Best Treatment for Male Hair Loss at 25

Are you losing more hair recently that you are stressed about using the comb to style your hair? Well, you are not alone. While extreme hair loss is considered a common issue among older men, male pattern baldness can develop at an early stage even among males in their mid-20s. Apart from altering one’s physical appearance early hair loss can also bring emotional distress and psychological impact. Thankfully, there are several hair transplant options and non-surgical methods available to regrow your lost mane. Keep reading to learn more about hair loss occurring among young men in their mid-20s, factors causing early male pattern baldness, non-surgical treatments, and hair transplant options available to regrow lost hair.

Understanding Hair Loss in Men at 25

Losing hair in your 20s can be a stressful issue, as it can impact your confidence and self-image. Visible levels of hair loss can be emotionally distressing, as you might be striving to achieve professional growth and expand your social circles by the time you reach 25. However, experiencing extreme hair loss has become a common issue among Gen-Z males. According to the study findings by Traya, an Indian health-tech brand revealed that about 51.3% of males within the age of 25 experience hair loss [1].

The study was conducted with more than 5,00,000 male participants aged between 21 and 28 years. It also showed that the rate of hair loss was 33.35% higher among men within the age group of 21 to 25. Your hair loss might begin with losing a couple of strands every day, which might suddenly escalate to losing a lot of hair. You might notice hair thinning happening in a specific pattern featuring a crown with scanty hair or a receding hairline above the forehead. This condition is very prevalent affecting 50% of males across the globe and is referred to as androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness [2]. Since this particular pattern of hair loss and thinning occurs during your 20s, it is referred to as early male pattern baldness.

Signs Of Early Male Pattern Baldness

It is easier to identify whether you have male pattern baldness at an early stage as the signs of regular balding are much different than this condition. Here are the signs of early male pattern baldness:

• Losing Hair in Clumps: though losing 100 hair strands might not be alarming, seeing clumps of hair falling out while combing, air drying, or showering is not normal.
• Low Hair Density: You might find a few areas on the scalp with missing or scanty hair, which is a tell-tale sign related to early male pattern baldness. If your scalp is visible with less hair, it indicates that there is a reduction in hair density.
• Losing Hair In Pattern: As the name indicates, you might lose hair in a specific pattern similar to the ‘M’ alphabet along the hairline in the forehead region [3]. This classic sign will also create a receding hairline featuring subtle hair loss near and over the temples [4].
• Thinning of Hair: Your crown area will have thinning of hair which if left untreated might develop as a visible bald spot.
• Hair Growth Cycle Becomes Shorter: You will notice that the hair strands have become very short and finer along with hair loss. It occurs because the natural growth cycle of your hair would be shortened, which would cause your hair to have low density.
• Hair Follicles’ Miniaturization: Though you will not be able to notice this sign of early male pattern baldness, the study reveals that you will notice finer hair due to the shrinkage of hair follicles.

Causes of Early Male Pattern Baldness

Several factors can trigger the development of early male pattern baldness among men at 25. Some of the major causes behind this condition are:

• Genetics: Your genes have a vital role in causing patterned hair loss at a younger age. If any member of your family has been diagnosed with early male pattern baldness, especially your mother, you might inherit it.
• Role of Hormones: DHT or dihydrotestosterone refers to your sex hormone, which plays a key role in causing receding hairline. Your hair follicles tend to miniaturize due to the action of DHT, which might lead to finer and shorter hair, gradually stopping hair growth.
• Health Issues: If you have thyroid disorders, diabetes, ringworm infection, or autoimmune conditions, it might cause early male pattern baldness at 25.
• Nutritional Deficiency: Lack of balanced nutrition through diet might cause deficiencies of vitamins, zinc, iron, and protein. These nutrients are essential for supporting hair growth and lacking them will cause pattern baldness at an early stage.
• Excess Stress: If you are dealing with too much stress due to personal or professional reasons, it can disrupt the cycle of your hair growth and cause excess hair loss.
• Poor Lifestyle Choices: High dependency on fast-food takeaways, smoking, alcohol drinking, and not exercising can also affect your hair growth pace and induce excess hair loss.
• Specific Medications: People taking drugs for chemotherapy, or TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) might also cause more noticeable early male pattern baldness among men at 25.
• Excessive Styling Products: If you are an actor or into modeling, you might have to undergo harsh hair treatments like bleaching, frequent hair coloring, heat treatments, and styling products containing chemicals. These procedures can be damaging to your mane and can lead to androgenetic alopecia or androgenic alopecia.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Hair Loss

If you are at the initial stage of early male pattern baldness, some of the popular non-surgical treatments might help reduce the rate of losing hair and improve regrowth.

Topical Medications

Your doctor might suggest using topical medications like finasteride or minoxidil to combat DHT to prevent pore miniaturization, promote scalp circulation, and kindle hair growth. However, you need to be consistent while using these over-the-counter medications to see visible results after a few months. Plus, some of you might face side effects like unwanted hair growth near the application site, irritation of the scalp, or lower sex drive.

PRP Treatment

Platelet-rich plasma Therapy is an effective non-surgical procedure that can help enhance hair density, thickness, and texture and stimulate hair regrowth [5]. This minimally invasive procedure is performed by drawing a tiny amount of your blood, which is then processed to extract concentrated platelets [6]. The platelets are injected into the treatment site on your scalp to rejuvenate your hair follicles to promote hair regrowth naturally [7]. PRP treatment is customizable to cater to hair loss or thinning occurring in specific areas of your scalp to deliver targeted hair regrowth [8].

