Thinking of getting a hair transplant at 25? There’s a lot of conflicting advice and information out there for people who are losing hair in their mid 20s. While you can legally get a hair transplant from the age of 18, many clinics are reluctant to perform a hair transplant until you’re at least 25 — and with good reason.
So why is 25 commonly considered the youngest age to get a hair transplant? And what can you do if your clinic advises you it’s too soon for a hair transplant?
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know when considering a hair transplant at age 25.
There are three key reasons most people are advised to wait until they’re 25 before they get a hair transplant.
In your late teens and early 20s, you’re still in the very early stages of hair loss. So it’s hard to predict what your hair loss pattern will look like and when it will stop.
This makes it more difficult for surgeons to design a natural-looking hairline, and may mean you need more surgeries sooner to maintain your hair.
Male pattern baldness is a progressive condition. That means your hair loss will keep getting worse unless it’s treated. The Norwood Scale shows the progressive stages of male hair loss:
If you get a hair transplant when your hair loss is still ongoing, your hair will continue to fall out around the transplanted hairs, leaving you with unnatural-looking bald patches across the scalp.
If you tackle hair loss early enough, you can often keep your hair intact and even regrow lost hair without the need for a hair transplant.
Hair loss treatments like Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Dutasteride are very effective for tackling androgenetic alopecia, especially in the early stages. They can also be used in addition to FUE or FUT to control hair transplant shedding and prevent ongoing hair loss after a surgical procedure.
Male hair loss is very common, although it’s unusual to see serious hair loss by the age of 25.
Research suggests around 16% of 18-29-year-old men have moderate to extensive hair loss [1]. The number of men with mild hair loss in their 20s is likely to be much higher, which is why some men start to see a receding hairline by the age of 20.
While hair loss affects lots of young men to varying degrees, it’s much less common to see hair loss in women aged 25.
Just 12% of women develop symptoms of female pattern hair loss by the age of 29 [2]. But female hair loss is a lot more difficult to diagnose than men’s hair loss, and the causes can be much more wide-ranging.
That’s why it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis with hair loss blood tests, plus a customised female hair loss treatment that tackles the specific underlying cause of your alopecia.
In most cases, 24 is too early to get a hair transplant. In 2022, just 18.1% of male hair transplant patients were under 30 [3].
But age isn’t always the most important factor. Some men have significant hair loss long before they reach the age of 25. So in limited circumstances, you may be able to get a hair transplant at age 24 or even younger. Footballer Rob Holding’s hair transplant took place in his mid-20s following an in-depth assessment by the Wimpole Clinic’s hair loss specialists.
In general, the extent of your hair loss and the treatments you’ve already tried are more important than your age. If you meet the following criteria, you may be able to get a hair transplant if you’re under 25:
So what’s the first thing you should do to tackle hair loss at age 25? We recommend starting with some of the most popular and effective hair loss treatments on the market. These include:
If you don’t see the results you want from these treatments, other non-surgical treatments like laser therapy for hair loss and Dutasteride may benefit you.
When you’ve exhausted all these options, a hair transplant is the next possible step. If you’re already at this stage, explore the differences between FUE and FUT to see which is right for you.
The best age for a hair transplant is in your late 20s to early 40s. But if you have extensive hair loss at the age of 25, you may already be eligible for surgery. The patients above had successful hair transplants in their mid 20s.
If you’re set on getting a hair transplant, speak to a few different UK hair transplant clinics for advice. They can talk you through your options and determine whether you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant.
If most clinics advise the same thing — waiting until your hair loss is under control — it’s best to follow this advice. Avoid seeking additional opinions from cheap overseas hair transplant clinics, where often the prime goal is to get you in the chair.
Lots of stories of hair transplants going wrong come from hair transplant clinics in Turkey, where safety regulations are followed less strictly than in the UK. So it’s rarely the cheap quick fix it seems to be, especially if you’ve been advised to wait by experienced UK surgeons.
Instead, find a UK hair loss specialist you trust, and work with them to create a bespoke treatment plan that suits your age, goals, and budget.
Many clinics advise waiting until you’re at least 25 before you get a hair transplant. And surgery may not be the most suitable option for you, even at the age of 25.
But at this point, you’ll have a better idea about the pattern of your hair loss, how your hair responds to non-surgical treatments, and whether you want to explore hair transplantation as a hair restoration treatment.
We’re here for anyone who’s worried about their hair loss, regardless of age or gender. Our friendly, non-judgmental team strives to offer all the impartial advice you need to make the right decision for your hair loss treatment.
Book a consultation at the Wimpole Clinic to speak to a qualified, experienced hair loss specialist about your hair loss.
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