Androgenetic Alopecia is more common than you think. If you’re wondering can you get AGA in 20s – you’ve reached the right place. Read on to find out if your hair loss is due to AGA or is it something else?
If you’ve been experiencing hair thinning in the past few months, at some point you’ve probably wondered if you can get AGA this early. Androgenetic Alopecia or AGA also known as Male pattern Baldness in men and Female Pattern Hair Loss in women.
According to a study it was found that 50% of women and 80% of men are affected by AGA. Clearly, AGA is more common amongst men. AGA is more common in men because of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone which is made from testerone. This DHT hormone is linked to hair loss as it attacks the hair follicles.
But when do you start seeing AGA symptoms? And can you really get AGA as early as in your 20s? All these questions will be answered below. Read on!
Can You Get AGA In 20s
AGA is visibly seen in men and women post 40 or 50 which is why there is a huge misconception that you can get AGA only when you’re old. This happens because AGA is a progressive alopecia.
One of the first signs of AGA is thinning hair. So you slowly start losing hair and by the time you turn 40 or 50 the baldness starts showing.
As I mentioned earlier, DHT hormone (synthesized by testosterone) is the main culprit behind AGA, you could start developing AGA anytime after puberty. Which is why it is possible to get AGA in your 20s.
- Related: Best DHT Blocking Shampoos
What Causes AGA in Your 20s
The main cause of AGA is the effect of male hormones. As the hair cycle is disrupted by male hormones, more hair falls out than grows in, and the scalp begins to stand out.
However, if you are concerned about thinning hair as young as your 20s, there may be other causes that are contributing to the progression of AGA symptoms.
Here are some of the main causes that can lead to AGA.
Heredity May Be One Of The Biggest Causes of AGA
Heredity may play a role in the development of AGA. To understand the relationship with heredity, let us first understand the process by which AGA occurs.
The process of AGA is as follows.
- Combination of the male hormone testosterone and the reductase 5-alpha-reductase
- Converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
- DHT binds to male hormone receptors
- TGF-β, a hair loss factor, increases and orders hair papilla and hair matrix cells to remove hair.
- Related: How To Prevent AGA
- Related: How to Reduce Hair Thinning
- Related: What Causes Hair Loss
Heredity is related to the “activity level of 5α-reductase” and “sensitivity of male hormone receptors.
The higher the activity level of 5α-reductase, the more likely it is to be converted into DHT. The higher the activity level, the more likely it is to be inherited from parents to children.
The strength of sensitivity to male hormone receptors is also easily influenced by the maternal side of the family.
Ultimately, whether or not a person develops AGA depends on whether or not DHT binds to the male hormone receptor. It is not surprising that the stronger the susceptibility, the higher the rate of AGA development.
However, having a family history of thinning hair does not necessarily mean that you will develop AGA. Some people have thinning hair on their father’s or mother’s side of the family but do not have thinning hair.
For example, my dad has AGA and so does my brother. But my sister and I don’t.
Stress from thinking too much about it can lead to thinning hair. LOL. Just keep in mind that heredity is only one of the possibilities.
Stress Can Lead To the Onset of AGA
Excessive stress can disrupt the autonomic nervous system and lead to thinning hair. The autonomic nervous system consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, and when the two are kept in balance, they control the functions of internal organs and blood vessels.
However, when strong stress is applied, the sympathetic nerves become dominant and the body is in a tense state. This causes blood vessels to constrict and blood flow to deteriorate. The entire body, including the scalp, suffers from poor blood circulation.
Nutrients necessary for hair growth are carried by the blood, so if blood circulation is poor, sufficient nutrients will not be delivered, leading to thinning hair.
Lifestyle Can Contribute to the Onset of AGA
Disordered eating habits and lack of sleep can cause AGA to progress. Nutrition from diet and hormones secreted during sleep are essential for hair growth.
If you have a bad diet, you will lack the nutrition necessary for hair growth making it difficult to grow healthy hair with bounce and body. Lack of sleep also reduces the secretion of hormones that repair scalp cells, which can lead to deterioration of the scalp environment.
In particular, when you’re in your 20s you will most probably be transforming from students to working professionals. You will have so much energy, time, and desire to learn and excel that you might not pay proper attention to your lifestyle and get into bad sleeping habits.
If you tend to eat out more often or do not get enough sleep, I highly recommend that you take a fresh look at your lifestyle and correct these lifestyle choices as soon as possible.
- Related: Foods That Are Good Thinning Hair
Wrong Hair Care Can Also Trigger AGA
Do you wash your hair many times a day because you are concerned about dirt in your hair and the smell of your scalp? Excessive cleansing of hair can also exacerbate thinning hair.
