Is Hair Loss Becoming More Common Amongst Younger Generations?

Trends suggest that hair loss is becoming more prevalent among younger generations. Economic uncertainty, global crisis, and social media may be the culprits.

Hair loss is age-old. It’s a challenge that people have gone through for generations and is nearly impossible to avoid. While hair loss is often associated with getting older, there appears to be a trend emerging withing younger generations (Gen. Y and Gen. Z) where people seem to be losing their hair a little quicker than in earlier generations.

The data is a little fuzzy on the subject and it’s certainly no reason to hit the alarm bell. However, there are some factors in the lives of the younger generations that weren’t necessarily there back in the day. Or possibly they weren’t there in the same way or with the same level of intensity.

In this article we’re going to take a look at a few factors that could be contributing to premature hair loss in younger generations.

Stress of a Changing World
Economic and Political Uncertainty

It’s not too much of a stretch to suggest the current economic and political climate have had an impact on the stress levels of younger generations. While Gen X and Boomers will find themselves in positions that are more financially sound, Millennials and Gen Z are stuck in a haze of uncertainty about the future. Not to mention a political climate where the governing parties are more interested in securing their seats than they are in helping the public.

Job security, inflation, housing, student loans, and climate issues are just a handful of the problems that are breathing down the necks of younger generations. Stagnant wages in a time where food staples inexplicably cost several times more than they did five years ago is enough to make you break out in a cold sweat. Quite simply, the opportunities just aren’t there like they used to be, and for many young people, it’s a grind just to cover their basic needs.

In a world where the idea of retirement or owning a home is a fleeting pipe dream, it’s a no-brainer that younger generations appear to be losing their hair quicker than ever before. Then again, owning a home will likely not help much in a heat-induced mass extinction event. Stress is one of your hair’s worst enemies and unfortunately for the younger generations, it does not appear to be letting up any time soon.

Keep in mind that although dramatized to reflect an increasingly dire situation in the world for many people, modern stress is very real and could be a key contributor to premature hair loss in younger generations. As hair loss specialists, we will always recommend finding any way to reduce stress in your day-to-day life.

Dietary Choices in the 21^st Century
How Are Modern Diets Contributing to Hair Loss?

Dietary changes have always been a part of human life. From the days when you chose what you ate based on whether it was poisonous or not, right through to the time of Atkins, Keto, and the Mediterranean diet. Diets usually have a goal in mind like weight loss, lower blood pressure, etc.

The issue with this, when it comes to hair loss, is that certain diets target specific nutrients to try to have one of those effects. Some nutrients that are critical for hair health are at the risk of becoming severely deficient under certain diets.

In the digital age, new diets seem to appear every waking hour. They vary in extremity and in many cases, they are borne out of solid scientific theory based on what we’ve learned about food and how our bodies respond to it. The thing is, these diets aren’t usually formulated with hair loss in mind, and so there is a risk of deficiencies in nutrients like Iron, zinc, and Biotin – just to name a few. Definitely makes it worthwhile to take a close look at your modern diet and make sure that you’re not losing more than just weight…

Social Media Impact
Perhaps one of the most glaring consistencies in modern society is our use of phones. In any given public space, you can look around and all you see are people’s heads buried in their phones, scrolling away. There are a few reasons that this trend could be contributing to hair loss, or at the very least, the perception of hair loss.

Constant Exposure to Beauty Standards

There’s no shortage of apps, games, and sites to visit these days. Some are productive while others…not so much. One aspect of our devices and apps that’s pretty hard to avoid is the constant exposure to heightened beauty standards from celebrities, influencers, athletes, etc. It is nearly impossible for the younger generations to not go through a period of self-reflection while being bombarded with (often unattainable) standards for beauty and wealth.

This can add the stress of inadequacy to many young, impressionable minds who may already be facing the stress of modern living (as noted above). More than that, though, this can lead to unhealthy hair habits in an attempt to meet such standards. Using untold amounts of different hair products, tools, and treatments can lead to weakening and breakage of the hair, and eventually hair loss.

Likeliness to Seek Hair Loss Help

Part of the data that appears to indicate that young people are having more trouble with hair loss could come from the likelihood of them seeking help. While previous generations were possibly less bothered by comparative beauty standards, it would seem that Millenials and Gen Z are more likely to seek treatment for hair thinning and loss, even before it is an apparent problem.

This heightened sensitivity is likely the result of the near-constant exposure to content that only shows the best side of people’s lives. The feeling that your hair is thinning is extra dreadful for someone living a normal life while seeing others their age make millions by playing video games on camera (with a full head of hair). If you felt like it was one of the few things you could control, why wouldn’t you look up treatment options?

The bottom line is that whether you’re a Gen Z or a boomer, the best way to attack hair loss is to get out in front of it as soon as possible. Our hair analysis test gives you insight into the areas that need work and factors that could be contributing to hair loss. Book yours today and give yourself the upper hand when it comes to preventing hair loss, intelligently.