A widening part at sixteen is not automatically “dad’s baldness starter pack.” Tight styles, crash diets, and autoimmune patches live in the same waiting room.
Paediatric and adolescent dermatology starts with history: crash weight loss, new meds (including isotretinoin), menstrual change, fever, tight braids, and family pattern. Traction alopecia from ponytails is preventable and is a different page on this site. Alopecia areata is patchy and needs a dermatologist, not minoxidil from a parent’s cabinet. Tinea capitis is an infection — oral antifungals in kids are a specialist decision. The American Academy of Pediatrics and AAD both treat unexplained hair loss as a reason to examine, not to mail-order adult DHT blockers. U.S. oral finasteride 1 mg is labelled for men with androgenetic alopecia, not as a teen OTC. This is not medical advice.
Labs, if ordered, follow the exam — ferritin, thyroid, and others are not a shopping list. High-dose biotin still interferes with some assays. Minoxidil in adolescents is a clinician call; foam still wants a dry scalp and still stings eyes. Do not crush tablets. Do not shame a child for a part line.
Eating-disorder concern, rapid weight loss, or body-image distress needs the paediatric team, not a hair-fiber spray as therapy. This is not medical advice.
Try the free self-check →Sources: AGA review (CCID) ↗
FAQ
Can a teen use dad’s finasteride?
No sharing. The 1 mg U.S. label is not a family bottle. Pregnancy handling rules still exist in the house.
Is a receding temple always AGA?
Maturation of the hairline can be normal. True miniaturisation needs exam. Photos over months help.
School sports and helmets?
Friction can break shafts. Pattern loss still needs a diagnosis. Helmets are not a DHT drug.
Should we wait until 18?
Waiting without an exam can miss tinea or areata. Age limits apply to some drugs; they do not apply to looking at the scalp.
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⚠️ When to see a doctor — don’t self-treat
- Sudden patchy or circular bald spots
- Redness, scaling, pus, pain or itch (possible scarring alopecia — treat urgently)
- Broken hairs or rapid loss
- Loss with body-wide signs (weight loss, fatigue, cycle changes, acne, extra hair)
- Loss right after a new medication
- Any hair loss in a child