Hair Transplant Options for Young Men

Hair transplant procedures are available for males at 25 to combat hair thinning and hair loss to prevent early male pattern baldness from advancing further. These cosmetic procedures are performed by transporting healthy and active hair follicles from the donor area in the scalp to targeted areas with scanty or no hair. It is an innovative approach to prevent balding and thinning and is developed to achieve a scalp with a healthy and thicker mane [9]. Hair transplant procedures offer a permanent solution to early male pattern baldness, as the results last a lifetime [10]. Plus, there are no side effects or downtime, making it easier for you to stay focused academically and professionally. Here are some of the popular hair transplant procedures that males at 25 can benefit from.

1. FUT or Follicular Unit Transformation

This procedure is performed by extracting a small strip with active hair follicles from the scalp’s donor site [11]. The removed strip will be then dissected to extract the healthy hair follicles, which will be transplanted in the targeted region. Within a single session of the FUT procedure, it is possible to harvest a huge amount of follicular grafts, making it beneficial for males facing extreme hair loss [12]. Plus, it is accurate and maintains impressive graft survival rates.

2. Robot-assisted Hair Restoration Procedure

This procedure is performed with the help of the latest robotic system that helps to extract as well as implant healthy hair follicular grafts with better accuracy and precision [13]. As there are no manual efforts, you can stay assured of accurate results in the targeted scalp area and a higher rate of graft survival [14].

3. FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction

During the FUE procedure, the surgeon extracts active follicular units from the donor region and implants them in the problem area [15]. It is a minimally invasive procedure that assures natural hair regrowth with minimal scarring and no downtime [16].

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Hair Loss

• Ensure your diet is loaded with nutrient-rich foods that are rich in zinc, iron, protein, biotin, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals.
• Drink 3 liters of water each day to prevent dry hair issues, hair loss, and hair breakage.
• Restrict drinking alcohol or smoking to help improve blood circulation in the scalp.
• Practice stress reduction techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga to combat hair loss and support regrowth.
• Get adequate sleep time each night to enhance hair health.
• Avoid wearing tight caps and helmets to prevent low blood flow in the scalp.
• Avoid going out in direct sunlight, as the UV rays can harm your scalp.

When to See a Specialist

It is advisable to consult a hair specialist at Akruti to treat early male pattern baldness as soon as you notice that your hairline is receding in a distinct M pattern or face visible scalp with thinning hair. If you are losing clumps of hair strands every time you sleep, comb, or shower, it is essential to consult the doctor immediately. You must also get professional advice if facing rapid hair loss, or have a family history of androgenic alopecia. Early diagnosis of early male pattern baldness will help address hair loss and encourage natural hair regrowth.

Citations

1. IANS India Private Limited – https://www.ians.in/
2. Ho CH, Sood T, Zito PM. Androgenetic Alopecia. [Updated 2024 Jan 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/ – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/
3. Kashiyama K, Haraguchi R, Ban F, Yoshida D, Fukuda M, Date N, Koga K, Koga K, Tanaka K. Study of Frontal and Temporal Hairline Patterns in Japanese Subjects. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021 Aug 13;9(8):e3751. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003751. PMID: 34414058; PMCID: PMC8367035. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8367035/
4. Leah C. Redmond, Summik Limbu, Bessam Farjo, Andrew G. Messenger, Claire A. Higgins, First published: 26 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/exd.14839 – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/exd.14839
5. Shruti Gupta, TN Revathi, S Sacchidanand, HV Nataraj, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Victoria Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – https://ijdvl.com/a-study-of-the-efficacy-of-platelet-rich-plasma-in-the-treatment-of-androgenetic-alopecia-in-males/
6. Paichitrojjana A, Paichitrojjana A. Platelet Rich Plasma and Its Use in Hair Regrowth: A Review. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2022 Mar 10;16:635-645. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S356858. PMID: 35300222; PMCID: PMC8922312. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8922312/
7. Gentile P, Garcovich S, Bielli A, Scioli MG, Orlandi A, Cervelli V. The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Hair Regrowth: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2015 Nov;4(11):1317-23. doi: 10.5966/sctm.2015-0107. Epub 2015 Sep 23. PMID: 26400925; PMCID: PMC4622412. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4622412/
8. Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States – https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.843127/full
9. Jason Richard – Department of Trichology and Cosmetology, Kazan State Medical University, Butlerova Street, 49, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia – https://www.hilarispublisher.com/
10. David Josephitis, Ron Shapiro – Hair Transplant Forum International Sep 2018, 28 (5) 179-182; DOI: 10.33589/28.5.0179 – https://www.ishrs-htforum.org/content/28/5/179
11. Dua A, Dua K. Follicular unit extraction hair transplant. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2010 May;3(2):76-81. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.69015. PMID: 21031064; PMCID: PMC2956961. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2956961/
12. Nirmal B, Somiah S, Sacchidanand SA. A study of donor area in follicular unit hair transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2013 Oct;6(4):210-3. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.123408. PMID: 24470718; PMCID: PMC3884886. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3884886/
13. Hair Transplant Institute Miami, 4425 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Suite 230, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA. Electronic address: paultrose@yahoo.com. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24267426/
14. Robotic, AI-assisted follicular unit excision and implantation for hair restoration – Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 81, Issue 4 – https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(19)31453-7/
15. Sharma R, Ranjan A. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant: Curves Ahead. J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2019 Dec;18(4):509-517. doi: 10.1007/s12663-019-01245-6. Epub 2019 May 28. PMID: 31624428; PMCID: PMC6795649. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6795649/
16. Biju Vasudevan – Senior Advisor (Dermatology), Base Hospital Lucknow, UP, 226002, India – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377123719301261