In recent years, a growing number of young women, particularly in their 20s, have become increasingly obsessed with the idea that they are losing their hair. This rising fear, amplified by social media, targeted ads, and a surge in hair care content, has led many to question whether they’re experiencing early signs of balding. But are more young women actually balding, or have we simply become overly preoccupied with hair health?
Beth, a 26-year-old woman, describes her spiral into hair loss anxiety, recounting phone calls to her mom in 2021 and 2022, telling her, “I think all my hair is falling out. I’m going crazy.” Her post-COVID shedding, a common symptom of the virus, triggered a cascade of fear that escalated after she was bombarded with targeted ads on her phone. “My feed became full of people doing Pilates, brushing their hair obsessively, and oiling their scalps,” she says. With her immune system compromised post-COVID, she became more vulnerable to these messages, convincing herself that her perfectly normal shedding was a sign of something deeper. Despite reassurances from friends, family, and even her doctor, Beth couldn’t shake the feeling that she was balding—especially with her algorithm constantly reinforcing that fear.
This isn’t an isolated case. The past few years have seen an explosion of hair-care products—gummies, serums, oils, and massagers—targeting women who worry about hair loss. On social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, influencers share their hair regrowth journeys, while young women post “scalp check” videos asking whether their hair is thinning. The fear of balding has become so pervasive that many women, even without any hair loss conditions, now believe they are losing their hair. The beauty industry is eager to sell solutions, but the question remains: Are these women really experiencing hair loss, or is it a result of heightened anxiety and overexposure to hair health content?
Julie Dickson, a fine-hair specialist and founder of Joon Drop, says that an increasing number of young women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are coming into her salon convinced they’re balding. “The increase is at least 100 percent,” she states. “Most of the time, it’s just fine hair. People don’t understand that it’s genetic or that they’re comparing themselves to unrealistic images online—many of which feature wigs or heavily styled hair.” Dickson can help these women create the appearance of fuller hair with expert cuts, color techniques, and extensions, but what’s harder is convincing them that their hair is not “balding” but rather a natural part of their genetic makeup.
For Beth, platforms like Golâb Beauty, which specialize in hair growth advice, convinced her that she was experiencing the early stages of alopecia. “The logical part of me knew I wasn’t, but the content kept telling me otherwise,” she says. “It became a vessel for all my other anxieties.” While conditions like androgenic alopecia (male- and female-pattern baldness) are real and distressing, much of the hair loss content circulating online is not rooted in medical advice. Sidra Syed, 24, is another young woman who, instead of consulting a dermatologist, turned to TikTok when she noticed thinning hair. Armed with advice from influencers, Syed experimented with products like biotin supplements, OUAI’s scalp serum, and even rosemary oil, despite not seeing noticeable results. “I feel like there’s a pressure for girls to buy all these products,” Syed says. “The people promoting them can be really pushy too—‘What are you doing? Why aren’t you buying this now?’”
The trend of self-diagnosing hair loss has become so widespread that even seemingly harmless viral trends, like the use of Mielle Organics’ rosemary oil, have sparked fear in young women. After Syed posted a video blaming the product for her hair loss, it garnered millions of views and comments from women expressing similar fears of losing their hair.
While these online communities provide solidarity for those truly dealing with hair loss, they may also contribute to unnecessary anxiety. “There’s less of a stigma about hair loss now, which makes people more open about their struggles,” says Dickson. “But many people with fine hair think they’re losing their hair when they’re just seeing natural shedding or hair replacement.” Anabel Kingsley, a London-based trichologist, points out that losing up to 100 hairs a day is completely normal. She advises people to reflect on whether their ponytail is thinner or their scalp more visible than it was two years ago. If the answer is no, then it’s likely just fine hair, not hair loss.
Dr. Michele Green, a cosmetic dermatologist, has also noticed an uptick in young women experiencing hair loss, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Social media and the overall social climate have heightened awareness among young people regarding changes in their hair,” she says. Additionally, Kingsley sees a direct link between hair thinning in young women and unhealthy weight loss and excessive exercise, particularly with the rise of medications like Ozempic. “Health-consciousness to the point of being unhealthy, like losing periods or not getting enough nutrition, can impact hair growth,” she explains.
For those genuinely concerned about hair loss, experts recommend consulting a professional rather than relying on TikTok. “Hair loss is multifactorial,” says Kingsley. “It could be caused by nutritional deficiencies, stress, genetics, or even temporary imbalances that resolve themselves.” Dr. Green adds that Minoxidil or other treatments won’t help if the issue is related to nutrition or other non-hormonal factors. Despite the rise in anxiety, it’s crucial to recognize that hair loss, while distressing, is often a natural process that may resolve over time.
Penny James, a trichologist based in New York, emphasizes that the anxiety young people feel about their hair loss is very real. “They feel like they can’t go to family events, dates, or work gatherings,” she says. “It’s a source of immense stress, and it’s impacting their lives.”
In the end, while the anxiety about hair loss is real, the constant exposure to hair-loss content online may be exacerbating the problem. After all, stress is known to contribute to temporary hair shedding, and social media often creates a feedback loop that amplifies fear. For Beth, the solution was simple: she cut her hair into a short, shaggy style, stopped obsessively brushing it, and eventually stopped thinking about it so much. “Because I wasn’t talking about it, the content on my phone changed, and I didn’t see it anymore,” she says. “I was no longer on the hamster wheel.” For others, breaking the cycle is harder—but as Syed’s experience shows, sometimes the biggest change comes from simply shifting focus away from the constant barrage of hair-loss content.
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