Washing hair more than twice a day is hard on the scalp and washes off more sebum than necessary. This dries out the scalp and causes dandruff and itching. The scalp environment deteriorates, making it difficult for healthy hair to grow.
Poor Blood Circulation In The Head Can Causes AGA
Nutrients necessary for hair growth are carried by the blood. If the head has poor circulation, not enough nutrients are delivered to the head, and the hair becomes thin and thin. Thin hair falls out more easily than healthy hair, so the amount of hair loss gradually increases, and thinning hair becomes more noticeable.
Causes of poor circulation to the head include lack of exercise, poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, ultraviolet rays, and aging.
Incidence of AGA in 20s
According to a study, out of the patients that came in with complaints of patterned hair loss 68% of them were in the age group of 21 – 30. The study further proved certain correlations such as AGA was prevalent in patients whose families had AGA too. AGA due to paternal inheritance was more than maternal inheritance.
Early onset of AGA was also linked to patients with a history of alcohol consumption. Other than that, AGA in some patients was also linked to associated systemic diseases with hypertension being the most common one.
Early symptoms of AGA include increased hair loss, loss of hair elasticity and strength, and reduced hair volume, and thinning hair progresses with age. And the gradual progression of AGA is often completed after the age of 40s.
Should You Start Medication For AGA in Your 20s?
There are advantages and disadvantages to starting AGA measures in one’s 20s. Let’s understand each of them and make your own decision on whether or not you should practice AGA countermeasures.
Advantages Of Starting AGA Treatment In Your 20s
Do you think that it is too early to start AGA countermeasures in your 20s? However, the benefits of taking measures while you are young are all very attractive.
You can prolong the period during which your hair grows back.
The “hair cycle,” in which hair grows and falls out repeatedly, maintains a certain amount of healthy hair. However, there is an upper limit to this hair cycle, and it is not repeated throughout life.
If you develop AGA in your 20s, you may consume the hair cycle early. If AGA is suspected, you should take early action before the hair cycle is fully consumed.
Receive appropriate treatment.
By going to a clinic, you can receive appropriate treatment. In general, most clinics begin by prescribing AGA medications. The medications prescribed at the clinic are approved for safety and effectiveness, so you can take them with peace of mind.
There are also topical treatments that are being researched. In fact, Korean researchers have revealed that SAMiRNA targeting androgen receptor mRNA could be a new potential topical treatment for AGA.
Disadvantages Of Starting AGA Treatment In Your 20s
Since this is a progressive alopecia, it is best to take measures as early as possible. However, it is also important to remember that there are disadvantages to starting AGA measures in one’s 20s.
The cost of AGA treatment is a heavy burden
AGA treatment is entirely self-paid. For a 20-something just entering the workforce, the ratio of treatment costs to salary can be significant.
Treatment costs vary from clinic to clinic, but for medication, a common treatment method, the cost is about 15,000 to 20,000 yen per month. If symptoms have progressed, other treatment methods such as injection therapy will be used in combination, which will cost even more.
Expenses of 15,000 to 20,000 yen per month can be a burden for young people in their 20s.
Caution is necessary if you want to have children.
Some people in their 20s may have a family and think about children. However, some AGA drugs can affect sexual function.
While they are not said to have a direct effect on procreation, they may cause side effects such as decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, and you may find it best to refrain from taking them during procreation.
If you are considering children, consult your doctor.
It is important to take AGA measures as early as possible, even in one’s 20s
It is never too early to take AGA measures, even in your 20s. As long as there is an upper limit to the hair cycle, it is rather necessary to take measures as early as possible.
However, treatment at a clinic tends to be expensive, and it may be financially difficult to continue going there.
This is where hair growth products come in. Although they do not cure the disease “AGA,” it is possible to take measures to prevent thinning hair in advance with hair growth products, such as cleaning and moisturizing the scalp to prevent deterioration of the scalp environment, without having to go to a clinic.
Hair growth products, which can be purchased at drugstores or through online shopping, are one of the easy thinning hair countermeasures that can be tried.
AGA measures should be taken as early as possible, regardless of age!
AGA is a hair loss disorder that can develop even in one’s 20s. Although treatment at a clinic is effective, it is mentally and financially difficult for young people to suddenly start treatment.
Here are some hair growth products you could try:
- Pura D’or Anti Thinning Shampoo
- Folexin for Hair Loss
- Just Nutritive Products for Hair Loss
- Hair Loss Products You Can Try
- Hair Loss Prevention Products That Might Help
Hey there! I’m Joanne. I’m a hair stylist by the day and a beauty blogger by the night. My hairstyling journey leaped when I started writing blogs on different topics related to the same.
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