Stress & Genes Matter

Of course, my first question was, "Is this normal?" According to Dr. Gross, not necessarily. He told me, "It’s rare to see this in patients under 30 years old, but absolutely possible."

Regardless of age, experts measure hair loss in two different ways: the actual strand count (are you losing hair from the follicle?) and the strand diameter (is it getting thinner?). It’s possible for both to occur. "When hair thins in diameter, many times it’s because the scalp is oily when we’re younger; as we age, the scalp can dry out and cause thinness. Sometimes, hair falls out or you might not have a full head of hair due to genetic tendency — this can start appearing in your early to mid-20s," says Dr. Gross.

I wanted to figure out what in my lifestyle might be contributing to the issue. First up: birth control. According to Pullan, "It's not uncommon for someone in their twenties to be experiencing hair loss due to going on or off oral contraceptives, thus affecting the sex hormones in a way that can contribute to hair loss." Add a check mark to that box. Not only have I had allergic reactions to the prescription, I've had late periods and missed taking my pill a few times — situations that affect my hormones and stress levels.

Stress, Pullan explains, is often a factor. "Sustained stress releases other hormones, cortisol being one, that can affect the hair-growth cycle. [People in their 20s] are often entering the job market or changing jobs as they navigate a career. They are dating and perhaps enduring breakups. They may be exercising, or even over-exercising, and not making proper nutritional selections that are a must for optimum hair and scalp health."

I related to this — hard. When the hair loss started, I was a month away from graduating, jobless, and growing more and more nervous about my financial stability. In fact, it was probably the most stressful period of my life until that point.

On the bright side, Dr. Gross told me that while these life changes can affect hair thickness temporarily, it often goes back to normal when the stress levels do. Phew.