noticeably thinning in two years is not typical for that type of loss. However, AGA loss is usually the worst at the crown, like yours. AGA can be stalled for some women with Rogaine or prescription anti-androgen medications.

Thyroid problems, extreme iron deficiency (it has to be pretty bad), birth control, PCOS, and very high levels of stress can cause faster types of hair loss. These can often be reversed. I strongly suggest going to a doctor to have those issues ruled out.

Are you sure there are not any circular patches of loss? This would be Alopecia Areata, which is an immune disorder that can go into remission.

I have AGA, and my hair started thinning at puberty. It got really bad when I was in grad school the last couple of years because I lost extra hair due to stress.

If your hair loss is permanent, there are lots of things you can do. I've rocked some hot wigs this year. It was fun having thick hair again, but I couldn't help feeling self-conscious; I've gone back to my pixie "combover" for now (ugh). If the top of your hair gets bad but the rest stays thick, you can use hair powder to conceal the thinning; you can also use a topper, which is a partial hairpiece that fastens to the top of your head. It's like extensions but isn't sewn in. Some women shave it off (tried that--my head has a shark's fin on top and it's not a good look), and some women just wear their thin hair and don't worry about it.

I've done a lot of research on this and I know how miserable the whole experience can make you. Worrying about what will happen next and what your hair will look like in the future seems to be a normal stage in the process. Unfortunately, so is trying every supplement and product you can buy. A good doctor can save you a lot of time and money.

I'm sorry you have to deal with this so young. Feel free to PM me! There are some great support forums for women with hair loss. You're not alone in facing this. Hope you find some answers!