How much hair does your teen lose in the shower?

[Anonymous]

We’re trying to figure out if our 16.5 year old DS is starting to lose his hair. I posted about him a couple weeks ago in the health forum. His hairline has definitely receded but we’re not certain if it’s a “maturing hairline” or recession. I’m going to make an appointment with a dermatologist. He takes great pride in his beautiful curls, which are long-ish now, so this would be crushing to him. He’s worrying quite a bit.

I notice that every time he showers there is hair totally covering the drain afterward (he is terrible about cleaning it out). Is this normal? Does this happen with other teen boys?

He’s takes daily vitamin D and C and eats a very well-balanced diet. He uses head and shoulders shampoo for dandruff and conditioner. He’s always had baby-fine hair. Just wondering if it’s normal to lose enough hair to cover the drain with each shower.

[Anonymous]

Just to add…his hair isn’t long, but it’s grown in a lot over the past year without a cut so is shaggy-curly, and longer than usual.

[Anonymous]

It happens to some? DH was significantly balding by his senior year in high school. He shaved his head down by 20 and was bald when I met him. It’s a hard adjustment but there is nothing you can do if there is not anything medically wrong. Check it out with a doctor and if he is losing his hair, maybe he’d feel better with a shorter cut.

[Anonymous]

It's not normal. You'll have to get a full medical check-up, because some disorders cause hair loss, the most common being thyroid imbalances (both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism).

I have thyroid issues plus I'm in my 40s, so I routinely have that amount of hair loss. But neither my long-haired tween daughter nor my teen son with long curls, nor, come to think of it, my husband in his 50s, lose their hair like this.

I hope it's nothing serious, OP. Get it checked ASAP, while we're in a Covid lull.

[Anonymous]

OP,, if your are his mother, what was the experience of males related to your mother in your family? That would give an indication if it's simply familial and not much can be done.

Other medical reasons include anemia and hypothyroid, conditions that are not common but not unheard of in teenage males.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It happens to some? DH was significantly balding by his senior year in high school. He shaved his head down by 20 and was bald when I met him. It’s a hard adjustment but there is nothing you can do if there is not anything medically wrong. Check it out with a doctor and if he is losing his hair, maybe he’d feel better with a shorter cut.

He was bald at 20 because he shaved his head, or had he lost all his hair at that point? I hope my DS develops your DH’s confidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's not normal. You'll have to get a full medical check-up, because some disorders cause hair loss, the most common being thyroid imbalances (both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism).

I have thyroid issues plus I'm in my 40s, so I routinely have that amount of hair loss. But neither my long-haired tween daughter nor my teen son with long curls, nor, come to think of it, my husband in his 50s, lose their hair like this.

I hope it's nothing serious, OP. Get it checked ASAP, while we're in a Covid lull.

I think it’s normal with male pattern baldness, though.

[Anonymous]

try a less toxic shampoo? he might be allergic or have a reaction to one of the ingredients in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,, if your are his mother, what was the experience of males related to your mother in your family? That would give an indication if it's simply familial and not much can be done.

Other medical reasons include anemia and hypothyroid, conditions that are not common but not unheard of in teenage males.

There was hair loss well into adulthood, but never early, as far as I know. I’m thinking of my brothers, grandfather, uncles, etc. But my DS shows no signs of thyroid issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It happens to some? DH was significantly balding by his senior year in high school. He shaved his head down by 20 and was bald when I met him. It’s a hard adjustment but there is nothing you can do if there is not anything medically wrong. Check it out with a doctor and if he is losing his hair, maybe he’d feel better with a shorter cut.

He was bald at 20 because he shaved his head, or had he lost all his hair at that point? I hope my DS develops your DH’s confidence.

He had lost all of the hair on the top of his head at that point. He said it was a good friend, who was a girl, who told him it would look better shaved and it was time. It was the right move. I don’t think he became truly confident until a few years later. I thought he looked fantastic when I met him. Bald with facial hair. He was not self conscious by his mid 20s.

As others said, get a complete medical work up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's not normal. You'll have to get a full medical check-up, because some disorders cause hair loss, the most common being thyroid imbalances (both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism).

I have thyroid issues plus I'm in my 40s, so I routinely have that amount of hair loss. But neither my long-haired tween daughter nor my teen son with long curls, nor, come to think of it, my husband in his 50s, lose their hair like this.

I hope it's nothing serious, OP. Get it checked ASAP, while we're in a Covid lull.

I think it’s normal with male pattern baldness, though.

DP. +1 to PP's suggestion, just in case.

[Anonymous]

My son is 21 and I can see it is getting thin on top. He has never brought it up so I do not want to make it a thing. I assume he will end up a young bald guy. Not a family thing on my side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is 21 and I can see it is getting thin on top. He has never brought it up so I do not want to make it a thing. I assume he will end up a young bald guy. Not a family thing on my side.

Bloodwork is all nornal BTW..though he has never been checked for that issue specifically.

[Anonymous]

Did he have COVID or possibly a symptomatic COVID. This is associated with a cycle of hair loss about three months after.

Also as a person who has suffered with both hypo and hyperthyroidism these both can cause some significant hair thinning.

If you have changed shampoos also change back. Check to make sure your shampoo has not been reformulated. Some shampoos seem to make my and my child’s hair brittle and break and fall out a great deal.

[Anonymous]

Get his bloodwork checked for sure... but this sounds like early onset male pattern baldness. Not really a difference between a "maturing" hairline and a "receding" hairline. Sorry, OP, I do think this is a tough thing for a male teenager to deal with.