18 year old son is going bald

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DS is Yr 13. Just before his A levels started he mentioned that his friends were joking about his receding hairline. I looked at his forehead and they’re right. I tried to downplay it, DH laughed and said good luck mate, look at me. I have since given DS daily omega 3 capsules which, strangely, he likes.

But today he was on the sofa and I noticed that his hair has started to go at the crown as well. Poor lad, he’s only 18.

I know it’s genetics and there is baldness on both sides of the family, plus there’s the current stress of A Level exams, but short of a holiday to Turkey (joke. DH is first in the queue - not even sure if that’s a joke TBH) is there anything we can do? Diet? Lifestyle? Supplements? Special shampoo and conditioner l? Can we help pause it?

He has got such a lovely mop of hair. 😢

My sons is the same started at around 15/16 amd he is 18 now. It is to do with DHT and testosterone. Is worth going to Dr's and getting blood tests to rule other things out, we did. He uses the regaine foam and he says it makes a difference. But not going to do the minoxidil tablets due to the bad side effects etc. He is also saving for turkey. As much as everyone says on here to not be insecure etc he doesn't want to be bald and wouldn't look good bald 🙈 it's personal choice at the end of the day too and what people find attractive is subjective. If he wants the hair transplant then I will be supportive of my son as it really does affect him and how he views himself.

I use a product called Regaine as my hair was receding due to peri menopause. Its a mousse you apply to the balding area and it stimulates hair growth. Its worked for me and there's a mens version too. Could be worth a shot. It'll take a couple of months at least before he sees a difference though

How do you apply it with that teeny little brush?

My DH spent a fortune on Regaine and I can honestly say it did absolutely f all.

Jeeeeeesh. That’s terrible. Thank you for highlighting this. The poor young man.

My son started losing his hair in his early 20's.
He embraced it - shaves it and rocks the bald n beard look.

You could go to superdrug and speak to a pharmacist about Finasteride.

https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/finasteride.html

OP- The GP could check your son for anaemia, thyroid issues or other deficiencies. If he has no other symptoms though, it far more likely to be male pattern baldness.

I don't know of any pills that would help. You said that your hair is thicker since taking something, but the hair follicle cannot just grow wider! Hair grows in cycles, so possibly you were on a low part of that cycle, had recent weight loss/stress that made it appear thinner, or the pills corrected a deficiency? I too only know that minoxidil can help, but as soon as its stopped- the hair will fall out again. Its a life long commitment to keep using it.

There are trichologists and transplant options in the UK- no way would I even consider going abroad for such treatments. I don't know the costs, but have an ex boss and a neighbour who both had plugs (hair transplants) done. They use your own hair from the back of the head. Initially, it did look obvious, but a few months on, it looked so natural and you'd never know. Your son may not want this, nor have the funds, but there are options available.

Shave it all off, go bald now and embrace it .

There are internet forums for men's hair loss that give a lot of advice on this.

As for treatments, it's generally accepted the 'big 3' are still minoxidil, finasteride and nizoral shampoo. Red light therapy can also help. Most other treatments are snake oil and won't do a lot.

If he does the big 3 then he will most likely stop his hair loss and get re-growth (while he takes them). There are side effects though and some people who have taken Finasteride have had erectile dsyfunction, depression, brain fog.

As for a hair transplant. doctors will probably want him to stabilise his hair loss with medication first before any surgery (a transplant does not stop the baldness process he will likely have). If he does go down this route at some point then research any Doctor or clinic very carefully as some are unethical and have poor results.

If he lets things take their course, encourage him to get into the gym. Many bald guys focus on getting a good physique and it can improve confidence.

Get your gp to check him medically.
Theres a new treatment, growth factor replacement. It available in a few places around the country. Where are you based, roughly?

Hello my son noticed his was receding in year 13. It really affected his mental health. We went to doctors who referred us to an expert in London hospital. All tests done he was low on vit d & iron. Took iron tablets. Has vit d daily gas used minoxidil mouse & finistride tablets for 15 months now. All made no difference only option is a hair transplant he is 20 this month

Happened to my son. He shaved it all off at uni - came home for his 20th birthday, whipped his beanie off and… totally bald. I cried (because I didn’t like thinking he’d been worrying and said nothing all this time) - he was bemused and just said “Nah, I’ve been thinking about it for ages as I was getting fed up with faffing with my hair, so I just thought I’d do it.” And that was that.
He said a few of his mates said “Oh, cool” but other than that, no-one has batted an eyelid.
Definitely one of those things that seemed far more upsetting thinking about it than doing it turned out to be.
Hope that helps.

Red onion juice onto scalp is really good for hair growth.

The growth hormone treatment uses your own growth hormone, so no chemicals and no allergy

I was going to say this too, think you can get it from online pharmacies.

This seems like a bit of a shallow thing to add, but it's probably relevant to some of his insecurities here. I don't know what younger women think (I hear "looksmaxxing" is a "thing" now for young men), but for me I'd be put off by a man who was taking this and that tablet, cream, saving for a hair transplant. I'd be so much more attracted to a confidently balding man, than to a (possibly) slightly less bald one who's saving every penny for cosmetic treatments and having things done to himself.

Would some hair extensions help cover it up in the meantime?

baldness can be prevented now. proper is and:or minoxonil. “Only vanity,” but still hard for a young man.

Yeah - friend of my son did the same.

I don’t think being bald and having a shaved head has the same stigma it had years ago. My husband started losing his lovely blonde hair in his late teens and by the time we met and married when he was thirty it was extremely thin. I just persuaded him to shave it all off on our honeymoon. He’s got the loveliest face and having a shaved head really suits it. He never tried to grow it again. The kids have never seen him with hair. I still think he's gorgeous after thirty years together.

The best thing you can do is give him the confidence to embrace it and own it. Hair transplants always look terrible.

I think my husband started to lose his hair similar age. His advice is shave it off, embrace it! We know so many men who have spent years faffing about with the different products unsuccessfully. I run a training company and the amount of men who refuse to remove their hat for their photo for their training card! Or just whip it off for a couple of seconds for the photo! If only they had accepted it 20,30 years ago, what stress they would have saved themselves. Just fake that confidence if you have to, and then it will become so!

I think there’s some evidence that PRP can improve hair growth and also LED light treatment. It’s worth googling for the research. There’s also a Reddit community called Tressless which may be able to offer advice.
i love bald men personally!

Can he grow a beard? My husband started balding in his very early 20s and finally in his mid-twenties gave up, grew out his beard, and shaved his head. I’m quite partial to the look (I met him when he was still trying to hide the balding and had a short beard and I when I look back at pictures I think shaving and growing a big beard was the best idea he’s ever had).

Get his hormones checked at the doctors to rule that out first. My dh receded when he had a brain tumour (I’m not suggesting it is this) his hair is now improving now he applies topical testosterone gel) and has some other medication